Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-18

Pacific Railroad bill was under discussion here
IN ls62, that the Chairman of the Senste Com.
mittee on the Pacific Railroads asserted that
the cost OF this service as estimated byShim,
was at that time 81 SEQ 900 per annum.
The amount or interest being paid by the
Government on the bonds issued in aid of the
Pacific roads is 1857 l29 81, less than one hati
the amount II cost the Government annually
for Government transportation and military
service on the overland route prior 10 the open
ing OF the Pacific roads while the effect OF .he
opening OF these roads has been to re uee the
total annual cost of the same. with largely in
creased ira ssportstion and all necessary mill
tary service. u less than one-fiith of that paid
before the roads were open.
Now, II may occur 10 some that these cons d.
erations are foreign TO The subieet-matter under
discussion. insist not. Congress did not seem
10 think 81 Two years ago, when II passed a bill
authorizing the investigation, and when it iu-
corporsted into that very Act an amendment
reeiting matters bearing upon this question: and
directed the Commission to look into them.
contend that, in dealing with these compa-
MES, all the circumstances connected with the
construction and management of these roads
and surrounding the Incorporation of the COM
panies by which they were built, the controlling
motives, as We may gather them from their acts
which operated on the public mind and the
mind of Congress in inducing the legislation of
1862 and the amendatory Act of 1861. the inten-
ton OF those Congresses in reference TO the duty
or lack of obligation of the companies under the
law TO refund TO the United States interest pay
ments until the maturity OF the principal OF the
bonds, the difficulties with which the compa-
MES were. at a time when the nation was in the
throes OF civil war, compelled to contend in
launching and carrying forward this great en-
terprise to successful completion, and in COM
plotting 1t several years before the time desig-
mated by Congress for its contamination. the
marvellous benefits that have accrued to the
Government and all its people, the reclamation
of an empire from the solitudes of wilderness
and its conversion into vast and fertile fields of
grain, peop;ed with myriad hosts of industrious
embarrassing.
studded with uunumbered happy homes
humble hamle's, growing towns, rising
cities and budding States, and uniting in
one grand result by add ng strength, vitality,
intelligence, wealth. independence. dignity,
grandeur, and power to our common country
and our glorious nationality. The completion
OF the first line of trnusoontinental railroad was
a mighty fundamentally in the beginning of a
grand work in the extension of our empire the
contamination of which is rapidly approaching
and will soon be fastened onw ard when all the
Territories of the mighty West shall be swat
lowed up in as many or more American States.
All of these considerations. / insist included
also those relating TO the magnitude of the debt
involved, the trail character OF the security
held 10y the Government, the failure OF the COM
panies, if any such there be, to conform to the
demands of the legislation that gave them cor
porate existence and conferred on them a
princely bounty, their violations OF law if any
their indispostion. If such is the fact TO volun.
tarily take the necessary and proper action
looking to the creation OF Il fund to meet their
lust obligations TO the GoNernment-all these,
Mr. President assert and confidently insist are
considera' ions not only proper but necessary TO
be considered IN legislating upon this, one of
the most important subjects OF a quasi public
nature that ever engaged the attention OF this
or any other Congress of this or any other Gov
eminent on the face of the earth.
And in conclusion. inasmuch as the Con
gressiOnal aid to these roads was originally
given by one Act for the purpose of securing
one great trauscontineBtal railroad from the
Missouri river TO the waters of the Pacific, aud
in view OF all the subsequent legislation to
which / have attracted attention, by all of
which this great question has been treated as
one subject, and inasmuch Us the pending bill
includes in its provisions but one portion of the
subject matter involved, insist my motion to
refer with instructions 10 include the whole
controversy in one bill should be received with
favor by the Senate, and shopld moreover be
business in charge.