National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-21
Eads's Ship Railway.

This important question seems likely to
have hearing In the Senate before the ad-
journment Of this session. The radical
change made by the commerce committee
in the bill, by which no money is to be
given in aid of the construction OF the road,
and none is to be loaned to the company
until it has been operated successfully for
twelve months, and tested with a ship
weighing 5000 tons, seems to have greatly
lessened the opposition TO 1t by the anti
subsidy press. Our granger exchanges,
especially on the Pacific slope, are advo-
eating the measure very earnestly. The
Portland Journal Of Commerce (Oregon)
warns the producers that II the measure is
defeated 1t will be by the influence OF the
railroads which now monopolize their trans
portation. The Rural World appeals to the
agriculturists Of California in its favor, and
the Mining Press TO the mountain districts.
A wealthy grain grower on the Sacramento,
who raises and ships wheat, as he declares,
by the ship load L. F. Moulton esq, has
sent us copy OF his address before
"the Geographical Society of the Pa
cifc," profusely illustrating the ship
railway, over 10000 copies OF which,
he says, he has had distributed at
his own expense In that state. Among
other editorials on the same subject we find
the following in the San Francisco Chroni-
Gle Of the 11th instant, the leading journal
on the Pacific:
Among ether good things which will die In
consequence OF the early adjournment of Con-
gress is the Eads ship railway scheme. It is
quite evident that there will not be time to put
the bill on Its passage, even II Congress was
well disposedtoward 1t. twill go over among
the unfinished business The event can hardly
prove disappointment TO the projectors.
They must have realized long ago that tho be-
lief 10 amphibious ships Is not us robust as
might perhaps be wished, and that the United
States are not just now granting subsidies wlth
the lberalily of former days.
We notice the publication of numerous ar
ticles which demonstrate the feasibility and
the utility OF Capt. Eads's project. A careful
perusal OF them can hardly fail to set the
proposed railroad before the public in new
and advantageous light and 1t is more than
likely that they will induce capitalists TO take
hold Of 1t. A scheme which offers such enOr-
nous profits as are figured out for the Eads
railroad cannot long 60 abegging, If New
York Is too stupid TO seize the opportunity to
make a fortune, London will grasp 1t.
1t will be sad for the United States to lose
such q chance, But we cannot have every.
thing in this world.
The gulf states and Mississippi valley,
we believe, are now almost unit In favor
of the enterprise. The shipping interest on
the Atlantic seems to he waking up to the
importance Of the subject. That ably
edited weekly, the Marine Journal, in Satur-
| days number says:
The Journal Of Commerce, OF Portland, Greg,
says that ''it appears that almost every journal
in New York Is opposed to the ship rail.
way, and almost every one Of them Is interested
by ownership. patronage, or otherwise in the
uGnscontnental railway lines now existing"
| The journal means well, but We fear itl imag.
! inatlOn Is too fertile. While there is much
truth In The assertion that the respectable por-
| ton OF the New York press are friendly toward
| the railroads, and some are large stockholders
IN trunk lines tisnpt true thntany considerable
number are opposed to the ship railway here or
| elsewhere. One of the measures that
demands the favorable consideration and I'm.
mediate actionolt the government is the Tehuau.
lepcc ship railway, that asks no charity, hut