Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-22
GOVERNMENT TO OWN
The Great Railway Gen. Long,
street Proposes Shall Be
Built Across Continent.
HE WOULD HAVE 1T DOUBLE TRACK
Believes tho Pacific Roads VIII Pay Every
Dollar They Owe Uncle Sam. Principal
and Interest, and Suggests More Than
One Great Government Line-Expansion
to Make Them Prof:table-DispUte with
Mexico Avoided by Extradition.

Mexico Avoided by ENtradltion.
Washington, Nov. 22.-General James
Longstreet, the commissioner of rail-
roads. in his annual report, calls atten-
tion to the general prosperity in rail-
road affairs and recommends the gov
ernmert construction and operation of
a frst-class double track railway from
Kansas City, Mo-. to san Diego, Cal,
by air line route. He says the physical
condition of our railroads generally is
better than ever before. He points to
the spectacle of roads which only two
or three years ago were in receivers
hands now paying dividends on their
preferred stocks and piling up surpluses,
which in the course of a very short
time, his report says. will be distributed
among the common shareholders. Many
roads which in 1893 were forced to cut
salaries 20 per cent, he says. have
voluntarily restored the Old basis of
wages. In April, 1891, receivers con-
trolled in this country 210 roads, en-
bracing about 20 per cent of the total
mileage of the United States. On June
80 of this year there were only 119 rail-
roads in the hands of the receivers.
Air Line Good for Expansion
He recommends a government air
line trans continental route in the fol-
lowing language: The annexation of
the Hawaiian islands-the possible,
probable. control of the Philippine and
Ladrone islands-must open up new
trade relations Of such growing proper
tions with them as to so materially in
crease the business of all the bond
aided roads as to be well within the
scope of reason TO anticipate their abili-
ty. at an early date. to pay principal
and interest of their debt to the United
States" The general enlarges on the
enormous increase of trade between
the United States and the Orient as the
result of expansion, and says that the
interest the United States has in bond
aided railroads-and especially in the
Central Pacific railroad-should not be
scaled but that we have every reason
to look for repayment of dollar for dol
lar. principal and interest, loaned or
advanced by the government originally
to these corporations.
Suggestion for "a Government Road.
He then proceeds: 1T may be timely
just now to suggest that the govern
ment construct and operate a first-class
double track railway from Kansas City,
Mo, to San Diego. Cal. by air lire
route. This will open the shortest line.
measured by the map. from Boston.
New York and Philadelphia to the Pa
cific coast along and near the coal fields !
of the east, and the west of this side of
the Rockies. and making the most di- |
rect line from our great commercial |
centers to the Sandwich islands and the |
Philippines. This with other lines now |
working overland may prove ample for |
the wants of commerce to the Pacific |
coast and the Orient, holding trade and |
travel within our borders pending the |
experiment of a canal through the |
fevered climate of the isthmus.
Advantage of a Government Line.
The home advantages of an overland |
line by the Government viii be to draw l
the people nearer together in interests |
and sympathies. and VIII serve them as
a safeguard against the monopoly Of |
As trade increases it may /
develop the importance of direct and a |
similar line to Seattle. in Washington
state. st. Louis, Mo. is a little south
Of the direct line between New York
and San Diego. but the typographical |
features of the country indicate that |
possibly a better route may be found
from that point, and the bridge over
the Mississippi river at st. Louis may !
prove an important consideration.
survey. therefore. by direct lines should
be made from each on these points"