XVI. H. G. McKINNEY. 



to exercise the power of constructing the Pacific Railroad 

 by its own immediate agents. Such a policy would increase 

 the patronage of the Executive to a dangerous extent, and 

 introduce a system of jobbery and corruption which no 

 vigilance on the part of Federal officers could either pre- 

 vent or detect. This can only be done by the keen eye 

 and active and careful supervision of individual and private 

 interest. The construction of this road ought, therefore, 

 to be committed to companies incorporated by the States, 

 or to other agencies, whose pecuniary interests would be 

 directly involved. Congress might then assist them in the 

 work by grants of land or of money, or both, under such 

 conditions or restrictions as would secure the transporta- 

 tion of troops and munitions of war free from any charge, 

 and that of the United States mails at a fair and reason- 

 able price." The policy here stated is substantially the 

 policy still followed in the United States. 



It may be mentioned here that in Germany practically 

 the whole of the railways have been brought under the 

 direct control of the Government. When it is considered 

 that Germany is surrounded on three sides by powerful 

 nations possessed of huge armies, that every man is a 

 soldier, and that the country has to be in a state of com- 

 plete preparedness for war; the advantages connected with 

 the Government control of the railways in that country 

 are at once evident. Although France also is a great 

 military nation, its extent of land frontier liable to attack 

 is comparatively limited. Probably owing in some measure 

 to this, the ownership of the railways, as in England is left 

 to private companies. 



As regards works other than railways in Australia, it 

 may be stated generally, that the towns have been nursed 

 by the various Governments to an extent which has no 

 parallel in the United Kingdom or North America. It is 



