National Republican., 1888-01-06

builders.
The locomotive engine became the pre-
cursor Of advancing civilization, taking the
place Of the rifle, axe aud saddle bags OF
the old pioneer. To the entire taxable
wealth Of the United States the building OF
this line Of railway has added at least
twenty per cent; to It's productive wealth
| It has added even more.
This one line, constructed by the aid OF
the government, has proven the prolific
parent OF four other lines which now pene-
trate from the great valley Of the Missis-
sippl to the Pacific coast parallel through
out to the one designed and aided by the
government, and, Of course, reducing its
probable income. Branch roads have
pasted from this main stem through almost
every valley, penetrating north aud south,
opening up immense areas Of country to
the hand Of civilization and progress.
Some stress has been laid both by the
commissioners and by Mr.. PattIson upon
the benefits derived by the railways from
the government land subsidy, and they
have even claimed that the government
gave something when II gave this land. AS
a matter of fact the government did not
give one acre OF land to the roads. 1t pro-
vided that they should take certain
amount Of land contained in the odd Sec
tions and that the price of the remaining
even sections should be doubled. Neither
the odd nor the even sections Of this land
was worth one penny, or would ever have
been worth one penny but for the building
OF this railway. In fact the gentlemen who
invested their time, their money, their
energy, their intelligence In the construc-
tion Of this road gave to the United States
in the increased value of its lands more
than the coat OF the road.
A reference to the reports Of the various
executive department will show that an
terror to the building OF that line the actual
expenditures for the transportation OF
troops, supplies, mails, &C., across the
continent was from 81 ,00O,0 900 to $S,OO000O
each year, but the cost OF a single war, the
suppression Of the Utah rebellion, when the
army and its supplies we're transported from
the Missouri river to Salt Lake by wagons,
was almost equal 10 the amount advanced by
the United States to aid in building these
roads. The cost now OF all government
transportation between the Atlantic and the
PacIllc-that is, over these transcontinental
lines-even with the fact that the popula.
tion Of the Pacific coast and the country
through which the lines pass is ten times as
great as 1t was before the roads were built,
is less than S2,000,fOO.
In the year, that have elapsed since the
roads have been constructed there has been
an annual saving on transportation-that is,
the construction Of the roads has saved the
government up to date $135, ,OOO, 900, the SER
vice performed having been twenty times
greater than 1t was anterior to their building.
These are facts which the public should
take into consideration and which Congress
should consider when a partisan raid is
made upon the Pacific railways for the sell
fish purpose which distinguished the one
now being made.
Mr.. Pattison charges that the Central
Pacific railway has robbed the government,
has taken large sums Of money earned by
that road, divided 1t among the project
ors and used 1t In building other roads,
which are free from government liens and
government supervision, and that these
roads have been built out of the earnings of
the Central Pacific, which should have been
used to pay the government debt and in
terest, although that debt and interest will
not he dne for some wears tn coma az ,,,,,-
structed the Central Pacific railway have
also built an immense number OF miles of
railway, and now control the largest rail-
way system In the world, extending from
Portland, Greg, one thousand miles down
the Pacific coast, across the continent to the
Gulf OF Mexico, thence up the Misslssippi
river nearly 9even hundred miles to the
mouth OF Ohio, and thence to Norfolk,
Va, en- the Atlantic coast.
The splendid management, which thu
constructors of the Central Pacific displayed.
whsh they built their hia4hgay, -neessteetsTting
.tggfeat Nevada range, crossing the tree
ess and arid desert extending from that to
he Rocky mountaiDs, overcoming obstacles
nat seemed insurmountable before their
intelligence, and energy We're
'roueht to bear upon them, enabled them
o go into the money markets of the world |
nd procure the money from bankers any
nd everywhere to construct any line of
ailway which they deemed practicable aud
Because OF this they have |
uilt over five thousand miles of railway,
hey have passed from Portland, Greg,
|own the Pacific coast to Los Angeles and
IAN Diego, from thence through another
eseft country to the GYlf O, Mexico and the
lissi'sippi river, but to build these roads
hese gentlemen have gone into the markets
4 the world and borrowed the sum of
early two hundred million dollars-eight
lines as much as the paltry sum advanced
y the United States TO assist them in
uilding the Central Pacific, and there are
10 clamorous creditors besieging them for
heir money. The United States is the only !
bylock who stands upon the Rialto crying !,
loud for the penalty Of the bond. It is {
emanding its pound OF flesh, not, like
hakespeare's shylock, because of avarice :
nd greed, not to crafty malice, but to a1- Z
ance political partisan ends.
With the full knowledge OF the facts the
oyernment, instead OF attempting to force
he payment OF this debt from the Pacific
OF forcing the roads into
endeavor to make
lem more useful to the country. Eng
nd guaranteed 3 per cent. interest on
900 to build roads into the interior
INDIA, and the result is already an enor-
ous increase of production and of course
wealth and tax'paying power. n
The Dominion Of Canada has furnished !,
most the entire capital to build road
ross the continent, and is subsldizing r
Gamers on both the Atlantic and Pacific
aid this road, while the road itself, by
c aid OF the administration, is taking
'ods from the very harbor of San Fran. {
eco, the terminus of the Central Pacific
stem, carrying them in subsidized steam IN
to It's Pacific terminus and transporting rc
EN- to New York aud to Europe cheaper
an they can be brought over Amarioor t0