The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-31
THE texas PACIFIC.

The project Of building one OF the great
trans-continental roads through the territory
of Texas has been cherished by our states
men and safest advisers for many years, es-
pecially by Rusk and Throckmorton. The
latter has given the scheme much thought
and labor, until it assumes the shape Of
practical accomplishment. The great OBJ
ject is to secure the certain and speedy con-
Struction Of the road, not ultimately, but at
once, that its completion and benefits may
inure to those who now live. Commerce
and every material interest Of the country
demand the contamination. When they
demand, obedience Of events is but ques-
ton of time but what we want is present,
practical obedience.
Commerce seeks its own highways.
Where they do not exist, they are estab.
lished or opened by the exigencies or impe-
robustness of public necessities, and, when es-
tablished, are traversed, notwithstanding
local difficulties or despite inducements
held out in other directions. If com
merce, as it passes across the continent,
seek a line of travel north of the
line of the tiirty-second parallel Of
latitude, it will find a divergence to that
line with easy facility, no matter whether
the two roads of which we have spoken do
or do not unite in common trunk at 81
Paso or at a point in that region. A
point of divergence is already found at
Denison on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Road, and another at Texarkana, on the
Iron Mountain Road, and if commerce de-
mand more northerly line of tran
SIT than that of the thirty-second par
allel it will find one Hence the
dangers to Texas interests which we de-
fined some days ago begin to disappear and
become immaterial as contrasted with the
supreme necessity for this great trans-cOn-
tinental highway.
l. The combination of interests secures
favorable legislation by Congress.
9 Favorable legislation secures the
speedy completion of the road to the Pa
cifc ocean.
8. The junction secures the entry of a
great road into Texas, to pass entirely
across the Panhandle of the State, thus
opening up region that is now, to COM
merce and settlement, terra incOgnita.
4. 1t brings lin connection with the
other roads in the State, completed and in
process of construction) every part of Texas
in easy reach of lines of rapid travel.
5. The mighty resources of the State will
be utilized; the immense body of school
lands viii be greatly enhanced in value,
and brought into market; tenantless re-
gions will he densely populated, and the
advance in value of lands now compare
lively valueless will augment the States rev.
enues, and thus decrease the rate of taxa
ton, because of the broader field for its
operation and the increased value of prop
erty.
6. Our Gulf coast can tap the whole COM
merce of the world as it moves in transitu
wherever and whenever the interest and
energy of the people combine to effect it.
2. A barrier insurmountable will be
raised to prevent the inroads of the In
dians. The frontier will be protected.
The two converging lines as they cut the
heart of the Indian country, carrying with
them the irresistible march Of civilization,
will drive the savages, not to their wilder.
ness homes on the endless prairies, but out
of Texas, and far away from the States
confines.