120 WESTERN INCIDENTS.

worth looking after there. These, however, the energy and
enterprise of our age have disclosed, and the question now is, how
shall the wealth of these regions be developed for the advantage
of the nation and the benefit of the world at large? I will say
one thing here, by way of digression, that there are those who
look upon the public debt consequent upon this work with great
apprehension, but such gentlemen have not been of these excur-
sionists. [Applause.] They have not looked to the amazing
resources of this Government, agricultural, mineral, and other-
wise. Now, just think for one moment what amounts of gold
and silver have been dug out of these mountains under all
the disadvantages of having no great mode of communication,
when men had to drag their heavy and ponderous instruments for
getting out these minerals over thousands of miles of untracked
territory, and yet, sir, they have dug out those precious metals by
hundreds of millions. Now, think of the vast chain of moun-
tains, extending from the north of Mexico to the remotest north,
running through this great Republic from end to end; and all full
of these precious metals, and think when this railway shall be
accomplished there, when these great and ponderous instruments
so necessary to develop those minerals, shall be taken there by the
speed of the railway, and that great mineral region shall be
exposed to the enterprise of the American people everywhere with
such ease and facility—-where the workmen may be fed by rail-
way communication—where all their wants can be so easily
supplied—imagine, if you can, the immense wealth that will be
developed almost instantly when the railway reaches those re-
gions, and then doubt, if you can, the ability of this na-
tion to encounter any debt whatever. [Applause.] And
another thing occurs to me that I have no doubt will take
place the moment this great thoroughfare reaches the Pacific
Ocean; the whole course of trade and commerce will be changed
by which all nations, ancient and modern, have sought the
great and rich countries of the East. China and India will
be reached in one-half, nay one-third the time we reach them