The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-02-23
THE PACIFIC ROADS.

L
the report of the Senate committee on Pa
cific railroads as to the funding of the debt
of the Central Pacific. Our contemporary
is satifed with the arrangement proposed
for the settlement of the Union Pacific in
debtedness, but thinks ''the Central Pacific
bill is one that ought to be investigated
with the utmost care and then probably
defeated" The World says: 'Thus is illus
trated not only the value of having your
own Senator but the wonderful influence
which is exerted by COILS P. HUNTING
TON. The Central road has evaded and
eluded the government for many years.
That it is not so well able to pay as the
Union Pacific is due to its own fault. Mr..
HUNTINGToN's profit has been in weaken
ing the security of the government, and
now he takes his victim by the throat and
demands terms which ought not to be
granted unless the United States are en-
tirely powerless in the hands of this spoiler
and wrecker."
Our influential contemporary objection
to the Central Pacific funding bill is in
spired by its hatred of Senator STANFORD
and MIR. HUNTINGTON, rather than by fear
that justice will not be done in the prem
ises. Either this is the case, or the World
is deplorably and inexcusably ignorant of
the facts. The terms offered to the Union
Pacific are much better than those ex-
tended to the Central, the conditions and
circumstances being taken into account
The Union Pacific has fifty years in which
to pay its debt, and the interest is reduced
to per cent, while the Central Pacific
is given seventy-fve years, the in
terest being lowered to per
the facts will at once say that the terms
upon which the Union Pacific gets a settle
ment are better than those allowed to the
! Central Pacific, and that in both cases the
government is getting the best of the ar
rangement. With theeXception of COM
paratively small section of the country
westward the Union Pacific runs through
a region which gives it business, and the
business increases every year. Some parts
of the line lie in very rich agricultural ter
ritory, and at other places there are valu-
able mines; the country is growing one,
is steadily settling up and is produc-
tive. The Central Pacific runs across a
veritable desert, non productive and pro
ducing no business, from a few miles be-
yond Ogden until it reaches the timber
of the Sierra Nevadas. 1t may be said
that there is practically no local traffic
The road has to be kept up, and trains run
500 miles for the business arising at either
end. AS the Senate committees report
expressed it, the country between Ogden
and California is like bridge.
We don't know what influence Senator
STANFORD and Mr. G. P HUNTINGTON
have brought to bear upon the senatorial
committee to bring about this report but
we do know that this government is get
ting better terms OF settlement with the
Central Pacific than could have been ex
pected under the circumstances. If the
company shall pay in full, as is contem
plated in this scheme, it will give
the government one hundred cent!
on the dollar for debt which i:
not to-day worth twenty-five cents OF
the dollar. The Central Pacific would
make money by giving up the road ant
cancelling its obligation to the govern
ment. The Senators understand this, an(
it is to be hoped Congress will also under
stand it and pass the bill that will not only
secure the government but make it posi-
BILE for the Central Pacific people to man
age their road as it should be managed ant
make it earn the most money possible.
The people of the west have grow
tired of hearing those of the cas-
growing about the Pacific railway debts
The United States never made better in
vestment than in the first transcontlnenta
railway, and if not dollar of the none,
loaned shall ever be returned to the fedora
treasury, the nation will be repaid over an,
, over again for every cent it advanced
The settlement Of an empire of territor,
) was FASTENED fifteen years by the road
: and millions of people are now adding
| wealth to the nation by developing re
sources which would to-day be lying dol
, mant were it not for the Pacific railroads