The patron of husbandry., 1882-05-06
tativeS.
The Ship-Railway Bill in the U. 8

The Ship-Railway Bill in the u, g.
Senate--RepOrt of the Commerce
Committee.
The Commerce Committee reported
unanimously in favor of the Ship Railway
bill. We give the following extracts from
the Report:
The first ques tion the committee considered
was to the practice bIity OF construstin a
railway for the purpose of transporting ships
and their caTgoes. The testimony before the
committee cone!usiveIy demonstrates the fact
that such a railway is entirely practi able and
that loaded vessels can be transported over the
sane with absolute safety and economy.
NJ Eads does not ask the Government of tho
United States to advance any money tc con-
strt u the railway. but merely asks, and the
BIZ. Jvides, that the Government shall guar
aHree the payment for the period of fifteen
years Of dividends at per cent per annum
upon the par value of $50 900 900 of the capi-
tai stock of the company. 1t is estimated that
the cost of constructing the work will be about
So goo O0O, and he oital stock is limited b.
the bill TO this amount. The guarantee of the
Government only attaches to the extent of
two thirds Of this capital stock. The bill
provide that the guarantee shall not attach or
have any force effect until ten miles of the
railway and its terminal works shall have
been constructed and q loaded vessel shal
have been lifted out of the water, TRANSPORTER
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
mlnal works. When this has been accom-
Plished. S5,00O,000 of the guarantee shall at
tach When the terminal works of ten miIsx
Of railway shall have bssn constructed upon
ths other side of the Isthmus, and shall have
been estimated in the same manner, S5, 600
0ot more Of the guarantee shall attach
The intermediate space between the two
ten miles sections is subdivided into twenty
sections; upon the completion of each of those
sections, and the successful transportation
over 1t of loaded vessel, proportional
amounts of the guarantee respectively attach
until the total amount of $50 ,00n 900 i,
reached. All of thrss tests are required BIZ
the bill to be made in the presence OF board
Of engineer to appointed by the pre.idest
of the United States.
The committee do not consider it neos.sar,
TO go into discussion of the yarisus proYi
sions of the bill reported herewith. This bill
has been refully considered, and the com
mIltee Is OF opinion that under its provisions
the Government of the United States is amply
protected ag inst any ultimate loss by reason
Of its guarantee, and the Government aid
provided for is the least which our Govern
nent could hope to give with the view of Sc
curing the construction and control of an
IsFhmian highway.
The consideration for the guarantee, the
committee believes to be most ample and sat
istactory. The company is required by the
Bill to transport upon its railway, during the
whole period covered by the Mexican con
eession, all government vessels, troops, muni-
tons, of war, and mails free of charge, and
1t is further required during the like period to
transport upon its railway all vessels belong
ing ts citizens of the United States, and reg
istered under the laws of the United States.
for fifty per eentum of the regular tolls and
charges imposed for the transportation of
vessels belonging to citizens of any other
country except Mexico. It requires
no argument to show the immense advantage
which this latter provision will secure to
American shipping.
In the opinion of the committee, the time
has arrived for an assertion by our govern
ment in a practical way, of the principle that
1t will not permit tie control by foreign
power of an 1sthmian highw y. There can
be no doubt that there exists in the minds
OF the American people most determined op-
position to any foreign control upon this con-
tinent. This sentiment is by means of re-
cent origin. 1t found expression from the
bps of President Monroe, and has been reite
rated over and over again by Presi-
dents, Secretaries of States, by Senators, and
members OF Con gross, and has been pronounced
IN the most emphatic manner by the leading
newspapers OF the country We now nave an
opportunity of again declaring it, but
this time in practical way. Declarations
and resolutions, from whatever quarter they
may come, are we'll enough in their place but
they amout to very lit.le and are entitled to
no respect, unless the sentiments therein con-
tanned find expression in some more substan-
tai way when opportunity offers.
The construction of the ship railway at Te-
h2untspec is a final solution, in the opinion
oi the committee, of the much di cussed ques
ton of 1sthman control. If this railway be
once constructed under the patronage of the
Government ofthc United States it VIII supply
the present demands of commerce, and will
place the United States in such relation in
regard to isthmus transit, and its cognats po-
htical relations, as will make it simply inpos
slbie for any foreign power to hereafter
control any other transit across our isthmus,
out If We refuse to lend assistance to pro-
jeet, the successful consummation of which is
now demanded by the commerce of the
world, We invite foreign capital to embark in
the enterprise, and the investment of foreign
capital means the protection of foreign power"