Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-04
A CURE FOR HARD N
Development Of National Territory by
Great Railway Enterprises Why
the Texas Pacific and Nor
therH Pacific Should
be Completed.

Colonel Robert G. Insersolps Boston Speech
While the government cannot ere
ate gold and silver, while it cannot by
its Eat make money, it can furnish
facilities for the creation Of wealth.
It can aid in the distribution Of pro-
duce and in the distribution of men il
can aid in the opening of new terrific
ries it can aid great and vast enter
prises that cannot be accomplished by
simple individual effort. The govern
ment should see to it thatevery facility
is offered to adventure, enterprise and
industry. Our ships ought to be upon
every sea; our flag ought to be flying
in every harbor of the world; our
rivers and harbors ought to be i'm
proved. The Northern Pacific railway
should be pushed to completion. In
this way labor would be Immediately
given to many thousands Of men, and
in only a little while homes to millions.
Along the line of that thoroughfare
would spring up towns and cities, new
communities, with new surroundings,
and where now is simply the wilder
ness there would be thousands and
thousands of happy homes. The
Texas Pacific should also be complet-
ed. A vast agricultural and mineral
region would be opened to the enter
prise and adventure Of the American
people. Probably Arizona holds within
the misery clutches of her rock;
greater wealth than any other State Oh
Territory of the world. The construc-
ton of that road would put life and
activity into a hundred industries. Il
would give employment to many thou
sands of people, and homes at last t
many millions. 1t would greatly in.
crease the mineral wealth of The
country, open new avenues of trade
make it possible for the American
people to supply eight millions o
human beings in the republic o
Mexico with manufactured articles
would infuse new life into the pros
trate South would make twelve mil
lions of people forget the prejudice o
failure, and would destroy the isola.
ton produced by regret.
1t would help to make the people 0
the South prosperous, and they woul,
Immediately become paying consum
ers. The whole of Texas would b
Opened to immigration. Texas,
State nearly as large as France, fv
times as large as the State of New
York, with soil and climate unsur
passed in the world, a State capable 0
supporting a population Of twenty mil
lions. The construction of this South
ern road would settle the Mexica.
questson. 1t would also settle tn
Indian question in the South. Tn
construction of the Northern Pacif
would settle the Indian question i
the North, saving many millions pc
annum to the government. Alon
these lines there would be enoug
people to protect themselves. BE
sides, the tTanscOntinental commerC
{ of this country should not be in th
5 clutch and grasp of one corporation
All sections of the Union should,
far as possible, be benefited. 1t is
the utmost importance that a line
t constructed upon a parallel never oil
4 structed by snow. Cheap rates wi
! come, and can be maintained only
competition. All these roads shOul
be under the supervision and contr,
of congress as TO fares and freight
q We should cultivate commercial r.
lations with China and Japan. 81
hundred millions of people are slow.
! awaking from a lethargy of20O0 year
In a little while they will have Il
|. wants of civilized men, and Amerit
! will furnish a large proportion of Il
!, articles demanded by these people. ]
d a few years there will be as many shil
f upon the Pacific as upon the Atlanti
v In few years our trade with Chin
:. will be far greater han with Europ
In a few years we will retain the san
J relation to the far East that Eurol
once sustained to us. America, f
f centuries to come, will supply S
|, hundred millions of people with Il
luxuries and with most of the nece
saries of life. A country that expec
to control the trade of the world mu
It have the money of the world. v
have pursued a small, a mean and
penurious course. Demagogues ha
ridden into Office and power upon t
y cry Of economy, by opposing eve
measure looking to the improveme
,r of the country, by endeayoring to s
how cheaply nothing could be dor
A government, like an individu
a, should live up to its privileges;
W should husband its resources, SIM
. that IL may usp them