The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-03-18
The Ship-Railway Bill In the u.
~ Senate.

a
by the Commerce Committee on
the Ship Railway bill. The COM
mittee reported unanimously in ia
vor of the bill, and the question
came up in the Senate on Wednes-
day last. 1t is probable that strong
fight will be made against the meas
ure by members of Congress who
favor the interests of the railway
monopolies. The people, especially
the farmers, should give their sup
port to the bill, and to make their
support effective it should be
prompt. Petitions from every
Grange, signed by the members and
by all farmers who take an interest
in the success of the Ship Railway,
should be forwarded to the Repre-
sentatives in Congress from their re-
spective Districts at the earliest mo-
ment A few thousand petitions in
behalf of this measure from the til
lers of the soil would more than off
set the hostile influence of the rail
way monopolies. So let the farmers
be up and doing.
The committee reported:
The first question the committee
considered was as to the practica
bility of constructing a railway for
the purpose of transporting ships
and their cargoes. The testimony
before the committee conclusively
demonstrates the fact that such
railway is entirely practicable, and
that loaded vessels can be transpor
ted over the same with absolute
safety and economy.
Mr.. Eads does not ask the Gov
eminent of the United States to adj
vance any money to construct the
railway, but merely asks, and the
bill provides, that the Government
shall guarantee the payment for the
period of fifteen years of dividends
at 6 per cent per annum upon the
par value of $4,000, 900 of the CAPT
tai stock of the company. It is esti-
mated that the cost of constructing
the work will be about SIS, 900, 900,
and the capital stock is limited by
the bill to this amoGnt The guar
antee of the Government only at
taches to the extent of two thirds of
this capital stock The bill provides
that the guarantee shall not attach
or have any force or effect until ten
miles of the railway and its terminal
works, shall have been constructed
and loaded vessel shall have been
lifted out of the water, transported
over such ten miles of railway,
brought back again, and again
placed in the water without injury
to the vessel, the railway, or the ter
minal works. When this has been
accomplished, 100000 of the
guarantee shall attach. When the
terminal works, and ten miles of
railway shall have been constructed
upon the other side of the Isthmus,
and shall have been tested in the
same manner, S. 900, 900 more of the
guarantee shall attach.
The intermediate space between
the two ten mile sections is subdi-
vided into twenty sections; upon
the completion of each of those sec
lions, and the successful Transports
ton over it of a loaded vessel, pro
portionate amounts of the guarantee
respectively attach, until the total
amount of $4,000, 900 is reached.
All of these tests are required by the
bill to be made in the presence of
board of engineers to be appointed
by thePresident of tneUnited States.
The committee do not consider it
necessary to go into discussion of
the various provisions of the bill re-
ported herewith. This bill has been
carefully considered, and the COM
mittee is of opinion that under its
provisions, the Government of the
United States is amply protected
against any ultimate loss by reason
of its guarantee, and the Govern
ment aid provided for is the least
which our Government could hope
to give with the view of securing
the construction and control of an
Isthmian highway.
The consideration for the guar
antee, the committee believes to be
most ample and satisfactory. The
company is required by the bill to
transport upon its railway, during
the whole period covered by the
Mexican concession, all government
vessels, troops, munitions of war,
and mails free of charge, and it is
further required during the like
period to transport upon its railway
all vessels belonging to citizens of
the United States, and registered
under the laws of the United States,
for fifty per centum of the regular
tolls and charges imposed for the
transportation of vessels belonging
to the citizens of any other country
except Mexico. 1t requires no ar
gument to show the immense ad-
vantage which this latter provision
will secure to American shipping
In the opinion of the committee,
the time has arrived for an assertion
by our government in a practical