New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-23

No one interested in the future commercial great
ness of the Republic can read without interest the
speech of the Hon. William A. Phillips, OF Kansas in
the House of Repre- entaives on the subject of an
international railroad between the United STATES and
Mexico The road which has been proposed would
rim from Austin, the capital of Texas, to Top0lo-
vampo a newly-discoyered bay on the west coast OF
Sinaloa, Mexico about midway between Mazatan
and Guavmas. The capacity, convenience and
safety of the bay. and its suitability and excellence
IA n harbor have been demonstrated by three sep
arate surveys already made by our Navy Depart
ment If feasible railroad route can be found to
this entrepot, immediate benefits will result
IN ALI cites in the Iower Mississippi Middle,
Southern and Eastern States, which will gain
in going to Topol0vampO about 500 miles
over their route to san Francisco and about
400 miles over their route to san Diego. Every
seaport. according to the estimate of Mr. Phillips,
on the Atlantic, from Maine to Texas will have a
shorter line to the Pacfc than can possibly be had
ar any port north OF south of TopOloyampo. The
proposed railway it is suggested, will open up
new and practically unknown country, nearly a
moiey OF Mexico equal III size to ten such States
Pennsylvania What the resources of this tract are
can never be known without u trustworthy survey
Mexico cannot make ii the Mexicans are not rail-
road-buildng people; and ii must be considered
that If il the United States which Is to receive the
earliest and the greatest benefits from the opening
of this short route TO the Pacific. 1t begins, SAYS
Mr. Phillips, in our country it ends at the gate
of Oriental commerce yet heretofore these great
opportunities have been comparatively neglected
Mr.. Goode's bill to Educate the people," which
ia made the special order for to-day, is the
same old bill which has turned up. with some trfng
verbal alterations, both in the House and Senate
every session for half q dozen years. The central
proyision of the bill is that which distributes
the net proceeds of the sales of pnbc lands
among the various States on the basis of literacy.
thus placing i'll theory the responsibility for edu-
eating their children remove further from
nar,nts than il now il when the State assumes thr
charge As has been often proved in TIL TRIBUNE.
fine entire scheme is pernic0us i'll principle hut
even il II were not So 1t could bc of practical
utility for the net proceeds of the public lands
almost nothing and growing rapidly less. ANY
"fundr from such source would at the most yield
but few cents year to each child-scarcely
suli,lenf to grease the machinery Of distribution.
IL onght 10 be observed, too, that Dir.
(ocde not only wants TO divide up nothing,
but hr wants Ia divide II on a fraudulent OASIS.
The " iitrracy = statistics of the last census
are VIGOROUSLY the Euesswork OF mag native
euumerators, and are ony saved from being very
Door quality of guesswork by the more Judcions es-
tunatil,g of General Walker, the Census Suprrin-
tendcnt Bat after all, these figures VIII answer ~
we'll IA any others for the purpose aimed at. The
,vboIe scheme is only intended 10 iamilaule
ria, uconle with the notion 0l National education
and h,steo the glorious time when Mr.. EatOns Blu
r,,u shall blossom ont into "A full grown depart
,o.nt aud tho Federal Government set itself mp IN
the general utility business. Mr.. Goodies bill ought
~ he entitled An Act TO hasten the Millennium of
ou,,k Educators and other Frauds
Whif one = walking through the Bowcry or some
other thoroughfarc he viii probably be presented
with handbi announcing that IN a neIghbOrng
restaurant prices have been brought down 10 the
hardest kind uf pan. la decrut places, served ia
decent WAY, ior the sun of one dime. may now
be obtained II slice Of fair and fairly cooked
meat. with bread aud butter. and cup of