Lincoln’s ambitions were not limited to ending slavery for all time. He wanted to unite the country, politically and economically, and from coast to coast. Therefore, it should surprise no one that, as consumed as he was by the pressures and challenges posed by the Civil War, he still managed in 1862 to obtain from Congress the authorization to begin construction of a transcontinental railroad.

He understood that the intersection of growth and national unity would lead to prosperity. Today, that same spirit is evident in the proposed merger between the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern railroads. Together, they will be a partnership for a better future, operating as the only truly coast-to-coast rail network in America.

This is no small thing. In post-lockdown America, we know what it means when supply chains fail for every household and business. Families pay more for groceries and other essentials — when they can get them — while retailers and wholesalers wait weeks, even months, to be resupplied.

No one can predict when we’ll face something like that again. We should try to prepare for it, even though there’s no way to be sure we can prevent it. Federal approval of the Union........

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