The Evening critic., 1882-04-17
WATCH THE RAILROADS.
A Nice Little Game 90 Ne Played by
CersniD Pacific ROnds


There Is bill reported from the Committee
on Pacific Railroads OF the House that has n
great deal Of hidden danger In it, II allowed
10 become law. The bill ia substitute for
IL. II. 5219 and II. X. 1884. The title OF tho
bill is simple enough IA bill to authorize the
consolidation OF railroad companies In the
Territories OF the United states." The bill
allows all roads organized under the laws of
any Territory or the laws OF the United States
TO consolidate with any road I'm such Terri
tories or adjoining Territories and States.
Had the bill been as explicit as tho intontlon
OF the parties who are asking for the law,
there would he
An Earnest Opposition
to Its passage. The whole truth OF
the matter In this case is this: The
r9ad has s6o cSSTar from pac the
General Government further east than Fort
Yuma, Ariz.; through Arizona It has a charter
from that Territory; through New Mexico the
same: through Texas 1t has charter from
that State, and as stated before, from Yuma to
the Pacific II has a charter from California
and the United States. This makes this road
nominally one road, yet with four distinct
charters. This is not the worst of this case,
for under this bill
Congress is Asked to LegaIixc an
IllcpaI Act.
This road is bu lit through New Mexico and
Arizona on the proposed limo OF the Texas
Pacific, and through reservation OF that road
granted by nn act OF Congress approved
March 3, 1871. IN spite of the United States
military authorities this road crossed the
Colorado River at Fort Yuma. In defiance of
the United states courts they built through
New Mexico and now, having bought of the
Texas 4 Pacific their right OF way, as well as
the large land grant (never earned), they arc
now trying TO slip this bill through Congress
by consolidating these four roads, as we'll us
the Texas Pacific.
They would Have as Complete n
Monopoly
as that Of the Union Pacific and Central
Pacific. The managers of this scheme have
played their game very adroity, as can be
seen from what paper here says of the action
of the committee:
.At meeting OF the House Committee on Pa
ciflc Railroads on Wednesday last, when II was
decided to report to the House with favorable
recommendation bill authorizing the con-
solidation Of railroad lines not parallel or
competing several OF tho members reserved
their right TO oppose the bill when 1t comes
before the House with an amendment, tho sub
stance of which is that the act shall not be
construed as permitting the consolidation o
the AtchsOn, Topeka n Santa Fe Road, or
any connection thereof, with the Southern
Pacific Railroad or Its connections. II passed,
the amendment would destroy the object of
the bill, which is to enable the Southern Pa
cinc Road TO secure an Eastern connection, in
dependent of the Texas Pacific Road"
All this talk about preventing the Consolida-
tion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Road
is for blind. Why is not a word said about
the Texas Pacific, the real danger In the case?
Because the amendment proposed is proposed
by
A Texas Pacific Member of the Com
mittee,
and is done to draw attention from the real
merits Of the case. Common sense would say
that the way TO prevent monopoly is to con-
tinue the Texas Pacific and Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe as competing roads TO whore they
connect with the Southern Pacific. These two
roads furnish competing lines to st. Louis,
Chicago and the North and East. Let this bill
pass and the Texas Pacific and Southern Pa
ciflc consolidate and all the traffic would be
under control of this combination in spite of
the Atchison, Topeka Santa Fe Road. Let
Congress act with great prudence in this mat
ter, or the chance for competition between Cal
ifornia and the East will be DESTROYED.