The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-12-03
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY.
Memorial to Congress and Resolutions
Adopted by the st. louis Conventions.

This Convention, of delegates duly APP
pointed from thirty-One States and Terrific
rieS. many cities and Boards of Trade, Mer-
chants Exchanges and other commercial
bodies, constituting a body of $50 delegates,
representing not only a large proportion OF
the people of the United States, but of the
active producing business capital of the
country, and now assembled to take action
upon the construction OF Il Southern line of
railroad to the Pacific, do respectfully repre-
sent to the Senate and House of Representa-
tiyeS of the United States, in Congress as
Semblcd:
That Il Southern T-ranscOntinental Railway
from the waters of the Mississippi, via I'll
PasO. to the Pacific Ocean. OH or near the
thirty-secOnd parallel Of latitude. is impera-
lively demanded.
/. As a measure of sound craftsmanship: Be
cause it is only by constant intercourse, business
and social, that the great states now growing up
on the Pacific slope can be permanently bound
in a common interest with our Eastern and
Southern communities; and it is, therefore,
sound policy and wise foresight TO promote the
most intimate relations between all sections of
our common cOuntry-a necessity already recOE-
niZed by the Government in its grant of bonds
and lands to the Union and Central and Kansas
Pacific Roads, and of lands to other tranSconti-
mental lines on the thirty-seCOnd, thirty fifth and
forty seventh parallel, under the belief that lri-
vate capital would furnish the needful funds to
complete these highways, but owing to the great
commercial depression, they cannot be built by
individual capital, and the responsibility still
rests upon the Government to secure the compile
ton of ut least one additional transcontinentaI
line.
9. As a means of National defense: Because
it is the duty of the Government to nave q line to
the Pacific unobstructed at all seasons of the
year, for the prompt transportation of troops and
supplies, should trouble arise v it'll any foreign
country, and the ports and cities of the Pacific
coast be exposed to insult and attack-suCh line
to- be sufficiently removed from our border 10 en-
able ii to be all protected against the movement
of any hostile force.
8. As a local military necessity: Because the
experience of the Nation on the central, Union
ami Pacific Roads has proven that the rail and
telegraph, and the facilities thereby provided,
furnish the only sure means of intercepting and
Furnishing the hostile Indians, and Enthusiastically
Indicate the adoption of the same methods to pre-
vent constant deprefations in Western teXaS,
New Mexico and Arizona. make life and proper
ty secure, and establish there the same law
and order that prevail along the present Pacific
lines.
(. As a measure Of practical economy: Be
cause, as already shown by the experience of the
present Pacific Roads, the expense of maintaining
a military establishment for the protection of the
Southern territory against Indian depredatiOns
will be largely reduced: First, by enabling the
Government to transport troops and supplies at
one fifth of the present cost; and second, by en-
abling it to dispense with the services OF two
thirds of the present force through the facilities
afforded for transportation and the movement of
troops, and thereby save from s. 5000. to Sl0,.
900 900 per annum, and at the same time provide
more efficiently and for the care
and maintenance Of the Indian tribes who are
under the charge of the Government.
;. As Il commercial necessity To the II 600 900
of people inhabiting a belt of country from 4c to
100 miles in width, and stretching along the en-