Year: 1876

J
portant city, whence connection is
had directly with one of the best har-
bors on the coast, and where extens-
i've wharves have been completed, and
other arrangements made to tap the
commerce of the ocean. Thence the
line continues through the finest of
her territory into San Bernardino.
county, and on to the Colorado river,
very soon, as is believed, to connect
with the East by continuous line of
road. Monterey, San Luis Obispo,
Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
have deep interest in road up the
coast from Santa Barbara to the pres
ent terminus of the Southern Pacific
railroad at Soledad, in Monterey coun-
ty, but finding that the Atlantic and
Pacific road, which was to reach them,
is on the point of abandonment, they
are asking authority of the State to
connect with the Southern Pacific by
q branch line intersecting the main
line 80 miles North of Los Angeles.
The people of the great San Joaquin
valley, comprising six OF the nine-
teen counties of the district, and en-
bracing an area of over 10000 square
miles, which cast nearly one-fourth of
all the votes therein, are in no man z
ner identified with the project, and
could possess no such interest as would
induce them to favor Go vernment as
sistance. Inyo and Mono counties
are even more distant and less inter-
ested. The result is what? Simply
that the only portion of the dis fict
which is presumed to favor this Texas
and Pacific scheme is embraced with
in the counties OF San Diego and San
Bernardino, and only portion Of the
latter can be said to have any interest
in the matter whatever, for among the
people this sent ment is by no means
These two counties cast
less than one-ii1eenth of the vote of
the district, and nearly one-third of
this vote declared against my oppo-
nent, whose canvass, as | have said,
was made directly on this issue. 1t
is but to say, however, that much of
this hostility to my opponent was act
uated by other and graver reasons
than his support of this scheme alone.


recognize that to the people of San
Diego and San Bernardino counties
this building ola direct line from Tex
as to the Pacific seaboard at San Diego
is question of grave moment. [ re-
cognize fully their wishes and desires
in the matter, but / do not believe it
can be any better, and certainly not as
readily accomplish upon the plan con-
templated in the Texas and Pacific bill
as by other plans which have been or
may be suggested. But the whole peo-
pie ofmy district feel the need OF anoth-
er rans-continental road, and that, too,
below the snow belt. We realize the
Importance and greatness of our coun-
try, and are not surprised that an offer
should be made to build such road
without additional aid from the Gov
erment than the lands already grant
ed, and that, too, by a company hav-
ing the energy and ability to fulfill
their promises.


We are pledged to thirty-second
parallel road. We want it. But We
are not pledged to aid it by the means
contemplated in the Texas Pacific bill
before you. feel that know where
of speak when say that only very
small portion of the people of my dis
II iCl NhltL lllC NlONS W dtQ ny
subsidy, or guarantee, which, | am
free to say after most careful consi-
delaton, is but subsidy under another
name. Last fall the Democratic party
of California, the only one of the par
ties in that State, by the way, which
had the boldness and integrity of pur-
pose to so declare, adopted a platform
of which the following was one of its
planks: a.


"Resoloed, That we favor the speedy
completion Of trans-continental rail-
road in the thirty-second parallel, SUBJ
ject to such limitations by the Federal
and State Governments as shall pro-
tect the rights of the people,


To this plank, Mr. Chairman, was
committed every candidate of my par
ty, myself included, and to the plat
form itself, or rather to the party
adopting it, was given by the people a
majority of more than $4,000 in the
whole State. To the principles con-
tained In this resolution / now, as
heretofore, cheerfully adhere. The
question with me therefor is, as it
must be with my people, do the provi-
sions Of this bill granting subsidy or
a guarantee of the bonds of the
Texas Pacific Company meet the
requiments of this resolution? 1
think not. 1t is the opinion
of those who adopted and sup
ported that resolution that trans
continental road can and will be built
at an early day, without any further
aid from the Government than has
already been granted. Strike from this
bill that provision which binds the
Government to pay the interest on the


bonds of the company. Compel it to adj


here to the terms of its original charter
and require it to build its road on the


32d parallel, leaving the franchise of


the Atlantic and Pacific, or 35th par
allel road intact and free from any en-


tangling alliance with it; so that the


Atlantic and Pacific shall be either
compelled to build on the 35th parallel


and on to its terminus or restore to the


public domain all their vast tracts of


land now withdrawn and withheld


from settlement. Make the require


ment that there shall be road built


from San Diego East as we'll as from


the present Western terminus West so


strong that failure to meet it shall


work forfeiture of all their privil-


eyes. Let us have no more of such a


trifiing with charter as the partial


grading of few miles and the pur-


chasing of few ties to be finally sold


to rival company. Make us realize


by display of that herculean energy


of which we hear so much, that bound


less and indefatigable zeal which we


are constantly told characterizes the


leaders in this enterprise, that there is


an honest, earnest purpose to complete


this work in accordance with the


terms of the franchise. Begin to build


your road eastward, gentlemen. put on
II roIlinr stock LET the engines Shriel,