The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-05
THE NEW ORLEANS PACIFIC.

THE NEW ORLEANS PACIFIC.
The public Of New Orleans and large por
ton of the State are waiting for the decision
of the Supreme Court, in the matter Of TIN
mandamus requiring the Governor to issu
the bonds granted to the New Orleans Pacifi
bv the Legislature, with an anxiety which
shows how deeply the success Of the enterprise
affects our prosperity.
We have recently heard from New Or
leans newspaper that Mr.. Charles Morgan Is
making vigorous preparations to complete
his road to Texas. If such be the ease. his
sudden deter mination to serve this comni,l
nifty is the most convincing proof Of ths
great importance OF the New Orleans Paciii,
to our city. There IL no sensible man amongst
| us who docs not understand that Mr. Morgan
with his fragment of road, his steamers
and his large franchises, enjoys monopol '
Of the carrying trade between Texas and New
Orleans which he Is determined not tf
change alter or improve, in the interest OF
the public, until composition forces him ID
| do So Whenever new rail enterprise
| 10 Texas is suggested in our Legisla'
ture, OF whenever any vigorous effort Is made
by the New Orleans Pacific to obtain sub.
scriptions or State aid, we Immediately hear
Of the purpose Of Mr.. Morgan to com plete
his road and give New Orleans prompt con
ppctiou with Texas. This is the sedative
with which the great capitalist and monopo-
list enervates the enterprise Of our people
and lulIs to death every real. honest and
practicable plan devised to give New Orleans
a raid connection with Texas.
If MI Morgan completes his road to Texas
H. will be when he is thoroughly convinced
that the New Orleans Pacific will be built
He understands that the completion of
the latter road will relieve his steamships
from further duty and that, to derive any
benefit from his half-built road he will have
to finish IL and enter into vigorous and
healthful competition with the new line.
We warn our people TO place no faith IN the
racket" raised by Mr. Morgan. his semi
official journal. the Picayune and his pre-
tcntious suit IN the courts TO appropriate
lands etc He fancies he will az before
make the people believe that they are to
have railroad to Texas without any exprtion
or cost on their part and that they will then
relapse into Indifference to the New Orleans
Pacific Should such be the case we conf
IDENTIFY predict that nothing will ever be heard
or seen hereafter of the completion of the
Morgan line until n despairing people once
more rise UP and attempt to build road to
Texas.
We do not feel justified in charging that
Mr. Morgan Is attempting to overcoma the
influence that the great public need Of a road
to Texas may naturally exert on the judg-
mcnt of the Supreme Court in determining
any doubtful point in the case now before that
august tribunal, but the recent noisy clamor
of the Picny,Hse over his purpose TO immedi
ately complete his road, and his more recent
movements in the courts taken in connection
with his past record, are extremely signiti-
cant and suspicious
We shall be greatly reioiced when Mr.. Nor
gan honestly begins to finish his road; but
we must be pardoned for believing that that
venerable phllanthropst has no idea Of ever
laying an additional rail in the direction of
Texas until he feels convinced that the New
Orleans Pacific will be speedily completed.
We hear just now the clangor of preparation
through his organ, but If on Monday the
Supreme Court confirms tho decision Of the
lower court relative to tho State aid to tn 9
New Orleans Pacific, those sounds will be
etilled, and we will hear them no more until
another movements is made to connect New
Orleans independently of Morgan's line with
Texas.
We are not prcsumptuous enough to at
tempt to argue with the Supreme Court the
legality of the aid offered the New Orleans
Pacific by The Legislative branch Of the gov
ernmcnt All the law points in the case have
been fully and ably covered by the attorneys of
the road, who in the public interest voslnteered
their services. We can only interpret the
feelings wishes and hopes of the great body
of the people, that the court may find law
enough in favor of the road to render a de-
Cision which will be the salvation of this city
and State.
The loud notes of preparation in Mr. Nor
gans camp are delusion and a snare: they
remind us of the blazing fires and trumpet
blasts along the line Of q retiring army, de-
signed only to delay the advance of the oppos-
ing force, Mr. Morgan's agents are busy just
now in great and good work; but tomorrow
the Supreme Court feels impelled to decide
that the bonds for the aid of the New Orleans
Pacific cannot be issued, we will see all work
on the road from New Orleans to Houston
indefinitely, and the venerable mo-
nopolist grnning like Mephistophelest through
the shrouds Of his ship at our decaying city
THAT NICE ARRANGEMENT