New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-06-29
forty millions of people into commissions, is

When the slave States seeded and raised
an army TO overthrow the government. it
became evident to all tina. the Union. the
unity Of these States, had reached a fearful
cri.;.. Now that W., have passed the dan
GER. and find our feet once more upon firm
ground, il recuire. an etror: to recall he
fears that then distressed the most sagaciOus
O. our public men. Whether the South
would ~. recognized tv foreign powers;
whether the war would be sharp and short.
or Tong drawn our; whether the people
would endure tn., burden -: taxation and
| the draft o.. men necessary - put down the
rebellion. xera questions "f mighty import.
Among :ue u..tir,iif,e. which surrounded
u- wa. the danger .ha. IL. Pacific slope
might 20 with .a. South. o. sece.le and At
teu,,,t =, ESTABLISH. IN e.n,.re o.: its own.
| Thos. States Law ,ac distant from the centre
| o: our country. Thav had no communca-
| lion with Il. except over thousands OF mile.
| q. desert. or around Cape Horn. or across
| .he penius.lar, California l. tC belonged TO
! Mexico. He. peoples views il many re-
| spec,s differed from ours. They never did
| submit 10 a paper currency. even during
! the war. Gold was their medium. There
were many reason. to tear that
in genera. CONFUSION and long
| war the Pacific siope would slide out of the
| Union. or attempt to do So This would
| Naye extended the theatre Of war from,
ocean to ocean, have comoei.eG us to send
large armies to the Pacific coast, and have
! increased enormously the expenses of the
| war. These fears may have been exaggera.
| ted. or altogether without foundation. yet
| thew were entertained. And beyond doubt
| the most effective way of guarding against
the danger was 70 draw those States nearer
10 us; identify them with us in interest;
| afford them facilities for intercommunica.
| ton and mutual commerce. And to this
end the project OF a railroad 20 the Pacific
was entertained. and its execution under
| taken. All tina. the government has paid
| or given or can lose on account Of these
roads does not equal. nor half equal, the
| cost of a sin gle summer campaign to hold
| those States in the Union. These roads
| have already resulted in saving TO the
government in the matter of transporting
| troops. supplies and mails. and the cessa-
| ton of Indian hOStilitles III consequence of
The building OF the roads, far exceeding all
| that the government has given or can ever
lose on account OF the roads. Without esti-
ing perils past, or hopes of the future,
the increasing commerce OF Asia to be car
ried through our country, and all that which
| figures cannot express, facts. and figures
| capable of arithmeticai calculation, demon
strate the wisdom OF the government In
building these roads.
How were these roads built! Such gi-
gantic enterprise to be executed in the
midst of civii war called for government
aid: and Congress by the act OF July l.,
1862, granted lands 80 much to the mile,
| and loaned the bonds Of the United States
to the amount OF Si6,OO0 per mile, reserv-
ing lien, III effect mortgage. upon the
roads to secure the payment OF the bonds at
their maturity. together with such interest
as the United States should have paid on
the bonds prior to their maturity. The act
also provided that All compensation Tor
services rendered Tor the government snail
be applled to the payment OF SAID bonds
and interest unit! the whole amount IS fully
paid. And after SAID road is COM
pleted, until said bonds and interest are
paiu, at least nVe per centum OF the net
earnings OF said road shall also be annually
| applied TO the payment thereof
The companies were unable even with
this aid to build the roads; and Congress
by the act OF July :. 1904, granted further
a!d, by postponlnS the lien OF the govern
ment III favor OF mortgage and bonds to
be made and issued by the companies, to
the amount OF Slo.OOo per mile; and by
section hve OF the act provided, that only
one-halt OF the compensation for services
rendered tor the government by SAID com.
panies shall be required to be applied 20
the payment OF the bonds Issued by the
SAID roads.
ms was undoubtedly very liberia! do
nation ana concession on the part OF the
government; Dut II was made: anu made
because IL was oeHeVeu tnat tAs ROADS
could not otherwise be constructed; and
there Is no pretense that any member OF
congress voted Tor either OF these laws
from corrupt or improper motives. Inc
laws were passed by the votes OF the best
hv
the highest and most patriotic motives.
Now, what was the contract between the
government ana the railroad companies !:
simply TINS; Inc companies were to build
ana equip the road. and tor doing SO were
10 receive the lands granted, and the bonds
OF the government 20 the amount OF $4,000
per mile. payable N thirty years: and the
companies were Dound L" pay at the ma
tur,ty OF the oonds-that is, in thirty years
inc amount OF 1he bonds ana all interest
Whica me government shsuid nave PAD ON
the bonds up to the time OF their ma
turlty, ana One-halt OF compensation
,oart a,,d go ,Iar 1o,,. ~. ~ sne
Of tha roods .!,e, .i,a,r 'in.;a S"A -. nii :!
anni;ed 30 ,l,a 'arrnan. &c I,n!,Ia .i ~ oo
est SimnIv this and no.b,ng ,nora NV
yha+ b.s hao,, d,naS IT, ne,,,,a,,;o, 49,
hr;It +bo roods 90 ~ ia.;t ~:
of tba ,o,-arn,nor. 81 .ooa;lI -
Honds 6nelaif os d +ha o oo.o,s1u ;In
81 sa,.,-;oa, ra,,JoroS . oon ponsa.aon
has baon ,r;ttbaiS I.r- +i,a W.. .A ,lI
# ,bere has has, an ny ,n o+ arninns ~: , INV
- 80 -. 10y ~. n.so VI INC
81 - h., 49,, Pc oe'
,non, Of +h. LnnSs 81 nU "tp:.ou AZ p.y
w. ,uora ~ 49, 49, ..'s 20 GU nosn I
,,rsJ ,ha cn,,na,;os ,[, at no' ,; ~ Ia
na, tba novornrna.,. hoaa t.t taot , IV
rn;,nansst;nn fnr 800 n ,,do1 f' .i'
Government ,,d 6,-a nar n..', ~ 49, ~ VIC
d. Tba rnrorno 10 ,oe .. naa
VIZ IL cnn,ractad for ., nd' -, "a. nae..n:s
hava raceivau onl,, wia. 49, ~, .A1 o oppnne
a~raad thev saoulI receive M U =. n "a
ia franJ, II y co,tr.o. r,.;+,. n,,rIa =. 20
'ho liauo' - contraos WIN pulluer 70