National Republican., 1878-04-15
NOW FOR THE TEXAS PACIFIC.

to report batch Of bills relating 10 all the
Pacific railroads with which Congress has
anything whatever to do-the Union and
Central, the Kansas, the Northern, and the
Atlantic and Texas Pacific companies all
come in for share Of Its attention. The
original composition Of this committee, rs is
well known, was made the subject of vast
amount of diplomacy and fnesse, and ended
by its organization through trick or STRAIT
agem, whereby the former attorney of the
Texas Pacific Company was made chair
man. It may safely be asserted that more
inscriptions and superserviceable person
never occupied that dignified position since
the committee was first made. Residing
on the line OF the Texas Pacific Railroad
and owning lands at different points to be
greatly benefited by the pending measures,
he has pushed his advocacy of its claims to
the verge Of dccency, and has shown q will
ingness to link the fortunes of his bill to
every other In the committee, or, falling in
! that, to do his utmost to defeat whatever
interest refused the alliance The high
minded members Of the COMMITTEES have
been disguised with the chiCanery and in
trigue of its chairman and his few followers,
and either refuse to meet with the commit
tee or allow 1t to do rs 1t pleases.
As fresh specimen OF its extreme para-
san character may be cited its action on
what is known as the Pacific Railroad sink
ing fund bill last week. This bill, while
under discussion in the Senate, for = very
transparent purpose was introduced in the
House day or two before tho final vote
was expected, and on the day following
was taken up in committee, hearing of
argument refused, and in an undignified
haste was then and there agreed to be re-
ported to the House without particle OF
consideration or examination. though II
was known to involve the gravcst questions
Of constitutional law, which will require a
twenty-years litigation to settle unless
they are now amcably adjusted, as might
have been done to the great advantage OF
both the companies and the Government.
Well, this precious committee, which has
shown such suspicious regard for tho ma.
tional Treasury in one case as to disregard
the Constitution in its behalf, has con.
sistently shown its further disregard for the
organic law and common bujiness sagacity
by agreeing seven to six to report a bill
indorsing nearly S39,0OO,0O0 of fifty-yeaI
gold bonds for the Texas Pacific company.
, This without the slightest pretext of neces,
, sity, for the railroad it is to promote, as ha,
been distinctly shown can be built without
such assistance from the public Treasury
The subsidy-for that is what II is
averages $4,000 per mile between For
4 Worth and San Diego, which is just double
:. what competent and experienced railroad
= contractors say it eau be built for. Tn,
n company is bankrupt, and without th'
: guarantee of the United States it's bonds ar
= worthless; with that Endorsement the,
s ought to sell at par or above.
II The company's history is mark ed by an,
tainted with fraud and failure in its per
y formances all the way through from tho be
l. ginning. 1t has cheated two or three set
II of bondhoders, and now has suits pendin
d which may overthrow its title and fortei
IL its franchises and land grants in Texas.
= has twice failed in its obligations to tn
l. Government, and holds its franchises an
T. land grants in the Territories at the suffer
10 ance Of Congress. 1t processes to be urge
A. in the interest of the Southern State
"a whereas it is really Northern road whic
T. nowhere touches the South proper, an
would if it prevailed, be worked for I'll
benefit ola few Pennsylvanians, and forev,
y prevent Southern cities having a road {
y their own to the Pacific. 1t processes ais
=, to be in the interest of competition to IL
y existing line to the Pacific, whereas it
=, headed and managed by tho greatest rim;
master and pool-former in tho who
country, who has twice entered Int
combinations with the other Pacific roads b
prevent competition and who rather tina
y permit compotion between the two large
'. centersOf population, leased and combined u
the competing lines between them, at rate
VI rental equal to S6OO,OOO:per mile of capitG
- and who has defied the efforts OF rival lii
" building across New Jersey by force, witt
out law or regard to tragical consequence
1t maintains and has for years tho large
" and most clamorous lobby ever seen
aSlllnRtOn out Oh tns proceeds Wnli
should be taken to build the road with, al
expects to divide with these hungry chev
- - lers the ten or twelve millions of profit
he gained out of its construction. 1t h
y" hired agents to go through the South to g
>, up petitions and write letters to Rcpresen
atives, and in other ways attempting
"bull-doze" members into voting for this, d
largest job which has ever been before Co
is gress This is the measure of all othe
ay recommended by this Railroad Commit,
'ir We are soon to see what tho House W
ay do with this scheme OF course, if it pr
is walls, there Is no stopping with the Tex
Pacific Railroad. There are hundr,
ell roads and hundred thousand men mo
~ -. deserving, or, rather, less undeserving thi
ks this road and its hackers If Congress d
It liberately decides to embark the country
i" this policy of building railroads out Of Il
,rr public Treasury for the benefit Of the p
10, vate owners, or decides even to own, ope
na ate, and regulate them by Governmc
re. agency, it can pick out territory where tn
lre far more needed than across the barr,
and uuinhabitated wastes Of West Tex
." A riznna VIII Cnnuress tn ,