Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-04

1t. If you let me take you over that re-
gion will show you tunnels from several
hundred feet to several miles in length
through hard rock, which were constructed
before We had machinery, giant powder,
and other means of rapid construction that
we have now, but they were constructed by
the hand-drill, and the men doing it SIM
ply combined, and they had not dollar OF
capital when they began. Part of them
would work at that and part of them
would mine somewhere else, and thus they
would be enabled to obtain the provisions
and tools for the others, and they would go
on for years and accomplish such works.
/ can take you to the mountain ridges OF
California and show you the aqueducts and
canals on the very highest peaks in order
to build fumes across great chasms and
blast into the side of the mountains for
miles and miles in order to do it. Hun
dreds of miles OF this kind of work has
been done by men thus cooperating to-
gether. They understand the principle of
cooperation. | will go into the interior
States and Territories where mining has
been pursued, and | will show you how
these people understand cooperation, and
if you show them 10000 acres or 1000
acres of good land, tell them, Under
proper regulations you may have this
land if you will construct these works
according to the Governments survey,n
making such regulations as shall
not breed monopolies. providing that each
man shall have his home under proper
regulations-that is the question to be
studied-that can be done. Let our Amer
lean people be allowed to cooperate and
they will accomplish more in developing
this Grid oil L.
can be done with British capital in India.
But while would not advocate the policy
of expanding Government money on a
large scale to aid irrigation, still the mode
| have suggested of diverting part of the
Indebtedness of these roads to facilitate the
work would be great boon, and not only
benefit the people and the Government,
but would furnish business for the roads
and enable them to comply with their OBJ
legations.
The people of the East can hardly credit
the results which have been brought about
In conducting great enterprises in mining
and other enterprises that have been con-
Quoted by cooperation. Cooperation is
great power, and combined labor is capital.
All the fixed capital in this country would
not feed the people year. The wealth is
in labor, in the productive power of the
country. Stop the production and every
body would starve at once; but what the
productive power of cooperation in q
country like that will make possible is i'm
mense.
Mr.. Blair-I should like the Senator's
opinion upon project of this kind: Sup
pose that the Government claim should be
discharged, wholly discharged, and then
the mileage or fares, and perhaps freights,
also, limited accordingly as in the case of
the Limitation of charges along the line of
the New York Central Railroad, so that
the country at large by diminution of
charges would get the real benefit of this
discharge of the debt, collecting it in that
way, by reduction of the expense of
travel and transportation. Has that pro-
Ject ever been considered?
Mr.. Stewart am considering kindred
project to that right now. My instructions
propose to improve these roads by building
long tunnels, making double tracks where
necessary, and building branches with this
debt so far as it goes, and to supply the
branches with business. have them con-
struct hydraulic works, to use this money
for that purpose, and at the same time
keep them free from debt and pass such
laws as will insure cheap transportation.
l have that idea embodied in the resolu-
ton of instructions / offered. Simply re-
leasing the debt would not accomplish
what l want. do not want the debt re-
leased. l want the money used to build
more roads.
MIR. Blair-That Is so say you would con-
tinue the tax on the transportation of the
entire country for the development of that
locality?
Mr.. Stewart-No, 1 would not; and l
will tell you why would not
Mr.. Blair-I thought that was the Sena-
tors suggestion.
Mr.. Stewart-The improvement of the
main line, the construction of branch lines
and irrigation works. would enable the
roads 10 furnish cheap freights and fares,
and Congress should retain the power to
compel them to do so.
Mr.. Blair-May ask the Senator ques-
ton?
Mr.. Stewart-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Blair-I should like to have the
Senator explain why it is, if the road is re-
lieved of debt, or portion of its debt of
sixty-fve or seventy million dollars it
will not be able to do the business that
passes over it at lower charge than it
would if it was obliged to take from that
business this sixty-fve or seventy million
dollars to pay the debt?
Mr.. Stewart-If you take off the debt and
trust to them to build the roads
Mr.. Blair-I would suggest to the Sen
ator, before he finds fault with my con-
struction of his plan, that he understand
the question / asked. My question, which
/ see the Senator did not understand, was
how, in his judgment, il would operate
upon the interests of the country and of his
locality to discharge the Government debt
ntirely-discharge it at once, discharge it
absolutely. and then let the country take
its benefit by legalized reduction of fares
and treights analogous to what prevails in
the case of the New York Central road?
Mr.. Stewart admire the Senator 8
liberality in discharging the debt at once !;
but if we give up the debt, what assurance
have we that the branch roads will be
built?
Mr. Blair-Then my suggestion was cor
rect, that the Senator wishes the debt to
continue, in order that transportation may
cost as much as or more than ever, and
money thus raised, instead of being paid by
the country at large, to be used in the still
further development of that locality.
Mr.. Stewart-The transportation will
cost less. of course, if they have branch
roads. They have got little business of
any kind along there, and they are COM
PEELED to charge for what little they do
about all there is in it to carry it.
Mr.. Blair-Is il not a fact that the
through business is now the business very
largely, and that the present prices for
fares and freights are paid by the people
OF the central and eastern portions of the
country?
Mr.. Stewart The through business
amounts to very little comparatively. 1t
is the local business on which they must
depend.
Mr.. Blair-If there is no through bust
ness across these trans-continental routes
for what purpose were they constructed
and for what use are they now? l did not
fail to understand that the Senator dwelt
upon the great and patriotic purpose for
which this line was originally constructed.
l have always understood that to be the
cause of the nations contracting this high
debt or giving this system assistance. But
the debt remains and the nation is under
taking
Mr.. Stewart-Let me ask the Senator a
question, now that he has asked me so
many.
Mr. Blair-Will the Senator hear what |
say in reference to the suggestions?
Mr.. Stewart-All right.
Mr.. Blair-I want him to understand me.
/ will say to him that l understand the
reason why the Government became inter-
ested pecuniarily was to keep the country
together, to keep it united, and that pur-
pose has been attained, and that the public
did not generally expect to collect this debt
originally. 1t remains, and now the public
having obtained its first grand purpose in
sists upon its money also. That money
L II