Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-10
OUR RAILROAD FUTURE.
The Outlines of the Railroad Conquest
of Our Continent.
a Network Of Roads which VIII Fn.
cIuie Canada and G1exicO---
Annexation and Pro-
tectOrate.
FChicago Tribune

FChicago Tribune.
The rapidity with which the railroad en-
terprises in Canada and Mexico are being
pushed to completion suggests some exceed
ingly interesting forecasts with regard to the
effects that may be expected to follow in
trade and trade legislation, in politics and in
political geography, as well as in the per-
sonal habits and prosperity of the people Of
the North American continent. The Canadian
Pacific, it is now announced, will be done in
two years. 1t is already graded for 1000
miles, clear up to the Rocky mountains It's
projectors ridicule the rumors of finan-
cial embarrassment which have lately got
afloat. They have, according to their state
ments, enough money on hand OF their own
and the governments not only to finish the
road, but to equip it. The work on the Mex
lean Central, the Boston enterprise, is pro
cecding so much more rapidly than at first
planned that it viii be finished next spring
instead Of late in the summer. Besides this
road, which runs down from FL Paso, there
is another in active construction from Laredo
southwark which viii be done next summer.
These roads run from the north down to the
City Of Mexico There is another h'ansconti-
mental road on Il small scale which is being
pushed through from Tampico de Tanauli-
pas, On the gulf of Mexico, to San Bias, on
the Pacific.
THE FUTURE TORESHADOWED.
The grand outlines of the railroad conquest
of the American continent viii be flied in
with the driving Of tie last spikes of these
enterprises Much in the way of details will
remain to be inlaid in our mosaic of railroads,
but the main design will be completed. The
control Of the enormous system will be the
control of the industry of the American
continent. Where this control is likely
to rest is probably foreshadowed in the
fact that the direction and construction
of these enterprises is now almost en-
tirely in the hands of Americans The
lines into Mexico are being pushed by Amer
lean financiering and American brains, and
the great line across Canada, though sub
sidized by Canadian gifts Of land and track
is in the hands Of q syndicate in which Amer
lean influence is predominant. Canada found
its highest inspiration for the generosity with
which it treated the Canadian Pacific d the
idea that thereby it would obtain an indie
pendent line across from ocean to ocean on
Canadian SOIL but it is already plain that the
Canadian Pacific will be but spur of the
mighty mileage of the United States.
THE YANKEE IRRESISTIBLE.
The confederating tendencies at work in
the American network of railroads cannot be
resisted by the Mexican and Canadian roads
The same irresistible attractions of traffic that
make the Grand Trunk of Canada more en-
ergetic in extending its American than any
other connections will pull the Canadian
Pacific towards American business. Mexican
railroad development must inevitably fall
into tributary relations to the two OF three
corporations and pools that have the south
west now entirely in their possession. The
few foreign stockholders these various enter
prises have will drop out one after another
whenever there is furry in the stock
market, for they will not have the abiding
faith of those on the ground. One of the
least remote consequences of the completion
of the lines into Mexico may be the descent
of the English road between Vera Cruz and
the City of Mexico into American hands
That corporation has had q monopoly which
it has improved by the most extoTtionate
charges Of 10 or f3 cents a mile for
passengers and as much for the freight of a
hundred pounds as our roads charge for
ton. The American lines viii break up this
extortion and cut down the profits of the old
road to point that will very likely make It's
present owners glad to sell OUT at sacrifice
to their competitor.
AS THE RAILROADS MAY SAY.
One Of the first things the railroad interest
will want, north as well as south, will be the
modification of the restrictions put on trade
between the United States and its neighbors.
Railroads are for transportation, and that
means trade. The taxes, and inspections,
and regulations about bonding and all that
goes with frontier meddling with trade will
all cut into the receipts of the railroads, and
those corporations will be certain to use their
influence to have the way made smoother for
their benefit The ratification of the Mexican
reciprocity treaty, which comes up in Wash
ington next winter, will be very likely to go
as the railroads say. The half-dozen pools
that will control the railroad business of the
whole continent from Hudson's bay to the
gulf of Tehuantepec will have a scanty re-
spect for the imaginary lines that divide their
political dependencies. They viii effect a
commercial annexation which viii be more
than likely TO result in political annexation
il the north and perhaps protectorate in the
south.
THE HEROIC TREATMENT.
4 war with Mexico is by no means one Of
the impossible consequences of the railroad
invasion of the Cactus Republic. The gov
ernment has incurred very heavy obligations
to half. q dozen American corporations for
| subsidies. The Mexican has never been re-
| nowned for his fidelity to financial engage
| nents. If the Mexican government, in one
| Of its fits Of Reputation, should attempt TO
| throw over its American benefciaries. the
| powerful men who are interested in those
, subsidized enterprises-men Ike Gen. Grant
| and Jay Gould-night find it easy enough to
embroil the two countries in a struggle the
| disguised object of which would be reached
when Mexico was put under protectorate
and all its obligations towards American en-
terprises assumed by the United States, Sc
cured by Mexican revenues and Mexican
property.
| INTO NEW CAREER.
The entrance Of American methods of
transportation, bringing American capital,
arnr0v and nrthr,cioe--,= i.-s-@s ,-------:1