The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-28
liver his Tbomas-Jedsrson leeture in RIct.

There win be On Agricultural Congress
held here February Sd. ss3
Among the White-H House visitors to-day
4 was Mr.. Caben, Of Virginia.
/ Western and southern members figure
largely on the committees Of the Greenback
congressional organization. Judge Buck
ner is chairman. 4,
Associated Press reports by telegraph to the Dis
I THE VOTE on THE H1LvER.BILL.
WASHINGTON, January 2e.-Yesterday's
vote, and the gossip relating thereto, indi-
Gates fifty 1.-TWO votes for the silver-bill, but
Secretary Sherman is going to feed the FL
nance Committees OF the House and Senate
Monday night. 81. 81,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SMITH.
| 4. General Sherman, In letter to Secre-
tary Schurz, confesses the integrity OF ex-
Indian-C Commissioner Smith, but questions
his efficiency.
CONVENTION OF STEAMBOAT INSPECTORS.
The National Convention OF Steamboat
Inspectors. in session here, endorse and
recommend the adoption OF Professor Gil.
rard's automatic alarm. 1t is q safeguard
against fire, and registers the depth OF water
in holds Of vessels.
THE CALIFORNIA CONTESTED CASE.
The Elections Committee OF the House
considered the California case five hours to-
day, and will decide the matter Monday.
THE TEXAs-PACIFIC RAu.WAy-ARGUMENT RE-
sUMEp BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.
The argument of the Texas-Pacifc rail-
way question was resumed to-day before the
House Committee on Pacific Railroads. Mr..
Storrs having finished his statement Of the
legal points upon which the Southern
Pacific of California desired the right to
build through to Ell Pasa, Governor j. G.
Brown, vice-president Of the TeXas-Pacific
road. discussed fully the broad, general
questions which had governed the policy OF
the Governmental aiding the construction
OF commercial highways. In this connection
he argued that all the statesmen, even OF the
school OF strict constructionists, with Cal
houn at their head, had maintained the alb
solute power of the United States to extend
this aid, and that one of the main induce
ments to the negotiation OF the Gadsden
treaty had been the acquisition OF territory
along the 32d parallel, through which ran
the natural route for trans-continental
railway. He then maintained by the deci-
sion of the United States Supreme Court that
Congress had full power to authorize the
erection of bridges over navigable streams,
and that the Southern Pacific Of California
had no authority to bridge the Colorado SO
as to come eastward. the TeXas-Pacitic alone
having that authority. He quoted from the
sworn reports of the Central and the South
erll Pacific companies, the Joint ownership
was practically in Messrs. Stanford, Hunt
ington, Croker, and Hopkins, showing
their present floating debt to be nearly S14,-
600, 900, besides bonded debt OF nearly $780,
00O,0 on the constructed portion OF the
Southern Pacific road, and argued from this
that these gentlemen had neither the money
nor credit to build any more line, and that
their only purpose in appearing here was to
prevent the construction OF the line that
would compete with the Central Pacific.
He then discussed the various bills pre-
sented in the House and Senate, and SHOW
ed they favored the construction OF COM
peting line between the Mississippi and the
Pacific ocean, differing only as to tie
branches to be built from the terminus OF
the TeXas-Paeific to the river; also, that
none Of them permitted single bond to be
issued by the company except to represent
the actual cost, which could not exceed
1913, 900 per mile; that the Texas-P Pacific had
built already 445 miles OF road without
dollar of aid from the Government, and
that Justice reqaired the extension OF the
aid asked by it; as the Union and the Cen
trail Pacific companies had received S54,-
100000 of bonds and 100000 acres OF
land. the Northern Pacific 47,000,000 acres
of land, and the TeXas-Paciic only 18,000,-
600 acres-no portion Of which could the
latter receive until after it had built ], 1000
miles through the State OF Texas.
Thomas A. Scott, president OF the Texas
and Pacific road, then briefly reviewed the
grounds upon which Government aid was
asked and the advantages which the Gov
eminent and the people would secure
through competing line. He showed that
with the present prices Of labor and mate
rial, and the ability to market the bonds at
par which would be secured by the Govern
ment. endorsement OF the interest thereon,
the whole amount OF annual interest to be
paid out of the earnings OF the line
would be less than 100000, while
the present trans-continental railroad
line has to earn more than four times
that amount. He further claimed that
under the plan proposed the. lnteres!
would be paid each six months by the
TeXas-Pacitc Company, while the sinking
fund would gradually redeem the principal
and leave the road ultimately without debt;
that under the power reserved to the Gov
eminent to regulate the rates so as to take
care of the actual capital, these rates would
annually be reduced, to the great benefit OF
the Government and the people, and that
the Government alone would save $4,000, 900
yearly by the building of the road-more
| than tue entire interest on the bonds-lf 1t
never earned a cent.
Mr.. Scott claimed that the Central Pacific
Company had no intention to build line
| to compete against themselves, but merely
offered to build road to prevent its con-
struction; that they were not bound to
build mile, and II their bill passed could
simply sit still six years, and during that
| time monopolize the entire traffic across the
continent, and tax it as GENEROUSLY as they
were doing now without any action; that
the Texas. Pacific had spent S16.000,000 in
good faith, aad had 1t not been for the
panic of 1873 would have had nearly the
whole line completed by this time, and un-
der the act proposed would complete 1t by
the year 1882.
Mr.. Scott closed with q strong appeal to
the committee to look at the question not in
The light of technicalities, but on the broad
ground Of the interest OF the whole country,
and expressed his conviction that every
member Of Congress who aided in securing
this great highway on basis just to the
people and in the interest Of the Govern
ment, as a competing line between the two
oceans, would in after years regard it Us
one OF the proudest achievements OF his po
litical life.
| The committee then adj our ned until Tues
day morning, when the arguments will bt
concluded.