The farmers' union., 1893-12-28
A RAILROAD FOR THE PEOPLE
A Gigantic scheme Which Western Fa rn.-
Favor.

Favor.
An enterprise. gigantic and unique.
Is on foot in Kansas and other Western
States. and a convention was recently
held in Topeka, Kan. to formulate
plans. The enterprise Is nothing less
than the construction of two great lines
of railroad between the Gulf of Mexico
and the British possessions. This
movement was started by the Nebraska
Legislature in 1892. when a series of
re. olutions was adopted setting forth
the needs of such tran>pOrta-
ticn facilities in the interest Of
the producing classes OF the great
Mississippi Valley. The plans We're
conceived by leading Populists of Vest
ern States, Gov. Lewelling, of Kansas.
being one of the original movers in the
enterprise. 1t is the purpose of the
ten States through which the lines are
claim that tax of five cents per acre
on the lands in these States would
cover all this expense and leave a sur
plus of over $2,COo.Oo0 in the treasury.
One line is to be built from Duluth.
through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri.
Arkansas and Louisiana to Lake
Charles, on the Gulf of Mexico. Tho
other is to begin at the northern
boundary of South Dakota and run
through Nebraska, Kansas. Oklahoma
and Texas to Galveston.
The Nebraska Legislature declared
in series Of resolutions that. by rea-
son of the nearness to Gulf ports as
against the long haul to the Atlantic
seaboard, the exports Of wheat, cattle,
beef products. meat products and
breadstuffs of all kinds, which now
amount in round hunters to $475, ,OOO.-
Co annually to the producers of this
region, would be reduced 20 per cent,
| amounting to S94, 10000 annually,
which would pay the cost of the road
three and one-half times And further,
that the furnishing of said interior
| north and south transportation would
| attract the great manufacturing indus
tries to the Mississippi Valley country
and make it the most populOus. as we'll
! States.
A plan of action has been agreed
| upon. First a charter will be secured
| by provisional committee, consisting
of Cne from each of the ten States.
This committee is to act as directors
until such time as the Legislatures OF
! three or more of the States interested
! shall have passed an act making it a
part of the duty of their state Railroad
Commissic rs to take charge of said
! railroad, when the charter and all the
properties accumulated under it shall
be turned over to them in trust for the
people.
The provisional directors will be ex-
pected to arrange for the construction
| of 1850 miles of read in she immediate
future, to cost s3s. 100000. The entire
cost, it is estimated, will be saved to
shippers by reduced rates annually.
The money with which to carry on the
work will be raised br issuing per
cent. construction bonds in denomina.
tions of s. each and multiples thereof
payable at the option of the road. and
receivable for all kinds OF traffic.
Forty-year per cent. first mortgage
bonds will also be issued, to be taken
BY the several States and purchased
from the school funds.
This is the plan of the movers OF
the enterprise. but the question now is
will the Legislatures give aid to the
scheme:
\ SUCCESSFUL operation was per-