Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-22
THE CALIFORNIA AND OREGON ROAD

The Santa Rosa Democrat, replying to
our statement that Mr.. Henley was nom
representative of the best interests Of
northern California in resisting the extern
sion OF the land grant of the California
and Oregon Railroad, says he was pledged
to the act by his Convention, and an
nounced ii on every stump in the cam
paign. 1t adds: If any one is to blame
it is the people of his district" Further
on it asks why should the extension be
asked for? The company had plenty of
opportunity to build the road and earn the
land within the limit, but didn't do it,
preferring to neglect this road and devote
its energies to building others-notably the
Southern Pacific-hoping, no doubt, for an
extension of the grant 1t has no right
now, after having by its own neglect for
feited its rights, and lost the San Francisco
and Oregon trade in so DOING to complain
if deprived of the land grant. The
RECORD UNION dwells with emphasis upon
the natural obstacles to be overcome to
build this road, but they are no greater
than they were five or ten years ago. AT
any rate, the people are opposed to the
extension of the grant, and Mr. Henley
has only acted as faithful representative
of their views"
Suppose it be admitted, to narrow the
issue and give our contemporary all the
rope it needs, that all it says about the
company neglecting to build when it might
have done so is true, how does that affect
the question of CALIFORNIA; trade interest?
1t is conceded that the road would have
been built but for the resistance made to
the extension of the grant. That this re-
sistance came as the natural outcome of
the demagogic assaults made upon railroad
builders; that the road is of vital impor-
lance to the commerce of the coast, and
that its non-construction is a direct and
constantly augmenting loss to the trade of
the State. 1t would appear that, whatever
the opposition press can say, whatever
charges it can make, that rising above and
superior to them all is the one great and
overwhelming necessity for a through line
from the Columbia to the southern line of
California.
1t Is wholly unnecessary to again 60
over the ground, as we have frequently
done, to explain why the road has not
been built 1t is thoroughly understood in
Northern California. 1t would be credit
ableEt5gthe intelligence of the Democrat to
assume that it knows it was useless to
build waste of money and energy to
construct until through connection could
be made. That the road could not proceed
beyond the Oregon line, and until it
should be met there by the Oregon system,
it would have been the height of folly to
have carried on the work. The question,
! road company, or one of punishment Justly
or unjustly inflicted upon it. 1t so hap
pens in this case that it is the business of
the State that takes the punishment the
producers, merchants, manufacturers and
laborers of California who suffer by the
diversion of business from its natural
channel down the great valleys and to the
metropolis and the capital and the far
south.
The Democrat is as widely astray regard
ing the will of the people as it is concern
ing the real issue. The people representa-
tive of business interests in Northern
California, San Francisco and all the
intermediate valley region to the Oregon
line are, and long have been, urgent that