New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-28
! JOURNAL LouIsIANA. ga:


municipal subscription.
1t proposes to 60 from Alexandria, indeed
is going now, straight to Texas.
Is there any objection to the route2
Starting with that which il of primeet
necessity of securing the Texas trade, the
plished3
1t is admitted there is no time to be lost
in gaining that end.
It lie confessed that too much time has
been lost already.
That other places are receiving the bene-
fit of tho traffic which heretofore belonged,
and now properly belongs, to New Orleans.
And that every day widens the breach be-
tween us and our former trade, and every
day increases the difficulty of bridging this
breach. That if we waste our time in de-
batting which way the evil is to be remedied,
we shall presently be spared the trouble OF
further discussion by the conviction that all
human efforts are futile to restore what has
departed forever. That being apparent, it
it is perfectly marvellous how but one con-
clusion can be reached. Suppose we state
it, as proposition in mathematics:
Problem. Given, the Texas trade, now
going North, to be diverted in the shortest
possible space of time to the State Of Louis
can it be done! Let US answer by another
question. Suppose we wanted to irrigate
our fields. which were parchinR of thirst
where should we begin to dig to get the
quickest supply Of water within our In
c'Osureq At the fountain or reservoir, or at
the remotest point of our fielc3 Should We
not first get control of the water, and then
direct its flow afterward9 Of course objec-
tione can be made to this rs to all other
plans.
borough, who, as Sydney Smith relates
never could compass that two and two
made four without tears in his eyes.
What we have to decide is not that other
plans may or may not be good, but which
is the best. Not that any plan is perfect,
but whether it is not the most practicable
and the most judicious.
Objections may be urged that We shall be
dependent on Red river, below Alexan-
dris, and that determinations may be made
constituencies of the line. To the former.
the reply is simply that once in Red river
no foreign boats can compete with New Or
leans boats, and that theu we have already
affected our main purpose in turning the
tide in this direction instead of permitting
it to food towards the North. To the lat
ter, that the road will depend for it's success
upon the people of the parishes along the
entire line, and that self-interest will CON-
Del IT'S O1FeCIOID 10 Tx 6uCu . IhIlA 40 Will
inure to the benefit OF those who support
and maintain the company. Or, again il
NAV be suggested that this road should be
amalgamated with other roads, and one
common effort made to run direct from New
Orleans to Texas.
This would be locking together two men
in the water who could not swim, and
drowning both together.
Turn the question which way you will, ad-
vance all the objections that ignorance, in
terest, or malev0lence can suggest or desire
advanced, that the road which FIRST strike:
the Texas line must be the best.
And a. the New Orleans and Pacific Rail
road Company proposes to do that, and ii
bound to do il; therefore, this road is tn
best.
That being established, first, what is i
our interest to do; aud secondly, what il
our duty?
That it is the interest Of the people o
Louisiana to aid in this work, and especial!
| of the people Of New Orleans, We take to
| granted.
No doubling Thomas will question thai
| assertion. But, when we say tho people Of
! New Orleans, to whom do We refers No
merely the capitalist seeking an invest
| ment: not merely the public-spirited Cit
| zen. who contributes to every undertaking
which commends itself to his judgment q
containing the gems of good; or the phi
lanthropist, who donates of his means Il
forward q work which will give employmen
in the city of New Orleans, and who there
fore benefits by its prosperity. We meal
eyery mechanic, labOrer, artisan, CLERK
porter, dray driver; every honest man VIII
works and who thrives in proportion t
plenty of work and good wages.
We mean every one who has means
whether these means come from hard wOrl
or brain work of themselves, or inherite.
from the accumulations Of ancestors. w
mean every woman, married or single, wn
has enough property to purchase slngi
share of stock. We mean everybody, in
word. who makes New Orleans . home, an
| who wants to see it become, what it has
right to be, the great city nature intende
il TO be, What, then, is our duty? To stan
bv and see the enterprise fail, or each on
help ss he can, to the extent of his abilit.
TO secure the accomplishment OF what "
all admit is indispensably necessary to th
welfare of our city!
Suppose a mans title to his house an
lot is attacked; suppose lawsuit brough
against him, which involves half his TO
tune, or let us say, one which, if successful
will ruin him entirely!
Does he sit calmly with folded hands an
let these proceedings 60 on without stlrrini
and trust to his neighbors who are defendin
similar suits to attend to the defense OF hi
1t would be an injustice to an idiot
compare such man to one who acted thu
! Yet, fellow-citizens of New Orleans, ha1
you considered that inaction in regard
this matter of building q railroad come
to the supposed i'm becility Of this defendan
There is lawsuit now going on, invol1
ing nearly all you possess. That lawsuit
conducted by the people Of St. Louis an
other cities, and is directed to deprivir
YOU not only of the capacity of furth'
growth, but to the depression of the valu
Of what you nov possess to degree be
dering on ruin. Day by day the cause 60
: on. Day by day your property goes dow
The great jury OF the State OF Ie1as
rendering verdicts against you every hou
and there is no appeal from their decisio
You sit calmly, and take no part in yo
own defense. Somehow you fancy som
body will do something for you. Why
should you do not know. You refuse
raise finger yourselves in your own
! half You complain capitally. You mo-
like Mrs. Gummidge in David COpperfel'
over the past.
You cry out against the political rasca
ties that have burdened our dear State t
last ten years. But you forget, in the wor
!: of Macsulsy, that ''profuse expenditu1
I heavy taxation, absurd commercial restr
tions, corrupt tribunals, disastrous wa
seditions, prosecutions, CONGREGATIONS q
: inundatiOns have not been able to destr
capital so fast as the exerti0ns of privs
: citizens have been able to create it, q
. that, Notwithstanding all Louisiana b
suffered and all it now suffers, can 4
prevent it's growth if its citizens have emit
: prise, courageand determination.
3 Do you know, Mr.. Chairman. the gloo
: lest sight the sun looks upon9 1t is De
. CITY. Not one dead like Pompeii. Wa