The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-05
Sentiment Of the Opposition on the
Transportation Question.
IRON OR WATER PATHS.
Will Government Construction Conflict
with State Rights!
IMPROVING THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA.

WASHINGTON. June {, 1874.

a discovery that ne claims to have made by which
there can be extracted from each United States
silver dollar two and a half-cents worth OF gold.
Referred TO the Committee OF Finance.
Mr.. JOHNSTON, tdem.) OF Va, called up the House
bill TO relieve the legal and political disabilities or
Ftz Hugh Lee, OF Virginia, which was passed.
MIR. JOHNSTON. from the Committee on Revolu-
tionary Claims, reported bill for the RELIEF OF
Samuel I. Governeur, the legal representative OF
James Monroe. Placed on the calendar.
MIR. SHERMAN, trepl OF Ohio, from the Finance
Committee, reported back the House bill providing
the collection OF moneys due the United States
from the Pacific Railroad companies and asked
that It be referred to the Judiciary Committee. So
ordered.
on Public Buildings and Grounds, reported back q
joint resolution amending the joint resolution OF
ro ts fe,ag ,s 20 an nns and0 0 .ae ,e
out the General OF the Army as member OF the
Commission TO select the artist and leaving the
selection with the secretary OF the Navy and MRS.
Virginia l.. Farragut. Placed on the calendar.
THE CHEAP TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM.
The morning hour having expired the CHAIR
called up the unfinished business. being the cheap
Iransnor alton resolution OF Mr. Window.
Mr.. ANTHONY, trep.) OF h. l., gave notice that
tomorrow ne would ask tne Senate to proceed to
the consideration OF the bill 10 provide Tor the sale
OF extra copies OF public documents and Tor the
distribution OF regular official editions thereof
Mr. SHERMAN said it was his intention to call up the
Iaoety bill to-day, but on account OF the sickness
OF oil Inc he uau consented TO let IL
over ultl tomorrow.
The Senate then resumed the consideration of
lie transportation resolution.
Mr.. HAMILTON, (dem.l OF Md, opposed the reso-
lation, and said there was a great movement In
the West known as the Granger movement. This
rs a democrat he could not recognize The right or
Congress to commit he Government to the estab-
iisnment OF such system OF improvements He
u.d not care of party, but looked to the interest
OF the whole country IN this matter, and would
vote AGAINST the resolution.
Pr
hundred years ago tins Western valley was a VIII
dernesS Now In ten States and four Territories
mere are $4,000 600 OF people with rs GOO miles Of
raroad, which cost between sl,4o0. 600, 900 and
81, 100000, O00 They have every variety OF eli
mate and productions, with the MODEST lakes
treat that 1t was almost impossible to find means
20 bring them TO market The State OF New York
mad expended $50 900, 0O0 upon such improvements,
and this great nation should hesitate to spend
q lew hundred thousand The country now had
$1,000 miles OF railroad. constructed at cost OF
49, 100000 but they did not AFFORD cheap trans
portation, Tor two reasons-first, the productions
ounumbered tue facilities Afforded by these rail-
had been built with bonds and stocks
which did not represent capital Two great
evils followed this, first, fictitious value
was created; and second, the existence of unpaid
STOCK gave the roads an excuse to make enormous
eAarges to pay It, fortunately, there were but
lev such roads, and they were In the West. He
believed great mistake would be made to try
amy system OF canals. Pennsylvania had tried
anals across the Allegheny Mountains. and had
been compelled to abandon the work. He be-
loved the true remedy was ny railroads, to be
cunt by private enterprise. under charter by Con-
= ess. nature had provided the only two water
ways which could be used-the great lakes in the
Nortn and the Gulf OF Mexico In the south, the
connected by the Mississippi River He ia
Vored the construction OF a canal at the mouth OF
me Mississippi River and another across Florida,
which would bring New Dreams 600 miles nearer
to New York.
CONGRESS WITHOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWER.
MIR. BAYARD, (dem.) OF Del, opposed the resOlu-
ton and referred 20 the experience Of PennsyIva.
MA IN constructing canals, which involved great
expense and loss, and then the work had to De
abandoned He would not now discuss the pro-
priety OF entrusting such great works those pro-
posed to government officials under our system OF
government. but would address himself TO the ab
sence OF power III Congress TO enter into States Tor
the construction OF railroads and canals. Would
the states surrender their right Of eminent domain
TO allow Congress to enter into them for the pur-
pose Of constructing and regulating railroads As
yet there mad been precedent Tor the exercise
OF such power by Congress- and the decisions OF the
Supreme Court were perfectly clear against 1t.
Gne federal government md not depend upon the
Will OF State Legislatures Tor Its powers, and on
the other hand the States did not depend upon the
federal government for theirs. They were sepa-
elements OF GENERALIZATION lar in excess OF any,
thing heretofore proposed. 1t was but another
best nurse aud the best instructor that
citizen OF the Republic can have. He ar
gued that there was no necessity for the
government engaging in this enterprise. Con-
necti0Ds Of highways existed everywhere, an
no State had ever presented any obstacles TO
transit through 1t. He mad no doubt the resolu-
ton would pass but IL would be with his vote re.
corded against il, aud when the bill comes for
ward to carry out these schemes he would OPP
pose IL.
Mr.. GORDON, (dcm.) OF Ga, said he dio not pro-
pose to discuss the general question now, bat
would submit two amendments, which he hoped
would remove the objections OF the gentleman
from Delaware tMr; Bayard) and from Maryland
sert In the preamble the words 'or competition
encouraged by government aid" and the second
eminent aid to private coTporatlonsn so tat it
would read, ''fne following are the most feasible
and advantageous channels OF commerce to be
created or Improved py the national government
or by the extension oi government aid to private
corporations" &c.
Mr.. HARVEY frep) OF Kansas urged the pas
sage OF the resolution and spoke OF the wants OF
his section. He believed 10 enter upon TINS sys-
TEN Oh improvements would be the best way to
foster commerce, botn foreign and domestic. He
would nave been glad II tue amendment OF Mr..
I1pton Tor the Improvement OF the Missouri River
had been adopted, but hoped that the river would
yet be improved.
The amendments OF Mr.. Gordon were rejected
HOW THE COST Is TO BE SUPPLIED.
Mr.. WINDOW, trep.l OF Minn., said the whole
country would be benefited by these improve
ments-the railroads as well as the people. He
did not desire 10 strike down the railroads OF the
country. lie desired To see tins question acted
upon from national point OF view. In answer to
question OF Mr.. Pratt, trep.l OF Ind, as TO how
revenue was to be raised TO carry on these I'M
provements Mr.. Window said he would do 1t,
first. oy renstating tae tax on tea and coffee; or
II that should not be deemed advisable, he would
issue bonds to raise IL. All that WAS wanted was
courage and iaith in the country.
Mr.. BoGY, (dem.) OF Mo-, argued IN favor OF the
resolution. ana said the question OF money was or
no consequence when the great benefit to be de-
rived from those improvements was considered.
He was strict constrnctionlst and State rights
man, but was In favor OF the proposed survey,
though ne would have been glad II the amendment
OF the gentleman from Georgia tMr. Gordon) had
been adopted. The question OF the power OF Con-
Rress to make improvements could be discussed
q ter surveys should be completed. He moved to
strike out IN the preamble the words which pro-
vided that the improvements should be under
government control.
Mr. MORRILL,. (rep.) OF VT, said ne would vote
for the resolution 10 make appropriations for the
surveys, but ne did not want 10 be understood as
ment make the improvements.
Mr.. HAGER, tdem.) OF CAL, SAID subsidies had
been or tied to railroads., and never had clause
been put In any OF these vast subsidy bulls by
which the Rovernment could have any control
over the road or prevent the enormous charges by
the c0mpaUy1 This was one OF the reasons why
the people now demanded some change cargo
OF tea could be brought from emma 10 New YORK
Innis At less cost than II It was DfOuxht 20 san