New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-31

An able and earnest article appeared in
the Couier.Journa! last Monday on the
subject of .ranscontinental railroad
through the Southern States and Terri
tories to the Pacific. The advantages TO
the entire country arising from such an
enterprise are shown clearly and conclu-
sively. The fact that the South Atlantic
States and those Oh the gulf coast are
compelled TO snip produce and freight
| almos. as many miles northward as
Omaha is distant from the Pacific slope,
before arriving a. the initial point for d.
rect shipment to San Francisco, evokes
from the Courier-Journal these comments:
Justice to the central and southern por-
tiOns of our country and their commercial
cities requires another route to the Pacific.
An air line from Omaha to New York not
ONLY passes far north of the territorial axis
of our country, and north Of it's center OF
population, but, crossing seven States, 1t
leaves wholly to the southwark seventeen,
and passes north of the capitals and centers
OF population Of twenty-five OF the thirty
four States Of the Atlantic slope. Surely
the route would not have been SO located
had it not been at a time when Missouri,
the most central State, was disturbed by
contending forces, and when portion OF
the States were unrepresented.
But the demand for national aid in
building this great national highway is
not based simply On a sentiment OF JUS
tice. The measure is urged upon the
ground that it is economical as well as
Just; that it will open an extensive terri
tory. full of mineral and agricultural
resources; that it will be the most direct
and cheapest line Of communication be-
tween Europe and China and Japan; that
it will form a competing line, and be
more reliable than the Northern route.
Before taking up any Of the cogent argu-
ments of the Courier-J0uTnal, while thank
ing that paper for its kindly words, we
congratulate it that it has at length dis
covered the proper method Of treating
upon Southern affairs, and would respect
fully read back to it the excerpt from the
New York Times, with which its article is
concluded:
In the face Of these facts. no Southern
Congressman will dare face his constituents
az the defeater of measure calculated to
do the South more service than all the par
tisan changes and revolutions possible
within the next fifty years.
The justice which the South wants is
the restoration Of her commercial pros
perity. Blu: petition for national aid
to build levees or construct railroad
will scarcely be read, if the attention Of
Congress be occupied by another Louisi-
ana case, and obscured by bloody records
of days like the fourteenth of September.
Cessation from all turbulence and inter-
nal dissensions will be found an absolute
prerequisite before capital, either nation
al or individual, will be trusted here.
With the other points made by the Lou
isville paper we fully agree. As regards
the proposed loan of credit by means Of
which it is suggested that the road should
be built, we would remark that experience
has taught US that, however convenient,
tu0 pOltCy Va pinSiue5 OuA ioAAoou ooA.e'o
in the hands Of foreign capitalists is not
always the safest and best. Moreover, if
there be any real difference between a
subsidy and the giving Of guarantee by
the United States government to foreign
money lenders, the advantage seems to be
on the side Of the subsidy. The opening
of territory so vast, and the develop
ment of resources so rich, yielding almost
Immediately an increase to the national
wealth and revenue, would surely author
ize the government to grant direct aid.
The protection Of the southwestern
frontier and the great saving in military
transportation, So strongly urged by the
Courie:-yoradt. are also arguments in
favor Of government subsidy. But that
question may we'll rest for the present. A
railroad to the Pacific is what the South
wants, and justice, national economy and
the public good alike demand it.