The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-06-26

missioners 10 begin the work or to make
their report upon it In the event that they
should disagree and make no report there Is
no authority 10 appoint another commits
sion. and if they should agree and report
their action has to be approved by the Pres
ident.
But if the commissioners should make
report and the President should approve it,
what then? Why, the Texas and Pacific
Company can let the matter drop right there
if it chooses, for there is nowhere in the bill
any clauses which obiiges them 10 build the
connection by imposing penalty for failure
In one of the House bills there was q clause
providing for forfeiture, but in the Senate
bill now under consideration, aud which the
Texas and Pacific Com pany are urging,
that clause is conspicuous by its absence
[ will read it for the information of the
Senate:
Aud proUided further, That the said Texas
and Pacific Railway Company shall have
the right to purchase the charter, franchises
and property of any existing line, if any
there be, on the selected route, or construct
a new one, at the option of said company ;
and that a failure to so purchase or con-
struct, at the rate herein provided, on the
eastern extention, shall work an absolute
forfeiture Of all right to the guarantee OF
the Government on the interest of the
bonds to be issued for so much of the line as
may remain uncOnstructed at the time of
such default
Thus it will be seen that no time is fixed
for commencing or completing the connec-
ton 10 the Mississippi, and no penalty is
i'm posed. In the case before us, if the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company shall
push their road across the continent to the
Gulf OF Mexico it will be simply because
their overtures are rejected by those with
whom they are entirely willing to share
the business that will legitimately belong
to this Southern line of road. The South
ern Pacific Company are not intruders
here. That Com pany was authorized by
the act of 1871 to connect with the Texas
and Pacific Company at the Colorado
River, the boundary line between Calitor-
MIA and the Territory OF Arizona. That
has built its road to that point,
and the Texas and Pacific is twelve hun
lred and fifty miles away from the proposed
point of connection. Is it monstrous and
ern Company should ask permission, I'M
der these circumstances, to build its road
until it shall meet some other
road connecting with the Gulf and Attain
tic States? Aud how does it happen, Mr..
President, that was urged a short year
ago as in the interest of the country should
now be denounced as mOnstrouS thing
which will result in fastening a grinding
on the people? 1t will be re-
nembered that at the last session of the
Forts fourth Congress, Mr.. Lamar, of
Mississippi. then chairman of the Pacific
Railroad Com mittee of the House, reported
o the House of Representatives a bill, by
which it was proposed that the Texas and
Pacific and the Southern Pacific of Cali
ornia should connect at point il the
Territory of New Mexico, one hundred
niles west of Ell Paso. That bill contained
DToiSvioHs for eastern connections with
lie Mississippi River similar to those con-
aimed in bill No. 1lSG. In reporting the
dill to the House of Representatives. Mr..
lamar said:
HE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE PROTECTED
AGAINST CONVERSATION OR MONOPOLY.
As to the int ests of the people, it will
,e observed that the bill makes it impossi-
lie for the trunk line to become a monop-
y strong enough to sacrifice local
interests. for every local connection has
he right under the provisions of the bill
o use tie trunk line as if it were in fact a
art OF it, and this, right is capable of legal
nforcemert. 1t will be further observed
hat the bill provides for control by Con-
resS over the rates for transportation of
reight and passengers, and for postal and
service.
The foregoing objections to the Scott
r Texas Pacific Bill, as it now. stands, |
re too grave to be ignored. 1t is a
Southern line with the important feature
united. 1t is Hamlet with Hamlet left
ut. We confess to decided proclivity
or the proposition of Senator Johnston,
which provides for speedy construction
# the Road with specific connections as
ollows. We will quote from his speech
| will now briefly consider, Mr.. Presi- |
ent, the bill No. 11S6, introduced by me as
mended by the Railroad Committee of the |
senate. 1t proposes to secure the construc- |
ion of a through line from Ell Paso, on the |
'io Grande, to San Francisco, San Diego, |
nd San Pedro, on the Pacific coast, with |
NO branches from Ell Paso toward the |
Mississippi River, and connection on the !
Mississippi with Saint Louis, Mem his |
icksburg and New Orleans. 1t also pro-
ides for branch from point in the Ter
tory of New Mexico to connect the |
outhern Pacific of California with the |
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe road. 1t is |
nown that the Southern Pacific road of |
alifornia has completed line connecting |
an Francisco with Fort Yuma, on the |
colorado River, in Arizona Territory. |
his road has a branch running to a point |
'ithin less than one hundred miles from /
an Diego. My bill proposes to authorize |
lis company to build eastward to Ell Paso, /
n the western boundary of Texas, and to
i've it the same land grant offered by the
et of 1871 to the Texas and Pacific Com
any. 1t also proposes to extend the Texas
nd Pacific line from Fort Worth to E
aso and to aid the construction of a line
ON San Antonio, in Texas, to Ell Paso
. sAOONO otAtONf thC Oiil uASO pIONluNS lot
with four points on the Mis-
ssippi River. One of these connections is
} be made by building a branch from a
oint on the Texas and Pacific line in the
eighborhood of the intersection of that
ne with the one hundredth degree of long
ude west to Vinita, in the Indian Terrific
:, which is an extension in a southwest
IN direction of the old Atlantic and Pa
fic Railroad.
A BILL has passed the House of Rep
which provides that any per
N who may have claim of which the