The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-05-24
LUCK OF TEXAS.

The good people of San Antonio
have accepted the proposition of the
STATESMAN, SO often urged through
the past three years, that the extension
of a railway into Mexico, from the
United States is an absolute social and
political, as well as International and
commercial necessity. Nothing else
can maintain peace between the two
republics and six months war would
cost tenfold more than the proposed
railway; and while the war and its re-
suits would be an unmixed, measure
less calamity, the railroad would pay
for itself again and again in the amel-
ioration wrought in moral, social, gov
ernmental facts in Mexico and on the
frontier of Texas. The United States
must choose between the two agencies
of conquest, and there can be but one
decision. 1t is evolved by the bare
statement of the facts and inspection
of the map of the two countries.
Assuming that the road must be
blIlt to prosecute possible war cheap
ly aud with immediate results, and to
maintain and perpetuate peace, if We
prefer peace, it is also assumed that
the materials of war and of commerce
to pass over the road must come like
our armies from the East. These army
supplies and munitions and soldiers
can be shipped from Boston to Austin
without change of cars. There are
three great competing routes from New
York to Austin: one through Memphis;
another through st. Louis; and third
through Chicago and Kansas City and
Denison. All these converge at Aus
tin on the shortest line from New York
to the City of Mexico and Mazatlan or
Acapulco. The dStour Uia Houston
and the Sunset route adds three hun
dred miles to the distance to be trav-
ersed, and if the Federal government
must build a railway to the Rio Grande
it would necessarily extend the
great system of American railways
from Austin. 1t is sheer nonsense TO
talk as do San Antonians of narrow
gauge from San Antonio to Eagle Pass
or Laredo. The transfer of govern
ment freights, horses and munitions of
war from ships to shore or from one to
another car is not to be dreamed of.
An air line route, and a, continuous
route, over bridged or under tunneled
rivers is an indispensable prerequisite
to the approval of route between the
capitals of the two republics. San An
tonic is keenly interested in this mat
ter. 1t seems that great soldiers, like
Johnston ard Ord, accustomed to make
San Antonio an abiding place, have
been discussing questions to which the
STATESMAN has again and again ad-
verted. The press and people have be-
come profoundly interested in the
scheme, and Mr.. Schleicher, the excel
lent member of Congress from the city
of entombed civilizations, will proba.
bly, have the question presented when
Congress sits in October. Meanwhile,
the owners of the Tntarnatins,al - E
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas road,
which seeks access to Austin through
Fort Worth and Meridian, will appear
in Washington, if war cloud arise on
the confines of Mexico, to urge the i'm
mediate extension of the International
as military road from Austin to Lar.
edo. If there be no change in our re-
lations with Mexico the road must be
built, and its iron bars will constitute
stronger bond of peace and assurance
of prosperity than ANY protocol or
treaty ever executed between two CO.
terminous States.