Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-11
THE POST" AND THE RAILROAD
QUESTION

THE POST" AND THE RAILROAD
QUESTION.
The New York Egening Post is disin-
genious. We did find, much to our sur
prise, some remarks by it concerning the
competition of the Canadian Pacific with
American lines, that appeared to indicate
disposition on the part of the Post to treat
the subject from an American standpoint
and that promised fair consideration of
the claims of the Pacific RAILWAYS of the
American brand In the course of our
comments We called the attention of the
Post to an error into which it had fallen
regarding the aggregate of the subsidies
granted TO the Canadian railway, and
pointed out that the sum of all the grants
to all American roads by the United States
Government did not equal the aggregate
of the aids of money, lands and other
assistance extended to the Canadian Pa
cific by the Dominion and the Home Gov
eminent. To this the Post replies:
The Sacramento RECORD UNION takes excan-
tons to the statement of the Erelin9 Post that
the subsidies granted by our Government to Pa
cine railroads. counting both bonds and lands
are greater than those granted by the Canadian
government 10 the Canadian Pacific Railway
The RECoRDUhIoN remarks that there is one
great difference between the two cases in that
the cash subs1dity has to be paid back by our
railroads, while there is no such requirement in
the Canadian case. The RECORD UNION is sneak
ing for the Central Pacific Railroad of CaIifor-
ma ma, tnat pelng the only company that is much
disturbed by The Canadian competition.
The disingenousness of the response is
apparent. That the RECORD UNION in
protesting against the diversion of the
transcontinental traffic through the I'M
fairly stimulated competition of the Brit
ish road, speaks for the Central Pacific
Railroad, is true in the sense that that
road is product of California, that the
city of the REcoRD-UNIoN's publication is
upon the line of that road, and that the
trade OF that city is seriously menaced by
the assault referred to. 1t is true that the
REcoRD-UNIoN, in common with the peo-
pie of the Pacific coast south of the British
line, speaks for the Central Pacific Rail-
road, but not more so than for each and
all of the roads injuriously affected by
the operations of the interstate COM
merce law, and the competition of
the British Government on wheels on our
north, which competition is rendered more
matter of ease, because of the mistake
into which our own Government has been
led IN the attempt to regulate that which
is possible of regulation only by the laws
of trade. The narrowness of the view of
the Post is evidenced by the absurd state
ment to which it commits itself concerning
the Central Pacific Railroad being the
only one much affected by Canadian COM
petition. The absurdity of that remark
in the light of the facts renders it unnec-
essary to further refer to it, except to say
that the Post is ill-posted if it speaks in
sincerity. The New York journal con-
cludes its response to the RECORD. UNION
by asking if it has any knowledge of the
Central Pacific Company's intention to
pay the balance ''that will be coming to
the Government in the next ten years" It
is to be said in reply that what the 1nten-
tions of that company may be no one save
the company can know, but it is a matter
Of record and of challenge made by that
company repeatedly before Congressional
Committees and the public, that the road
has discharged to date every obligation
incumbent upon it to the Government, and
that there cannot be named dollar it has
not paid to the Treasury, that was due, or
solitary duty to the Government that It
has not fulfilled. On the contrary, it has
been shown beyond peradventure that the
Government has not kept faith with this
California road, nor paid TO its credit the
sums earned for service performed, nor in
vested, as it agreed to, the sinking fund
created by the periodical payments of the
company to the Government; nor has that
Government borne itself toward the
road as was seemly, since after aiding its
construction and insisting upon payments
in equity not due. it set up rivals in the |
shape of parallel roads to divert its bust |
ness and cripple its capacity TO repay to |
the Government whatever might become |
due to it. So far as the sentiment of the |
Pacific coast is concerned, we believe we
voice it when we say that the Government
will remain UNNECESSARILY the gamer, if it |
shall not insist upon further payments
from the original Pacific roads; that the |
benefits the Government has derived from |
the construction of these lines have been |
so enormous, the economies to it so great
and the increased revenues, enhanced val |
ues and rapid settlement of the country !
such that the United States can well
afford to forego pressing payment when the
obligations shall fall due, which in the
inception of the idea of aiding the roads
our wisest statesmen did not seriously con-
template should ever be discharged by
money payments.