The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-28
Tho Teras-pacific Railway.

The new year VIII Open Sohnc heS1SS'he
subjects OF legislation In Washington, and
among them mono are more interesting than
that OF the Texas-Pacific railway. Three
bills are awaiting action in The House ana
Senate Of Congress. They differ in no ma
terial degree that would cause either 70 DE
rejected by the friend of tho line VINO mas
no local object to subserve. The grand
point is to get through a Dill that WIZ
secure to the nation a southern trans
continental line that shall De alto
rethcr independent, and shall be pro-
hibite6 from any alliance with the present
trans.cortinental line called the Central Ia
cifc railway. Such line is wanted for the
North as well rs the South. The nation
cannot afford to place itsel; at the mercy OF
a monopoly such as would be under COM
bination OF the Central and the Southern
lines.
The public has had quite enough OF the
huge monopoly OF the Central line, without
increasing its power. There being no COM
petjt;on with the Central line in its trans
continental business, il has exhibited to a
startling degree its avarice and greed. It's
tariffs are cxorbitant, and its unsuitable
appetite for absorption OF roads, bridges,
and ferries has expanded its power until
the whole State OF California is brought I'M
der its dominion in regard to the ways and
means OF travel and transportation. The
State rroans under the ruthless despotism
OF the immense monopoly. And now 1t is
seeking, through Congress, to get posses
sion of the Southern trans-continental rail-
way. and thus to spread its control over the
trans-con;incntal commerce OF the whole
nation.
viii Congress minister to this grasping
avarice OF this monstrous monopoly? LIZ
Congress yields to the appeals OF this huge
CORPORATION, that has shown such an insatia-
bic propensity for power and such greed
for profit through onerous impositions upon
trade and travel, it will be guilty OF en-
act OF reachery-trcachcry to the nation,
and, indeed, to the public liberties. An
act that would be so faithlcss to the
people, that would be so entirely hostile
to the interests Of commerce. could be
accounted for in no other way save
that the representatives who matured
and passed it were the recipients OF indi-
yidual compensation for their intdclity to
their constituents. 1t is good reason to say
that no man would bctray his constituents
and his country when nothing came in the
way to tempt him to do so.
The contest that is pending in Congress
is one in which the people and the Govern
ment are on one side, and 4 heartlcss mo-
nopoly on the other-a monopoly whose
history is such that the nation should dread
it as an enemy to public liberty.
The building OF the Texas.Paciiic road to
San Diego, California, is most important
question. That road, established upon an in
dependent charter that will insure its exist
ence and operation as an independent road,
will open new chapter OF the nations his
tory. 1t will spread out new and mex
haust bic field for enterprise and heroism.
It will be new school, and the grandcst
school OF all that have been opened to the
nation, and school that will bring on the
coming generations with educations fitting
them for the great achievements that are
in the future. We must thus educate and
fit those who have to bear the great bur-
thens of this nation, which is destined to
stand first among the nations Of the world.
II those who are to come forward III this
important light fail to receive the education
necessary to fit them for their responsible
ties the nation itself will fail to reach its
proper elevation, and thus fail to control
the politics OF the western hemisphere.
We say that in the chartering Of the Texas
Pacific railway, and the building thereof,
this republic will take the initial step that
is to conduct it to the position Of force and
dignity that will be essential for its antici-
pated future.