New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-11
A Resistiess Tide.

Our specuiations upon the sentiment of
the Senate IN regard to internal improve.
ments are concurred in by an eye witness
of the debate. The correspondent of the
New York Herald points out the conflict
which may be expected on this question:
In the discussion of this resolution sew
eral of the Democratic Senator's hare fatly
committed themselves to the policy of resisting
these iDlprocen on the part of the general
government as unconstitutional and danger.
Gus to the reserred rights of the States. In
the discussion OF this resolution day,
providing for these surveys, while the Re-
publicans have fully committed themselves
20 the policy of pushing to completion the
improvements suggested, under appropria-
tiOns of money or bonus from the national
treasury. the Democratic Senators, Sauls-
bury AID Bayard, OF Delaware, and Hamil
ton, of Maryland, opposed these internal
improvements on the part of the general
government as broadly in conflict with the
great underlying corner stone of our fed
eral system of State rights and as danger
ously tending to Capitalization. Mr..
Hamilton, OF Narylaud says that this
proposed system of internal improvements
On the part of Congress is wholly at war
with all the Democratic doctrines on the
subject, as expOunded and defended by all
our great apostles of Democracy from JEFF
ferson to Jackson, and from Jackson down
to this day. This is true, and there is much
truth in this warning Of danger as to the
reserved rights of the States, but neverthe-
less the party opposing this proposed sys-
tenn of internal Improvements is facing a
resistless tide. For throughout the West
and the South resistless popular tide has
set in for cheap transportation, embracing
these suggested improvements. as the first
and most important question Of the day.
In the approaching elections for the next
Congress cheap transportation will be the
controlling issue in the West and South,
and if in these elections the Democrats OF
the Western and Southern States shall fol-
low in the wake of Messrs. Salisbury, Bay
ard and Hamilton, of the Senate, they will
be routed in perhaps every congressional
district from Minnesota to Louisiana, and
thence along the seaboard to Virginia.
The overwhelming argument in favor of
these projected improvements by tho ma
tional government, as presented by Senator
Window, is this: that these improvements.
when completed, will enhance the value OF
the lands of tho Northwestern States thou.
sands of millions of dollars. while reviving
to an unparalleled degree the cotton pro-
ducing States and giving cheap food to the
Eastern States and profitable employment
meantime, in the prosecution of the works,
to hundreds Of thousands of men who other.
wise would be half starved in having
nothing to do. Against this argument nc
party or politician in the West or South
can stand in opposition to this programme
of cheap transportation. Senator Bogy
| lDemocrat), from Missouri, understands it
and goes enthusiastically for these surveys
| and these improvements. So tar, however
the Republicans are leading the way in
these grand projects, and it is apparent
that they are drifting to a policy which
| within the next ten years will add three OF
four hundred millions to the national taxa
tions. or so much to the national debt
| whatever else may follow. But the gran
gers are in the field, and they hold the bal
ance of power.