West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-05-04

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ninety additional miles In California 10 complete
the san Diego connection, without any public aid
snd subject To all reasonable restrictions in the pub
lie interest True, IL desires the land grant but We
90 not recommend IL, because believe that this
/ corporation will build the road without
Should the Representatives of that portion Of the
country chiefly 20 be benefited, not by the subsidy
bat by the road, defeat this measure is dfhcuit
| Tor US 10 see how they can reasonably expect the
rest OF the country 20 consent to burden the tax
payer and embarIass our policy with the most dan
gerous precedent which would ex haust the Treasury
with hundreds of subsidies throughout the unlimtsd
| future Of the nation.
IL would seem impossible for any man TO Justify
himself To his constituency and 10 his country at
large In course which depletes the Treasury when
all that is desired Ia attainable without expense to
VIEWS oy sEssRs. LUrrRELL AND BLAIR
B9,h the act and its amendments required a
oondilon precedent that the work should he prose
cuted simultaneously from the Eastern and Western
termini BY the act Of 1872 there were required TO
be completed not less than O. o miles on tne main
ne IN Texas and not less than 10 miles in Caifor-
MIA by May 2, 1878, whereas, la fact less than POO
miles Of the main line have been completed Westerly
/ from the Marshall terminus In Texas, and not one
mile or even a foot, from San Diego Easterly. here
has been marked failure the part Of the company
20 comply with the terms on which the lands and
franchises were granted. This contingency Of fail
ure was,-by the caution Of Congress, foreseen and
provided Tor 10 both Acts by proyiso that
adopt such measures as II may deem necessary aud
proper TO secureiis speedy completion"
In this attitude Of affairs II represents that a
would be great hardship to be compelled TO wait
indefinitely upon disabled company for a connect.
oil continuing It's road Eastward through the Terri
/ tories To the Rio Grande and as much farther as
might be neces AIRY 20 meet the Texas roads within
SIX years. such Is the desire for outlet To the
| East, which shall sdmit IL TO participation i'm
through overland traffic that IL offers that II its re-
| quest he granted Ia construct a line to San Diego
Harbor In addition 10 its present ocean termini and
| To proTate ON through business with all Eastern
connections to San FraLcisco or other points TO
allow Congress To impose the rate and fares on the
| line between its Eastern and Western termini nj
pacihc ports, although asking aid Of the United
I "A 4
grant. This Is rather more than IL is within the
power OF the other company To offer. No gooi
ana satisfactory reason Is found Why this PROPOSE
eepted.
PROM BUSINESS STANDPOINT.
Two propositions before us looking to that end
One OF them, the Texas and Pacific seeks 10 rttain
It's land grant from the United States amounting to
i acres to obtain two years, additional
Time, and special and extraordinary grant of the
credit OF the nation in the form Of an endorsement
upon s5S, OF the company's bonds pledging IL
| fifty years.
The other, the Southern Pacific asks only our sane
ton to continue its road East across the terri
tories within the same time, but without any other
or further assistance than the contiguous grant OF
lands low at the disposal of Congress
Which Of these two propositions as guardians Of
the publlc interest can we adOpt2 Which Of these
two candidates, as practical business men, ought we
| TO lntrust with this undertaking. WesbOuld select
| the proposition most favorable To the good of the
people II would seem that 10y the charter the grant
OF land along the thirtysecond parallel line in the
territories was made double that of the pioneer line
by the forty-rst parallel in lieu Of future aid
IN money or credit
Were we administering our owl private business
could we for moment hesitate between these of.
iers, one Of which, besides betng an undescryed
favor involves grave responsibilities dangerous pre-
cedent and great risks, while the other avoids all
commitment, all doubtful policy and insures all it's
pronered benefits within the same time without the
risk OF dollar Of the peoples money or credit3 We
conceive We are not here the almoners of the
bounty oil the government to its citizens corpora
| tons, but rs guardians of the public welfare and
trustees OF its property and credit of the nation,
sworn to obey the constitution and protect the best
interests oil the people, and in this view cannot
concur In the report of the majority which PROPOSES
to grant subsidy or guaranty of sSS 100 OOJ OF the
peoples money or credit to a CORPORATION
ANTI SUBSIDY VIEWS OF MR.. MORRISON
The Texas and Pacific Railroad Company seek to
obtain the guarantee of the United States for the
payment OF the interest sS 700 900 OF ffty-year
five per cent bonds, to be issued by said railroad
| company and used 10y IL in building and extending
It's railroad from Fort Worth, in Texas. TO the Pa
cine Ocean at San Diego in California The road to I've
constructed is 400 miles in length; the bonds he
Issued amount to s2767s per mile; and the interest
guaranteed to be paid by the United states used
| sinking fund and invested In government bonds
bearing the same rate of interest, would pay $500
OOO,OOO OF the public debt.
| POWER OF CONGRESS DOUBTFUL
Has Congress the power TO authorize the coveted
guarantee2 If II has, then power has been conferred
upon Congress to make gifts OF the public moneys
and public property tn private corporations and i'm
dlviduas Has any such power been granted by the
constitution, or rs II necessary TO the execution of
any power that II Is granted2
The railroad, when built, will be the private
property of the shareholders. IL will be q military
and post road in the same sense, and to the same
extent and none other, that all other railroads of
| the country over which the government may trans
| port its mails, troops, or supplies for reasona bic
| compensation, are military aud post roads IL is
submitted that the power has not been conferred
upon Congress to make the United States party
IN huch an enterprise by subscription to its capital
Stock or more, to authorize the construction of the
road out of the resources of the people to be made
gilt To the railroad company.
The attempt to derive such power, the power to
build and give away u railroad from the power TO
oni GOn Of military mn and post roads is in the
the public good to private ends The United
lease, but " does not follow that they may con-
struct or operate railroad for the exclusive bene-
ht Of a private corporation, because they may
ultimately and in some possible contingency want
10 use II Tor military purpose any more than
,hey may 20 into partnership with stock raiser
because horses are necessary for war. The United
states have power To regulate foreign commerce
and commerce between the States, but IL does not
builder or merchant by way of stimulating and en-.
couragng business. The undersigned is unable To
perceive any distinction in principle between these
cases and the demand Of the projectors OF this rail
road Tor loan of the government credit 10 the ex
tent OF many millions, with which to prosecut,
private speculation.
AsG GER SUBSIDIES.
The railroad company which asks for this enor.
nous appropriation OF credit presents no claim
upon the public which entities IL TO exemption
from the general rsle. The enterprise is essen.
TALLY private one, and the company has alread $
received from the United States and the state al
Texas sufficient basis Of credit to have built the
road had its assets been prudenty managed.
The undersigned Ia not unnindful Of the fact that
at later period different rule Of construction
prevailed from that which in tie earlier days oI
the Republic and which Il now here In sisted npon
Undclegated power Is necessarily unreguln ed
and unrestraned. Power usurped never was and
never will be honestly administered
But 10 Is submitted that this belief affords n,
sufficient justification for the guarantee and subsid
asked. For IL rendered, as ID is not tina
this enterprise Is essentially of the Southern char
acter with which IL is attempted to be stamped n,
reason can he built upon that which NAV NOT h,
urged with equal force a. n reason why the govern
ment should equalize between the lately contend
ing sections all the losses resulting from our nm
fortunate civil disturbance"
RECORD or THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The statement Of the majority that the Cavern
ment 81 the United states In view OF the quantity o
lands given 20 II by Southern states has been an.
Just % the South In its bestowal OF bountes Is he.
ieyed to mad It's refutation in the character Of tn,
men who before the war represented that section
They were too sensitive To the rights of their soc
ten 70 he saihed with less than what was rghtfuiI,
theirs. The undersigned Is not advised as 10 nov
the Texas aud Pacific Railroad Company acoufre,
the franchise and right Of way by which IN 4
! authorized 10 construct It's railroad from For
Worth 10 n Paso, In the State Of Texas, whetbe
/ by grant from the State Of Texas or bv p,rcba az.
from or consolidation with the Memphis In Paso
and Pacific Railroad Company, underline fourth sec
| ton OF the act Of March Z, 1871, entitled ID An az
! 10 incorporate the Texas Pacific Railroad COMPANY
ana TO aid In the construction Of its road for othe
/ purposes"
In the case Of Davis Va. Gray, i6 Wallace. nag
| - United states Supreme Court decided that th
Memphis, ~ PasO and Pacific WAS surviving cor
~ In