The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-07-01
OUR NEW RAILROAD,

tiHut W TINE euCn uato 40 ~ oouiu P'VSio
in regard to the purchase of the Chicago.
Texas & Mexican Central railroad by the
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe railroad COM
pany. All question as to the substantial
correctness of our reports concerning the
fact has now been settled, and in
a few days more the latter COM
pany will take charge Of the line.
Dallas is to be intensely congratulated
upon the suspicious event, since by the
| transfer she secures most desirable &C
cession to her great railway interests that
have transformed her in the course of dozen
wears from an insignificant inland village
to the leading city that she now properly
lays claim to be. Three years ago We
pleaded for this great and all-important
matter, but it so transpired that wo were
temporarily thwarted in our most earnest
efforts. The consummation now eff
ected gives us another direct line
to the seaboard, along route
the richest in The state, with
the beautiful, attractive and rapidly-grow-
city of Galveston as the terminus. Nor
does the benefit stop here. In quick order
the line will be continued to make a con-
nection with st. Louis, perhaps via Paris,
and through the magnificent grain, fruit
and cotton sections that lie between Red
river and this point. There is but one
other thing now required to supply us with
a competing route to and from all the mar
kets ofthe west and east and that is the
right to construct railways through the
Indian Territory, one of the finest pieces
of country that the sun shines upon. The
bill authorizing this now lies before
congress. 1t is a bill that it has
been shown beyond successful dispute,
doubt or cavil congress has right to pass,
and one which most scrupulously guards at
every point the rights of tho Indians and of
the United States. The right of-way asked
by the San Francisco & st. Louis road was
only some 100000 acres, including the
stations. The entire price paid by the
United States government for the lands &C.
cupied by the Choctaw and Chickasaw Ma
tons was only IL cents per acre, averaged.
For the right-ofway and stations 2,64i
acres, the bill allows $1,000 per annum.
That is per cent interest on permanent
investment Of $4,000, and tho company is
required to pay that $1,000 so long as
1t runs road through that country which
is the exact equivalent at per cent. inter-
est of $4,000 in hand, and far better to the
Indians than $4,000 in hand, because the
Investment itself is permanent and they get
$4,000 year, which makes the amount that
is paid, according to the bill as reported by
the committee, per acre for the land $2S SIS,
or an annual rental for wild land Of over 81
per acre. Now the population of both these
nations amounts to only 81 900 souls over
their entire area of Is 900 square miles, or
III 100000 acres. And yet we have
been kept from the permission to
merely run a line through this region that
will so vastly benefit even the "poor In
dams" themselves; nor, shall congress rcgu-
late the commerce between the state of
Texas and the states lying north and east of
us, or shall the Indians? Which shall abdi-
cate' That is the question in q nutshell.
The constitution of the country expressly
provides that congress shall have
power to regulate commerce with foreign
nations, and among the several states, and
with the Indian tribes" Can anything be
clearer? But again, by the right of emf.
ncnt domain such grant of right-of.way is
likewise made manifest. Nearly every
state in the Union by this compels prop
erty-holders along the line of road with
due charter, to allow the company, for
adequate compensation, to pass through
the fields, ETC., of citizens. The line, for
instance, passes over the homestead of a
man holding his patent from the govern
ment as manned soldier perhaps, and yet
that land may be condemned in part tor
the purpose aforesaid. Through every ter
rltory congress may exercise this right of
eminent domain and consequent con-
domination, then why not through
the Chickasaw and Choctaw NationsY The
greater includes the lesser. The power
of congress then being explicit, the next
and only other question arises, is there
any necessity for the exercise oft? The re-
Spouse is, just as much as there was to
grant the right to the Missouri, Kansas e
Texas road, just as much as there was Tor
the government to donate millions
of acres of land and guaranteed
bonds to the Union and Central
railway monopolies. 1t is not right to be
fish with one and fowl with the other sec
ton of the country. By all means lot us
have either that or similar bin passed and
at once. The Gulf, Colorado h Santa Fe
railroad company directors, to-day in our
city, have the means and the desire to con-
struct without delay and equip
this great and needed commercial
highway, a highway that will bind together
closer still the two portions of common
country eager for better social and mercan'
tile acquaintance and political harmony, q
highway that is absolutely needed by the
growing greatness Of the regions through
which it passes and those of its termini
then why in the name Of common senst
and common Justice delay the good day
THOU LlEsT, SIR, THOU LEST IN TIL
| THROAT"