St. Landry democrat., 1878-05-11

Therefore, If San Francisco would be the point Il
! which al business would converge-the focus Of
Inland and oceanic commune 4tion on the Pacific
shores-the Southern Pacific branch offers to this
| imagined Central and Southern combination the
earnings OF at Least ,30j miles of road against 800
on the Central Pacific. Which branch, then, viii
tnls supposed combination most naturally employ1
Inpelled by It's own interests it's own Investments
and connections, what section of the country will il
seek to develop? Is it not apparent that whatever
may nave been its previous purposes, by virtue OF
the proposed extension of its line, it is at once
converted into essentially a Southern road? 1t is
| no reply to this TO say that owning the Western
| ends OF the Middle and Southern routes it will
blockade both until it's exactions are complied with
| for the bill we recommend expressly reserves and
! cohfers upon Congress far greater powers of con-
troll over the Southern Pacific than contained in
the bill reported by the ma jority, and 20 long az
the people are SO disposed they can protect them
selves by the same methods which must be resorted
to Ill order to secure performance Of their ohiga-
| tions by the Texas and Pacific company, and with
no greater powers of resistance on the part Of the
one than the other, except that the restrictions in
the organic law of the Southern Pacific the
more stringent and explicit. Again, for what bust
ness will this supposed competition arise? The
Southern road should be built to benefit the South
ern States Do these States expect that the Central
and Union Pacific can or ever will compete with q
Southern road for the commerce of the Southern
States? The Middle and Southern line might in
deed compete for business in the latitude OF Now
York and Philadelphia, but the Pennsylvania Gem
trail Railroad and its 500 miles of trunk and west
ern connections does not run through the South
Atlantic, the Gulf and Southwestern States any
more than does tie Union Pacific and its easterly
extensions via Chicago to New York. Is not this
monster speaking after the manner of the major
lty) the more dangerous rather because while the
nearer to them, it is yet not of them, and if they
enlarge its power they not the surer to become
us victims and to pour forever their tribute into
the lap of Middle Atlantic States? Will not the
Southern business, If it has fair chance 90 over
the Southern route, no matter who builds it or who
runs 1t? Can that business ever be forced north
cry 10 omaha? Coming from the occident how
can transportation climb the Serras via that city to
oe distributed in Georgia and Florida and South
Carohna when there is communication along the
tnlrty-second parallel How, then, can there ever
DC any competition by the Union and Central Paci-
nc 1or the business of these Southern States?
IL Is also worthy of notice that in the last Con-
gress the Texas and Pacific company entered into
an arrangement with the Southern Pacific by which
Inc former was to build and own Eastery and the
latter to build and own Westerly, meeting at the
no Grande Is there, then, either or SINGER
W IN thls praise of competition and denunciation Of
comblnat1on-all for the public good?
Inc truth is that subsidy Is Of more conse-
quence than the railroad to those who ask for 1t,
while to those who will have to pay for both, the
railroad is the principal thing.
WILL THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY BUILD
THE ROAD?
We submit that it will work great wrong to the
southern Pacific Railroad corporation to The great
South and Southwest, and to the whole country to
reject this bill and to enact the bill recommended
by the majority of the committee in the interest Of
the Iexas and Pacific company, or to reject this
bill under any circumstances. This measure does
not antagonlze, nor did the Southern Pacific Rail-
road antagonlze before us any railroad project,
branch, or connection East of the Rio drande.
1t simply asks to build 600 miles of railroad half
way from the Colorado to Fort Worth the present
Westerly terminus of the Texas and Pacific COM
pany and ninety additional miles in California, to
complete the San Diego connection, without any
public aid and subject to all reasonable restrictions
In the public interest. True, it desires the land
grant put we do not recommend 1t, because we be-
hat I
out.
Should the representatives of that portion Of the
country chiefly to be benefited, not by the subsidy
but by the road, defeat this measure it is difficult
for us to see how they can reasonably expect the
rest OF the country to consent to burden the tax
payer and embarass our policy with the most dan
gerous precedent, which would exhaust the Treas
ury with hundreds of subsidies throughout the un-
limited future of the nation.
It would seem impossible for any man to justify
himself to his constituency and to his country &C
large in course which depletes the Treasury when
all that is desired is attainabe without expense to
the pt ople.
VIEWS OF MESSRS. LUTTRELL AND BLAIR,
Both the act and its amendments required as q
condition precedent that the work should be prose-
cuted simultaneously from the Eastern and Western
termini BY the act of 1872 there were required to
be completed not less than 500 miles on the main
line in Texas and not less than ITO miles in Califor-
mia by May g. 1873, whereas, in fact, less than 200
miles Of the main line have been completed Wester-
y from the Marshall terminus in Texas, and not one
mile or even foot, from San Diego Easterly.
There has been marked failure on the part of the
company to comply with the terms on which the
lands and franchises granted. This contingency
OF failure Nas by the caution Of Congress- foreseen
and provided for in both Acts by R1oviso that
adopt such measures as it may deem necessary and
proper to secure its speedy completion"
In this attitude of affairs it represents that it
would be great hardship to be compelled to wait
indefinitely upon disabled company for a connect
ing road from the East and asks of us the privilege
of continuing Its road Eastward through the Terri
tories to the Rio Grande and much farther as
might be necessary to meet the Texas roads within
six years. Such is the desire for outlet to the
East, which shall admit it to participation in through
overland traffic that it offers that If its request be
granted to construct line to San Diego Harbor in
addition to its present termn and to prorate
ON through business with all Eastern connections
to San Francisco or other points, and to allow Con-
gress to impose the rates and fares the line be-
tween its Eastern and Western termini at Pacific
ports, although asking aid of the United States
which is not its advantage for Congress to grant.
This is rather than it is within the power Of
the other company to offer. No good and satisfac-
tory reason is found why this proposition should
not be promptly and cheerfully accepted.
FROM BUSINESS STANDPOINT
Two propositions are before us looking to that
end. One of them, the Texas and Pacific, seeks to
retain its land grant from the United States,
amounting to $4,000 0c0 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 Sss, 10000 of the company's
bonds, pledging it to the payment of dveper cent.
gold interest for fifty years.
The other, the Southern Pacific, asks only our
sanction to continue its road eastward across the
territories within the same time, but without any
other or further assistance than the contiguous
grant of lands now at the disposal of Congress-
Which of these two propositions guardians Of
the public interest can we adopt? Which Of these
two candidates, as practical business men, ought
we to intrust with this undertaking? We should
select the proposition most favorable to the good of
the people. It would seem that by the charter the
grant of land along the thirty second parallel line
in the territories was made double that of the
pioneer line by the fortyfrst parallel, if in lieu
of future aid in money credit
Were we administering our own private business
could we for moment hesitate between these Of
fers, .one of which, besides being an undeserved
favor, involves grave responsibilities, dangerous
precedent and great risks, while the other avoids
all commitments, all doubtful policy, and insures
all its proffered benefits within the same time with
out the risk of dollar Of the peoples money or
credit? We conceive we are not here as the al
moners Of the bounty of the government to its cti
Gems or corporations but guardians Of the public
welfare and trustees of its property and credit Of
the nation sworn to obey the constitution and pro-
tect the bestnterests of the people, and in this view
we cannot concur in the report of the majority,
which proposes to grant subsidy or guaranty Of
S98 $50 600 of the f1eopie'g credit A