River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-04-25

for US 70 see how they cen reasonable expect ths
rest OF the sountry 10 consent TO burden the tax
payer aud eebarrass cur policy with the most dan
gerods precsent, which would exhaust the Treasury
with hundrss of subsidies throughout the unlimited
future of thM nation.
II would seem impossble for any man TO iustif,
himself TO Eis constituency and 10 his country al
large in cossrse which depletes the Treasury when
sn that y desired Is attasble without expense 10
the people
VIEWS OF. MEssRS LUTTRELL AND BLAIR
Both the act and its amendments required a.
condition psecedent that the work should be prose
cuted simultaneously from the Eastern and Western
ternini By the act Of 1879 there we're required IL
be completeI not less ihan 500 miles ON the nAi.
line ia Tesxa and not less shan no miles IN Caifor
MIA by Mag q 1873 whereas, in fact, less than 200
miles OF the main line have been completed westeI-
ly from the sArsha terminus in Texas, and not
mile or even foot, from San Diego EasterlS
There has keen marked failure ON the part OF the
company 10 comply With the terms on which the
lands and franchises were granted. This contingency
of failure hy the cation of Congress, forseen
and provided for in both Acts, by proviso that
.Upon failure to NO complete 1t, Congress may
adopt such measures 1t may deem neeess airy and
proper 20 SECURE its speedy completion"
In this attitude of affairs il represents thatt would
be great hardship TO be compelled TO wait indeh-
nitely upon disabled company for connecting
from the East, and asks of us the privilege of con
tinung it's ~'ad eastward through the Territories
the Rio 3rss lie and ar much farther might be
necessary 10 meet the Texas roads within six years
Such is the sesire for an outlet to the East which
shall admtH 10 participation in through overland
traffic that Il offers that Ii its request be granted t.
construct a line to San Diego harbor in addition 10
its present ocean teruini and 10 prorate through
business win all Eastern connections TO San Fran
cisco otlsf points, and so allow Congress 10
pose the and fares the line between iis East
ern and western terniDi at Pacific ports, although
asking no "a Of the United States which il Is not it,
advantage for Congress To grant. This Is rather
than II is wshn the power of the other company 10
offer. No good and satisfactory is found why
This proposition should not be promptly and cheer
fully accepted.
sgReM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT.
rrosssGinua are bafore Ms looking IN that end.
One of theya the TcSas and Pacific, TO retain
its Land gret from the United States, amounting to
600 aares to obtain two years additional time
and SPECIAL aud extraordinary grant OF the credit
of the nation in the fern of endorsement upon
S36 75o, OOU Of the coupanys bonds, pledRing Il 10
the paymest of ve per cent. gold interest for nifty
years.
The othei,, the Southern Pacific, asks only our
sanction 10 continue ia road eastward across the ter
ritories witbin the same ne but without any other
or further assistance than the contiguous grant
lands ri the disposal Of Congress.
Which os these two propositions guardians
the public 11iSerest can adopt? Which of these
two candidates., as practical business men, ought
to intrust Nth this undertaking? We should select
the proposition most favorable 10 the good of the
people. It,would seem that by the charter the grant
o. land alirg the thir,ysecond parallel line In the
territories made double that of the pioneer line
by the forgshrst parallel, as il in lieu Of future aid
IN money Or credit.
We're we administering own prlvat, business
could fiar moment hesitate between these offers
one of whites, besides being undeserved favor
involves gave responsibilities, dangerous precedent
and while the other avoids all commit
mens, all doubtful policy and insures all its proffered
benefits within the time without the risk of
dollar of tie peoples money or credit? We con-
ceiye age not here the arnoners of the bounty
OF the government 10 its citizens corporations, but
as guards IS of the public welfare and trustees of it,
property nod credit of the naton sworn to obey the
constitutes. and protect the best interests of the PEG
Pile and i1s shs view cannot concur in the report
of the majority, which proposes to grant subsidy
guaranty N3S, 200 oi the peoples money or credit
to corporation.
ANTI-sGBsIDY VIEWS OF MIR. MORRISON
The Texas and Peeihc RAILROAD company seek to
obtain the guarantee of the United States for the
payment 1T the interest S9s,T50,000 of hfty-year
ve per cent. bonds, TO be issued by said railroad
company and used by Y in building and extending
s railros. from Fort Worth, in Texas to the Pacific
Ocean at san Diego, IN California. The road TO be
constructed is l,400 mes in length; the bonds 10 be
issued ana1unt to S27.67s per mile and the interest
guaranteed to be paid by the United States, used az
a sinking gind and Invested in government bonds
bearing the rate of interest, would pay $780,
100000 OF lie public debt.
powRR CONGRESS DOUBTFUL.
Has Congress- the power to authorize the coveted
guarantee II 1t has then power has been conferred
upon Cos gress to make gifts of the public moneys
and public property TO private corporations and in
diyiduals. Has any such power been granted by the
Constitution, or liz Il Necessary to the execution OF
any power that it is granted?
This rsiiroad, when built, will be the private
property ;3s the shareholders 1t will be military
and post road IN the same sense, aud TO the same
extent, sd other, that all other railroads OF
the country which the government may trans
port it's Yaails troops, supplies for reasonable
compensation, are military and post roads. II il
submitted that the power has not been conferred
upon Congress TO make the United States party
in such enterprise by subscription TO its capital
stock; OF more to authorize the construction OF the
road out 81 the resources of the people to be made
gift to ths railroad company.
The attempt to derive such power, the power 10
build and give away railroad from the power TO es
tdbIish military and post roads, is in the opinion Of
the undersigned, an attempt TO prevent the obvious
pun pose ~ power intended for the public good to
private ends The United States are bound TO pro.
vii a Sc follow
that they hay construct operate railroad for the
exclusive benefit OF private corporation, because
they may; ultimately and in some possible contingency
want to zee it for military purpose, any more than
they may 10 into partnership with stock raiser be-
cause horses are necessary in The ULlted States
have power TO regulate foreign commerce between the
States. hit it does rot follow that they may ndorse
the notes OF a shiabuder or merchant by way OF
stimulating and encouraging business. The under
signed il Unable to perceive any distinction IN prin
oiple between these and the demand Of the pro
jectors OF this railroad for loLo of the government
credit 70 the extent Of many Millions with which ~
prosecute private speculation
DAwGEB or SUBSIDIES.
The n.i!rosd conpany which asks for this
NOUS appropriation OF credit presents claim upon
the public which entities 1t to exemption from the
general rule The enterprise Is essentially private
one, anG the company has already received from the
United aates and the State of Texas sufficient bas
of credit to have built the road had its assets been
prudensiy managed.
The undersigned II not unmindfu of the fact at
later period different rule of construction prevailed
and which Is now here insisted upon.
Undels;sated power in necessarily unregulated and
unrestricted Power usurped never and never
will be honestly administered.
But 1t 10 submitted that this belief affords no suii-
cient qualification for the guarantee and subsidy
asked. Tor IL rendered, II Is not, that this
enterprise is essentially of the Southern character
with which 1, is attempted 10 be stamped, no reason
be 1G't upon that fact which may not be urged
with eQua- force o reason why the government
should @Gualize between the lately contendnR sec
tons All the losses resulting from "our unfortunate
civil disturbance"
HEooRD THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The statement Of the majority that the government,
Of the United States in view OF the quantity of bonds
given t. it by Southern States, has been unjust 10 the
South 81 the bestowa of bountes Is believed to hnd
its reftaton In the character of the who before
the represented that section. They were too
sensitive to the rights of their section to ba salts
fed with less than what was rghtfully theirs. The
undersigned is not advised as to how the Texas aud
Pac life Railroad company acquired the franchise
sndripht of way by which it IL authorized 70 con
atruct .ss railroad from Fort Worth 10 III Paso, in
the stass Of Texas, whether by grant from the STATE
of Texas or by purchase from or consolidation with
the Memphis, III Pasn, and Pacific Railroad company,
under the fourth section Of the act OF March 3, 1871.
entitled. An act 10 incorporate the Texas Pacific
Railroad Company, and TO aid in the construction OF
its ROAD foi other purposes"
In tba case of Davis WI. Gray. 10 Wallace, page
203 United Statee Supreme Court decided that the
Memphis ri Paso and Pacific was a surviving cor
porstiod with all It's property in possession, and
all s faculties uDlmpsired. This franchise and right
of way the company proposes TO mortgage to ia
denanifs the government for its guarantee. IL be
comes material fact therefore, to know II II
acquired In either Of the modes suggested, or
otherwsss and whether IL has been forfeited lost
with this Texas land grant. The undersigned
presses no opinion on this question, which not
considered by the committee, but submits that due
regard for the interests of the government demands
that before guarantee Is made, based In part
a mortgage Of the said franchise and right of the
way, the House should be informed and advised ~
the sFsie to what Is proposed to be mortgaged.