Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-07
The DAILY HERALD has
nearly poUBLE the cIrcu.
latlon Of either contempo-
rasy paper puhIlshsd In Los
Angeles. Az m advertising
medium Il 10 consequently OF
DOUBLE their value.
Govern mont Aid fos the Texas-
Pacific Railroad.

That the HERALD Is ever reaoy W
advocate the interests of our State,
without allowing any mean and mar
row jealousy Of other localities to in
fiuence its course, we believe every
candid reader will admit; but we cam
not agree with every scheme Of public
plunder, simply because it may turn
out that our own section Of the State
may secure q portion of the swag.
The early construction of the Texas
Pacific railroad is earnestly desired by
all our people, and we have no doubt
that Los Angeles county will be IS
much benefited by its completion as
any other locality; yet this considera-
ton does not cause US to overlook the
fact that the scheme now broached for
securing the aid Of the government is
one full Of danger to our national In
terests, and demanding the closest
scrutiny. The experience of the peo-
pie of the United States in railroad
building has not been such as to en-
courage them to 60 ahead, and with
the fearful record of corruption staring
us In the face, 1t would seem to be the
height offolly to place additional mill
lions in the hands Of railway specula-
tors, to be squandered by new Mobi-
liers. Even II this we're not the proba-
BILE fate Of an appropriation, the finan-
cial condition Of the government and
the people is enough to counsel eau
tion. The increase Of the public debt
for the monthof December was s., ,000,-
600. The deficiency in the revenue for
the remainder Of the fiscal year is esti-
mated to be over $4,000 900, and for
the succeeding year even larger sum.
The Secretary of the Treasury,
in his annual report, just pub
lished has found it necessary to
counsel reduction Of expenses, and .
judicious increase of taxation. But
the people are in no condition to stand
any increase of their burdens.
Through greater portion of the coun-
try, widespread disaster is shaking to
its very foundation the financial fab
ric, and the people are calling for re-
lief and assistance, instead Of an in.
crease Of taxation.
The legitimate and unavoidable ex-
pense Of the government must be paid,
but it IL no time to increase those ex-
penses, or to plunge into the fearful
extravagencies of railroading, ,as exem-
plified by Cakes Ames 4 Co. The
voice ofthe people is for reform and re-
trenchment; they have no money to
bestow on railroad magnates and spec
ulating statesmen, and the cry that
some Of the southern press has raised
against Governor Booth, charging,
that If elected to the United States
Senate, he will oppose the granting of
aid to the s-Pacific railroad, is one
of the strongest arguments that can be
urged in his favor. Private. individ-
uals and corporations have deferred
railroad building till more favorable
season, and the government can do no
better than to follow their. example.
The cry that the present road is .
monopoly, and that the government
must build another to give us compe-
tition, Is silly. If the United States
can. build road it ought to be able to
control it after it is built, and If it can
not do SO, the quicker it quits the busi-
ness the better.