The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-23
"SHRIEKg OF LOCALITY


The New York Hcrntd, in an editorial do
nouncing the Chicago Commercial Conven-
tlon as "vertable body of subsidists packed
in the interest OF tho Texns Pacific Railroad
sententiously observes:
II Congress grants o subsidy under the
name of II loan to the Texns Pacific, thCn
'shrlekg Of locality will be rhlsed for similar
bounty to every PacfiC road that has been or
may be projected. Aud IN the same manner,
If Brazilian line Of ocean stenners Is sub
sidHcd by tho government in The shape of nn
enormous conpnn ION Tor carrying Inc
mails, there will be q" logicn1 stopping placo
md no method Of resisting local cries until
Boston, Now York, Philadelphn, baltimore,
Charleston, New Orleans and San Francisco
have one or more subsidized lines connecting
with European or South American or Austria
lian ports. On what ground, or by what pro-
cess Of reasoning, Or in pursuance OF what
principle OF equity, can Congress refuge O.
subsidy to tho Northern Pacific Railroad
after having granted heavy one to tho
Texas Pacific?
1t occurs to ug that what tho UernM calls
'shrieIs Of locality" have been raised for
some time from this part Of the country, and
with very just cause. The question is, not
how to avoid the provocAtion OF them, but
how to allay them.
The HerntA objects to tho granting of aid
to the Texas Pacific and the Brazilian line on
the ground that it will establish q precedent
which will bo pleaded in tho future. We infer
that the one hundred millions OF more granted
to tho Union and Central Pacific roads, in
lands, bon Dis and interest," the live millions
granted to the Northern canals, besides the
millions upon millions spent upon Northern
| hnrbors, rivers and creeks are not to be re~
garded as presidents, because these grants
were for the benefit Of the Northern States
! The precedent to be avoided Is giving any
| thing to tho SOuth--the section which, until
the West came to share her bondage WAS
the handmaiden OF the East and the source
OF the nations wealth.
TO the last question Of tho Hcrnid tho an
swer is very easy. 1t asks, "On what ground
or by what process of reasoning Or In pursu-
nnce Of what principle Of equity can Congress
refuse u subsidy to the Northern Pacific Rail.
road, after having granted u heavy one to the
Texas Pacific?' We answer that tho ground
upon which subsidy should be granted tc
the Texas and refused to the Northern Pacific
ig laid down and ampIified In q voluminous re
port made to the War Department years ago
by O. commission Of engineers, and embraced
IL
lished at government expense, in whtct
it is shown, as has since beer
proved by the inefficienoy OF the roads already
in operation, that the only practicable an'
reliable route to the Pacific lies along the 32t
parallel Of latitude. The process Of rea
sonng" by which we reach this conclusion il
that the Texas Pacific will be efficient and re
, liAbIe at all seasons of the year, but, II tn
Union and Central Pacific are not So Il thei
trains arc snow-bound for weeks 1T a tim
, and their track has to be protected for hun
drcds Of miles by snow sheds, thnt the North
ern Pacific, which lies several degrees nortI
:, OF these routes, will be utterly impracticablt
q It's whole route Hes through q barre
, wilderness, utterly unsusceptible Of improve
, ment or cultivation, while the Texas Pacifi
traverscs, all along it's route. the richest re
gons Of the earth for agricultural purpose
and in mineral wealth.
= After these statements 1t is hardly necee
, sary to suggest sin pursuance OF what priL
cipIe of equity aid ought to be granted
q the Texas Pacific, and which could be invoke
! for refusing to subsidizc the Northern Pacif
= AS for what the Herald says about the Brf
. lillian mail line our reply is, that If it can t
a SATISFACTORILY GSn1OlStEdLCt tutAt biso EoFtAl
ment will make money by granting subsidit
In the increase Of customs, tonnage tax, pos
:. age, duty ON coal, etc, as 1t has done IN SUI
. sidizing the Pacific mail line between Sa
y Francisco and Japan and China, and Us
. surely will by subsdizng the line betwee
!" New Orleans and South America, then by q
y means let it lend it's aid with o liberal al
10 profuse hand to all such lines.
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