The Portland daily press., 1871-12-19
THE PR ESS
TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 10, 1871.
The Subsidized Rni'f"'"

Nl'NNah'''N~--
would be employed to divert public attention
from the facts which are set forth in pursu-
ance of a purpose to show the people of Maine
how their generosity to the European d
North American railroad and other corpora
tions has been abused. We do not fatter
ourselves that we shall escape with so moder-
ate a reprimand as even the Bangor Whigs
intimation that the PRESS is actuated by hos
tility to the road in question, and ''to Eas-
tern Maine"
Now we propose to put it out Of the power
of any reputable newspaper or honorable
man to reiterate hereafter these or any SINH
lar charges. We shall compel our opponents
to face such facts and arguments as we may
be able to present instead of sliding easily
and comfortably into "You are working for
some hostile interest,"" "You are jealous of
Eastern Maine," "You are attacking the
credit of the European & North American
road. The PRESS has called attention to
the doings of that road and its agents solely
in the interest of the State. 1t has absolutely
no other notice Portland is now so
intimately connected by commercial ties
with Eastern Maine that the most fer
tile imagination can suggest no reason
why our citizens or our newspapers should
cherish anything but the most cordial feelings
toward that locality and its people. Portland
depends in no small measure on Eastern
Maine for its business prosperity. And as for
the European & North American road the
PRESS certainly has pecuniary interest in
its prosperity. IL has receioed. from that COM
pany during the past gear more money for
Advertising than from all the other railroads
in Maine 1t has not, however, regarded it
self as bribed by receiving money in mere
business transaction, and there is up to this
time no reason to suppose that the officers of
the road have looked upon the transaction in
that Fiskish light. Representatives of the
PRESS who have had occasion to pass over
the road have been treated with such uniform
courtesy that it is doubly unpleasant for us,
out of regard to what we conceive to be the
unmistakable duty of public journal, to OPP
pose its pretensions. What we have done is
precisely what any journal, in Western or
Eastern Maine, believing what we believe,
ought to do without hesitation and without
stopping to consider the effect upon ITSELF
We have exercised the more freedom in
this vindication of the motives of the PRESS
because we are most unwilling that its infiu4
ence in this and other needful work in which
it is engaged should be impaired by allowing
its opponents to place it in wrong position.
Accordingly, for once and all, we defy men or
angels or devils to cite one fact which is cal
culated to throw even a suspicion on the pu-
rity of the motives that have influenced the
PRESS in the matter of the European &
North American Railroad, State subsidies and
collateral subjects.
But to the matter in hand. The Wing
says that the rumor to the effect that the
Pennsylvania railroad has the control of the
European G. North American road is not true.
Our statement in regard to that matter was
made in most guarded manner. We said it
was only ga rumor," but we did not say, as we
might, that our informant, who is prominent
man and who has peculiar facilities for becom-
ing acquainted with the internal economy of
Maine roads, stated to us thaths belief in regard
to the matter as amounting to certainty. With
such authority, we must decline even now,
as much as we respect the fairness, intelli-
gence and integrity of the Wing to accept its
loose, general denial in place of the distinct,
authoritative, almost official affirmation on
which the original statement was founded.
The rumor may prove false We hope SO
most sincerely. But the probability is, &C
cording to our present information, that even
if it should be found that it is nominally in
independent hands, it is virtually controlled
by the gentlemen connected with the Penn
sylvania Central who have so largely invest
ed in its securities.
So much for the rumor. The Wing pro-
ceeds to show that no investigation is needed
in regard to the formal transfer Of the pub
lie lands by the Governor and Council to the
road by the following statement:
The act of the Legislature of 1868, convey
cd to the Company the ownership Of certain
timber and lands; the character of the grant
was speclneo IN repeated clauses OF the act so
that the purport or the measure was appar-
ent. Certain lands set apart for settling were
excepted from the grant, and the only ques-
tions are as to some lands which it is held
were not so set apart, and the timber on some
townships. II is well Known that the bonds
of the Company are secured by lien upon the
property thus granted by the Legislature, and
the bondholders are entitled to the benefit of
all that was granted by the State. A con-
fiict Of opinion having arisen as to the prop
er construction of the grant, and the compa-
ny being advised that permits had been given
for cutting timber which is claimed under the
grant, the officers of the Company have sim
ply requested the State authorities to with
1,oII ifs f~r o,,olx+
appoint a trustee to hold the stumpages until
the question of title can be adjudicated by
the Supreme Court. That it is the duty as
well as the right of the Company to obtain
all that the legislature granted them, no one
will question; and there is nothing reprehen-
sible in their request to have their interests
protected, pending the final Interpretation of
the conveyance, by the State Court This is
the plain statement of a case which has been
distorted recklessly by the assailants of
the railway company. So far from de-
string to interfere with settlers, every
one must see that the company is more
interested in the settlement of these lands
than any other party, and they are ready to
extend every encouragement and facility in
this direction. The State has granted them
certain lands and timber and if there is any
dispute as to the limitations of that grant, the
Supreme Court is the proper tribunal for its
adjustment. The Company are not trying to
evade this judicial scrutiny; on the contrary,
they desire it, and in asking for it they have
aroused storm of Misrepresentation.
In support of this statement the Whig
quotes an irrelevant letter of Ex-Governor
Chamberlain, written for the sole purpose of
replying to an intimation of the argus that
the Governor and Council had been guilty of
negligence in signing the deed. The Cover
nor says in his note, which has been publish
ed in these columns, that the description in
the deed followed strictly "a schedule from
the land agents office, purporting to include
the lands coming within the effect of the
grant, from the the State, and that ''the
Governors deed could not convey anything
not granted by the Legislature Gen.
Chamberlan's letter was just what it was in
tended to be-a defence of the Governor and
Council. But neither that letter nor the
Whig1 statement meets our point, which is
that the company claims property not con-
yeyed ~ the State, and that it has wrongful
ly endeavored to establish its title thereto by
series of adroit but reprehensible maneu-
vres, including the insertion in the deed of
an improper schedule obtained from the land
office in the absence of the head of that de-
partment That the road will obtain only what
the State meant to grant we verify believe,
but that 1t POUNDS on the too generous deed
much larger claim is certain.