Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-14
A Call for Facts.


Our opposition to the scheme of se-
curing government aid forthe Texas
Pacific has aroused the ire Of the San
Diego Union and 1t Is ravenous for
facts. Like the Irishman who was
afraid of justice, we apprehend that
facts are just the thing our San Diegan
he's the least use for. But he has de-
manded them and here they are. The
HERALD holds that subsidizing the
Texas Pacific is full Of danger to our
National interests. San Diego tragi-
cally, demands the facts. Has the
Union forgotten Credit 'Mobilier?
Has the fearful generalization of the
administration forces by dabbling in
railroad building escaped Its memory?
Have the dying groans of Colfax and
Bingham, and Patterson, and a host
ofgreater and lesser lights in the Re-
publican party ceased to echo in its
ears?i The Union places party above
country, and we ask 1t to recall the
ruin that government railroading has
wrought in the high places of the
party of its choice, and has not the
government suffered /? To say moth
ing about the vast territory and the
millions of money that have been
squandered, hone into the pockets Of
thieving spectators and corrupt con-
gressmen, the decentralization that has
resulted menaces our existence even
as nation. Does the Union dare to
assert that the purchase of seats in the
United States Senate, the bribing OF
Congressman, the wholesale purchase
of Legislators to which railroad subsi-
dizers are notoriously addicted is not
dangerous Is there no danger or
disgrace in such practices as Caldwell,
and Patterson, and Brooks, and Har-
Ian and Ames, and the rest of the cor
rupt crew are guilty Of:
The Union wishes to know what ex-
perience our government has had in
building railroads that should deter 1t
from going ahead We reply We ask
when has it ever had anything to do
with railroad building that 1t has not
been swindled. 1t gave the Union
Pacific an empire and in addition
guaranteed its bonds to an amount
sufficient to build the road. By brib-
cry il was swindled out of Its security,
and now has both interest and princi-
pie to pay, with no chance of getting
q dollar in return. The experience of
the general government is the expert
ence of almost every State and county
that has dabbled in the subsidy busi-
ness. Look at the Southern States,
overwhelmed with bankruptcy by
their ventures in railroad building.
Look at the counties and townships of
Illinois, Iowa, Indian and other north
western States, loaded down with an
Indebtedness that generations will not
be able to pay, gone to swell the cof-
fers of railway gamblers, with nothing
to show for their lavish expenditure,
Is there nothing in all this experience
to cause the people to hesitate? Are
there no lessons to be learned from all
this shameful record of robbery and
extravaganza? Now these are not
what the Union is pleased to call
s'reckless assertions and "parrot-like
phrases" We dare any one to contro-
vert them, and We ask that the Union
shall not 60 off in fine frenzy, and
utterly ignore the facts; facts are what
1t il after, and facts are here enough
to snrfeit the most raven0us organ of
monopoly that ever breathed the air
of subsidy ridden country. The
Union talks of security to the govern
ment If it guarantees the bonds. Who
has offered any security, and what Sc
curity can be given, that has not al
ready been tested hundred times,
and found to be utterly hollow and
worthless. What are guarantees
worth from men who use the very SUBJ
sidy granted them, TO buy release
from the terms of their contract. Will
the Union come down to business, and
dispose Of a few of these stubborn
facts: We pause for reply. - 7