The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-06-26
The Southern Pacific Railroad
Question.

allel to the Pacific. SO far as the people
of Mississippi are concerned, We can
speak for them with confidence and say.
on that subject the argument IS exhaust
ed. Their determination is fixed. They
know the value Of the Southern route
geographically and politically, materially
and commercially TO their own section,
and they know how the country at large
would be benefited by the completion Of
another line of travel to the Pacific ac-
cessible to every section and which the
SHOWS of winter could not obstruct. Nor
have they any constitutional scruples
whatever against aiding with government
means and credit, private capital in
building the road. We submit to South
ern Congressman who have loaded the
mails with speeches upon these points,
that their arguments Of learned length
and laundering sound upon this question:
are all wasted They have been ad
dressed to constituencies whose minds are
made up. They have been expanding
their labors upon points that needed no
elaboration. The question is not whether
the road ought to be built on the South
ern line, but achicb is the most feasible
plan; that of the Southern Railroad
Company; or of the Texas Pacific, the
Scott bill Or if neither, shall some
intermediate plan be adopted
Our readers need not be told that the
preferences of the CLARION has been for
the Scott bill but we have not been in
frame of mind to reject light upon
the subject, nor to close up the avenues
to information which will lead to correct
conclusions as to the best, safest and
most expeditions plan of accomplishing
the object.
In the Mississippi delegation there is a
wide difference of opinion as to the
merits Of the competing schemes above
mentioned. We frankly admit that there
are features of the Scott scheme as it
now stands that we do not like 1t is
especially Objectionable in its failure to
fix a terminus on the Mississippi river.
Vicksburg is OH a direct line east from
San Diego to the Pacific and ought to he
the terminal point but the trouble is, it
don't provide specifically for a connection
with the Mississippi at all. The bill
provides that upon certain conditions,
the President shall appoint five Com
missioners who, with q large scope of
discretionary powers, and after numerous
preliminaries, are to report ''where the
line should be and where it shall connect
with the Mississippi" There is nothing
definite about this, but an intinity of in
definiteness. Who will the President
appoint? Which of the many conflicting
interests will he consult? Or will he APP
point at all? VIII these Commissioners
ever agree; and if they disagree, who is
to decide? Or will they strive how not
to do it? Or will they decide that it is
best to leave the connection with the line
that leads over the steel bridge to st.
Louis and the road that connects with the
Pennsylvania Central?
These are questions well worthy of
and we regret they have
been overlooked in the disquisitions with
which our distinguished statesmen have
flooded the country. The Southern PEG |
pie are in earnest about this matter and |
they do not want words of promise to be |
held to the ear and broken to the hope. |
On this vital matter of the eastern ter
minus and the Objectionable feature of the |
bill, we will quote from the very able |
and practical speech delivered in the
Senate on the 9th of June by Hon. John
W. Johnston, of Virginia:
| proceed to consider the twelfth section |
of the bill reported by the committee. 1t
is the section which provides for, connee
ton of the road with the Mississippi River. |
1t is that section which meets my most de- |
termined opposition. So far as I am con-
no bill shall ever become a law |
which does not certainly provide tor good |
aud adequate routes to the Mississippi, as
to give the Southern states east of that river
their due and appropriate share of benefits |
Let Us examine this section critically for # |
it does not compel the Texas Pacific Com
panv to extend its line from Marshall to the
Mississippi, then there is nothing in the bill |
to that end. Let us look at it in the light of
the past and Judge what the intentions of
its projectors are as developed by their acts
heretofore. Recollect that the President
and controlling man of the Texas Pacific is
also the controller of roads extending |
from Philadelphia to Saint Louis; that
among the many bills brought forward tor
the completion of the Texas Pacific road
that bill which stopped the road at Marshall,
Texas, two hundred and fifty miles west of
the Mississippi, and established a direct
with Saint Louis by way of
Viuita, was most vehemently and persist
emily urged, although the Vinita connection
or extension. was positively prohibited in
the original charter Viewed in these lights
and in the light of its own terms, insist
that the twelfth section will never be exc
euted so as to establish a connection with
the Mississippi, and that no such eonnec
ton or route is intended or contemplated
by its projectors aud abettors.
The first provision is that as soon as the
terminus is fixed the first-mortgage bonds
for the construction of road from some
point on the Texas and Pacific liue to the
Mississippi shall be offered to capitalists
but it is carefully stated that the mortgage
shall not include any part of the projected
inc of road west of Fort w orth. That is
o say, no part Of the road aided by the
shall be mortgaged to build
any part of the road from Marshall to the
Mississippi, which receives no aid from the
Government. and for which none is asked