Year: 1876

displayed by the Southern Paclnc
Railroad Company is building their
road, section of which, from Caliente
in Kern county, to San Fernando in
Los Angeles county, passes over the
most difficult country perhaps In
which railroad was ever constructed,
is opening up and developing a section
to such an extent as to receive an
equal, if not more hearty approval at
the hands of our people.


True, gentlemen, there is much
complaint that these railroads are per-
mitted to charge what seems to be too
much for freights and fares over their
lines, andI am of opinion that in
cases the complaint is just; but when
this question of high tariff is used as
an argument against the further in
crease of roads, then the people who
most complain do not hesitate to de-
clare for more roads-a greater increase
of railroad facilities. AS | remarked
few moments ago. the people of my
district are fully alive to this matter,
and have heretofore and are now eX-
pressing themselves freely and fully
upon il. The question of aid to the
Texas & Southern Pacific Railway
Company was against my wish, and
indeed against my efforts, made all is
sue in the recent election of n repre-
sentative in Congress from my dis
trict. Ny principal opponent, a gen.
tleman of high honor and attainments
who represented our district for four
consecutive years. who was the unan-
imous choice of the Republican party
for third term in Congress, and who,
Mr.. Chairman, occupied "a seat on this
Committee, year ago, then, and in
the campaign following, earnestly and
emphatically declared himself in favor
of the Government guaranteeing the
interest on the bonds of the Texas &
Pacific Railway Company. He was
the author of bill similar to the one
under consideration, and was ably and
energetically assisted, as l am inform
ed, by gentlemen of other States, one
of whom is not unknown to fame, and
who now occupies seat OH the floor
of the House Of Representatives. My
predecessor made his campaign for re-
election upon the issue that he was in
favor of the measure now being siren
uously advocated before you, having
lOl It's OuJcCV tuC W NiS
Government, of its pecuniary success.
He even went so far in the campaign
as to announce from the stump, in ev-
cry important place in the district,
the substance of the bill reported by
him from this Committee in the last
Congress, and Of which the present
Texas and Pacific bill is but q para
phrase-declaring at the time that it
was to be in position to support that
measure that he mainly sought q re-
election. | was thus forced without
my consent or purpose, into a position
of antagonism.


1t was useless for myself and my
friends TO protest that | had no inter
est with either of these apparently ri
val corr orations-useless for us to
maintain that there was a greater is
sue in The contest at that time in Cal
iforna, viz: the success OF the Demo-
cratic party throughout the State, and
that this was paramount to every in
terest that was likely to be effected by
the power of any corporation. All
this was without avail. The friends
AMI partisans of the Texas and Pacific
railway persistent!y pressed their
cause as an issue in the canvass, and
so earnest were the efforts of my op
r0nent and his friends, and the friends
OF his cause, that, partly through the
a. 81. ance of prominent gentlemen of
other States, high in the councils of
my political party, and partially, also,
| through the exertions of partisans OF
| the Texas and Pacific railway scheme,
many leading members of the Democ'
racy in my district favored the cleo
ton of my opponent, and even went
| so far in several instances as to can
vass portions of my district against
me on the stump.


Now, gentlemen, I have detained
you with statement of these last
| facts, not with purpose to call your
| attention particularly to the contest
| for position now hold, which took
place Just five months ago, but 70
show you, think, in the most posi-
tive manner that the people of South :
ern California have recently express
| ed themselves in the most emphatic
manner upon this question Of the Tex
as and Pacific scheme. The result OF
the election was that my principal op-
ponent, the advocate, the champion
1 might say, but for the presence of a
distinguished gentleman here-the
very parent of this measure, backed
as he was by all the prestige of the
Republican party, received but one
third the number of votes cast. Upon
this issue, in fact, he carried but three
of the nineteen counties comprising
the district This was an expression
of the people which / think should
not be overlooked. do not hesitate
to say thata very great majority of
the people of Southern California are
opposed to the further granting of
Government aid in any manner to
any and all railroads or other corpor.
ations. Even now they are, through
their newspapers, expressing theirdis-
appreciation of this measure. There
are, to the best Of my recollection
about fifty newspapers published in
my district, and / feel quite certain
that am correct when I state thai
three-fourths of them are opposed to
the granting by the Government O
any further financial aid to the Texas
Pacific road.


In country so extensive as thai
embraced in my district there is nee
essarily great diversity of interests
The interests of different portions of
district are not the same, and very Of
ten clash with each other, and this II
peculiarly SO with Southern Califor
mia. Take, for instance the two coun
ties of Santa Clara and Los Angeles,
the two wealthiest and most populou
counties in my district, and casting a
the election on the first day of las
September one-third of the vote of th,
entire district. The former of these
counties is situated in the extreme
| ! e u. 4 :=lx IL