The Osceola times., 1883-12-15
OUR RAILROAD FUTURE.
Outlines Of the Railroad Conquest Of
Our Continent.
A Network Of Roads which will Include Can.
ada and Mexico-Anncxation and a Pro.
tectorats.s p - --
ChlcAgo Tribune.

Chicago Tribune
The rapidity with which the railroad
enterprises in Canada and Ne exico arr
being pushed to completion suggests
some exceedingly 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 personal
habits and prosperity of the people Of
North American continent.
The Canadian Pacific, it is now an
nounced, will be done in two years. 1t
is already graded for 1000 miles, clear
up to the Rocky mountains Its projec-
tors ridicule the rumors of financial en-
barrassment which have lately got afloat.
They have, according to their statements
enough money on hand of their own and
the governments not only to finish the
road but to equip it.
The work on the Mexican Central, the
Boston enterprise, is proceeding so much
more rapidly than at first planned that
it will be finished next spring instead of
late in the summer. Besides this road
which runs from FL Paso, there is an
other in active construction from Laredo
southwark. which will be done next
summer. These roads run from the north
down TO the city Of Mexico. There is
another transcontinental roal on small
scale which is being pushed through
from Tampico de Tamaulipas, on the
Gulf of Mexico, to San Bias ,on the Pa
cific. glflI a ft.
THE FUTURE roRhHADowED.
The grand outlines of the railroad con-
quest of the American continent win be
filled in with the driving of the 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 conti-
nent. Where this control is likely to
rest is probably foreshadowed in the fact
that the direction and construction of
these enterprises is now almost entirely
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
subsidized by Canadian gifts Of land and
track, is in the hands of a syndicate in
which American influence is predomi-
nant.
Canada found its highest inspiration
for the generosity with which it treated
the Canadian Pacific in the idea that
thereby it would obtain an independent
line across from ocean TO ocean on Can
adian soil, but it is already plain that
the Canadian Pacific will be but a spur
of the mighty mileage of the United
States.
THE YANKEE IRRBsIsTIBLE.
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 energetic in ex-
tending its American than any other
connections will pull the Canadian Pa
cific towards American business.
Mexican railroad development must
inevitably fall into tributary relations to
the two or three corporations and pools
that have the southwest now entirely in
their possession. The few foreign stock
holders these various enterprises have
will drop out one after another when
ever 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 MeS-
leo may be the descent of the English
road between Vera Cruz and the City of
Mexico into American hands. That
corporation has bad monopoly which
it has improved by the most extortion-
ate charges of 10 10 IL cents mile for
passengers and as much for the freight
of hundred pounds as our roads charge
for ton. The American lines will break
up this extortion and cut down the pro-
fits of the old road to point that will
very likely make its present owners glad
TO sell out at q sacrifice to their COM
As rHR RAILROADS MAY SAY.
One of the first things the railroad,
interest will want, north as well as south,
will be the modification Of the restric-
tions put on trade between the United
States and its neighbors. Railroads are
for transportation, and that means trade.
The taxes, and inspections, and regula-
tions about bonding, and all that goes
with frontier meddling with trade will
ali cut into the receipts of the railroads,
and those corporations will be certain to
have the way made smoother for their
benefit.
The ratification of the M"xican reci-
procity treaty, which will come up in
Washington next will be likely to go as
the railroads say. The half.doze pools
that will control the railroad business OF
the whole continent, from Hudson's Bay
TO the Gulf Of Tehuantepec, will have a
scanty respect for the imaginary lines
that divide their political dependencies.