The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-11-17
TEXAS PACIFIC ROAD.
AN ABLE LETTER FROM EX-GOv.
BROWN, OF TENNESSEE

ment in favor OF the early completion by
national aid OF the Texas Pacific Railroad,
prepared by Ex-Gov Brown, of Tennessee,
vice president Of that railroad. 1t deserves
the careful perusal Of all our readers and of
the people Of the whole South:
To the People Of the Sonth:
AS an officer Of tho Texas and Pacific Rail-
way Company, my attention has been nat
urally attracted by q recently developed
opposition at the South to the interests Of that
ENTERPRISE, which has manifested itself in an
open letter from Mr.. Langdon of Mobile In
the proceedings of the Savannah and Charles
ton Chambers OF Commerce, and in some
newspaper editorials.
Exhibiting itself just before the session of
Congress at which the fortunes of the bill in
aid Of the Texas and Pacific Railway will be
determined, and sngularly alike in the
grCtlnds assumed by these very different
Sdthorities, | can scarcely fail TO recognize
that this hostility derives its motive and it's
strength from the California monopoly.
The subject is one upon which / readily ad-
nit there may be reasonable difference of
opinion In the matter Of detail between honest
very grave responsibility to the people of the
South in accepting the vice presidency of this
company. have in the past given some
assurance Of my devotion to Southern rights
and interests. Trusted with important duties,
[ think may venture to believe that dis
charged them with fidelity and not without
success. The people of the South will not
therefore think it unnatural il / now feel
anxious to satisfy them that in assuming the
position [ hold it has been my earnest en-
deavor TO serve, what | believe to be, their
trucst interests, as well as the best interests
of the whole country, and that in 50 doing
have not been deluded into schemes which are
hostile to their prosperity, nor induced to
support measures which are inconsistent with
their political faith
The measure proposed is q very important
and express his opinions, and to insist upon
full discussion and explanation Of the Objcc-
tions which his consideration of the subject
may suggest. To such considerations, there
Mr. Langdon, Of Mobile / would reply re-
spectfully, recognizing the character of their
author and the gravity Of the reasons he
urges, if they are substantial. To the pro-
ceedings Of such bodies as the Savannah and
Charleston Chambers Of Commerce., would
accord the weight which should attach to the
opinions Of men experienced in Southern bus
mess and justly respected in commercial
centres, provided I had the assurance that
their views were the result Of careful and i'm
partial consideration. But must feel some
hesitation in assuming their action to be
representative when | find it predicated upon
the argument of a gentleman who, what
ever be his character and ability, is the rccog
nized counsel of that great California monop
oily which has spared no pains, no labor, no
expense to defeat the completion Of q South
ern Pacific connection which is to be indepen
u tent of it's control. ! therefore propose to lay
before the Southern people my view Of their
interests in this very i'm portant NATTER sub
ject to such depreciation Of it's worth as they
may think attaches to the fact that my ma
turest judgment and my most earnest convc-
tions are committed to this enterprise, and
that whatever ability may possess and what
ever ambition | may retain will find their
field and their fulfiIlment in its success.
The objections which, as [ understand these
several communications, are disturbing, or
are intended to disturb, the public mind of
the South, are the following:
/. That the Southern Pacific Company Of
California are willing to build, indeed, are
building, such connections as will secure
truly Southern Pacific Railroad, without
further assistance from the government.
2. That the bill in aid of the Texas and Pa
cific road now before Congress does not secure
such certain advantages to the South as it
needs or claims, but places the control Of it's
traffic In the hands Of Col. Scott, who repre-
Sents what is charged to be rival interest.
3. That the aid asked from the government
cannot be constitutionaly given, and that the
security offered the government is INSULT |
cient.
FTrst-As to The completion of Southern
Pacific connection by The Southern Pncifc of
this is possible, and to understand the value
of the assertion that this will be done without
further aid from the government, it must be |
borne in mind that the Southern Pacific and |
the Central Pacific are practically one and
the same. The present Northern Pacific con- |
nection consists of two roads identical in in
terest-the Union Pacific, running from Oma-
ha to Ogden; and the Central Pacific running
from Ogden to San Francisco-wth minor |
connections | will not stop now to enumerate.
This line, with its branches, has received |
from the government since the first subsidy, |
seventeen years ago, in lands and bonds, !
S117,000,000 No interest has been paid, or Is |
to be paid, by the comp Hnies on these bonds |
until they mature, and In the meantime
that Interest must be paid by the government
out Of the taxation of the people, for the res
transportation is not worth the calculation in
such an estimate; and for eight years, since
the completion of the connection, the absolute
monopoly of trans-contnentai traffic and
free from supervision or control by the gov
Now, deducting what may have
been received by the Union Pacific,
Is it IT,, not clear that enough remains
with it's accretions, to make any con
nection, Southern or Northern, built by the
Central Pacific, the result and application of
AID from the government? Does not every
profit and the exemption from payment of
interest, granted and maintained by the gov
ernment? Is not every years continuance Of
this condition of things further aid from the
built, is it in any sense what the South asks
and the interests OF the whole country re-
qure: an independent and competing road?
Hage and lavish as has been the aid given by
the government it is not that OF which the
South complains-itis the maintenance of the
the exclusion OF fair competition
And what would a Southern Pacific road SO
builtbee. but doubling of this very monopoly,
the extinction Off possible competition in the
future-the measureless increase of the power
Of this almighty corporation which would
then hold under its lock and key the COM
merce of the continent? The scheme of the
proves it. It Is not the connection
between Marshall and San Diego on the Pa !
cfic, with an independent terminus on the
Mississippi, but connection Thy Fort Yuma
between the Mississippi and San Francisco, the
whole current Of whose trade has already run {
too deep for change along the course Of the
Northern line. In face of the fact that the I
reports of the Southern Pacific Company l
show that it is run at an annual loss of ove a {
half a million of dollars, and does not pay the i
interest upon its bonded debt, is it not clear t
that the useless and protitless line to Yuma t
from San Francisco was built for the very pur- t
BOSE OF defeating competition, by alleging that 8
this connection would furnish the South what c
t asked for and thus diminish the chances of t