The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-12-05
The ". Louis Convention and its
Pnrpose.
IiFro,a the phlladelphia Tlmes.l


The extraordinary assemblage jusl
closed atSt. Louis, where representative
statesmen and soldiers. and the most
enlightened practical business eXpe-
rience of more than twenty STATES,
were heard in council, will call the at
tention Of the country afiesh to our
national highways. 1t was not Il con
clave of railroad snen. Nearly one
hundred gentlemen were there 10
speak for Pennsylvania who repreSen-
ted the great iron, coal and mann FAC
turing interests of the State. loey
were not sent there to declare pre-
determined purpose, but after thp
m0at careful investigation and lnll
conference with the views OF leading
men from every section, they reached
the conclusions 80 forcibly expressed
in the resolutions, which are entire
nnaninity.4 In numbers, intelligence
and substantial eharaelef, it has noi
been egualed by any otbefeohvehtioh
called to- consider our great material
interests, and has not been approached
since the great national river and mar
Dor Improvement gathering OF twenty
years or more ago, which so prololhd-
~ impressed not only this nation, but
attracted the attention OF the civilized
world. The proceedings of the 81.
Louis Convention have been given III
these columns, and its deliverance, ~
the form of an appeal to the General
Government, cannot fail TO place the
vital issue on the high plane
OF its own intrinsic merits
With the confidence OF the people
that 1t can be maintained sS n legiti-
mate national enterprise, all prejudice
against the national aid asked for
would vanish. We say prejudice, Tor
every srgument bearing upon the suo-
feet. whether viewed AS matter OF
Immediate national economy or as Il
matter of national progress, points IN
cXorably to the wisdom OF Fastening
the completion of our trans continent,
al lines as speedily as possible. Ana
especlall is this SO of the Southern
line, for the NOrtherll nli Central
lines of population bave their railway,
while the whole S0nth, even more ue'
pendent than the North upon dlree'
Communication to the Pacific for pres,
porous industry, and bearing hef ielI
share ofthe, tribute commabueu iol
the Central highway, is iallsulshing
for lust such III achievement 10 renew
her industrial life. There Is no" ~
open highway for any section from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific. Desperate
spectators clutch the throat oil thtt
only Pacific road, and subordinate II
10 the gambling of Wall street ana eN'
act extortionate rates from the pubic
Not content with plunderlng th'
government. those whose only inter
est h In the unsettling OF all values
advancing or depressing as present ~ ~,
terest demands, toy with II anu iiiak'
the whole country contri butte 10 thei
iDsatiate greed. There is no compel,
ton with it to make the owners 1901
TO legitimate development Tor incl
returns. Organized in fraud, prosecull
ed In robbery, completed by acroWn o
shame. and thencefOrth tossed .,
gamblers upon the markets and direct
ed without regard to the interests o
the people or trade, it calls for whole
some corrective such as can De pre-
scented only by the construction u
parallel lines. ..
The direct appeal made to Congress
by the resolutions of the st. Louis 20.
.yention, has none of the specuia.is (.
favor ofthe sllhRidies winch, lor yea o,
past, have made positively odious ~
Propositions to promote our nut,
needed national highways Inc unioI
and Central Pacific corporations hiau
Tue treasury contribute more tila9 ~ y
actual COST OF their lHas, for wni :,
they gave In return only secon
mortgages jappropriating al OF w