The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-31
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD AND THE
GOVERNMENT.
From the N. Y. Times.

From, the NJ Y. Times.
'sWhen a man is down, kick him." seems
to be the maxim acted upon in many quarters
in regard to the Pacific Railroad, since the
obligation of the companies, in the matter of
interest upon the Government loan, became
subject Of newspaper controversy. Positive
judgments are pronounced, with a con-
temptuous Indifference to facts. The claim
urged by MIR. Boutwell, against the COM
panies is made pretext for assailing their
stockholders and managers generally, and
for setting up standard of criticism
covering their entire history and manage
ment. They are assumed to be at fault
in respect of the repayment of interest to
the Government, and harsh measures
are demanded for the enforcement of the
view put forward by Mr.. Boutwell,. All this
is wrong, because in advance of ony decision
by tribunal competent to pronounce au-
thoritatively upon the point in dispute.
Whether, as the companies allege, they are
bound meanwhile to repay the Government
to the extent of only half the earnings of the
road on account of the Government service,
with an addition of, at least, five per cent of
the net earnings of the road after it shall
have been accepted as complete, or whether,
as the Secretary asserts, the Government is
entitled to retain all the earnings of the
character described, and to recover at once
rest, is really question of law, and one that
may be judicially settled. We may have
our own idea of the case, but, after all, its
final adjudication rests with the courts not
with politicians or newspapers. A contract
exists by the terms of which both parties
must abide. And the nature and scope of
these terms are regulated by the letter of the
law under which the road was constructed,
with such light as may have been shed
h -,
pending its passage. The Senate Judi
ciary Committee and the House Appropria-
tion Committee both have this aspect
of the subject under consideration;
and the conclusions they may respectively
arrive at will very properly influence the
action of Congress upon the propositions
before it. Until these conclusions are known,
there is neither generosity nor justice in the
attempts that are being made to PREJUDICE
the question by appeals to popular prejudice.
The country desires only what is right, and
the courts may be relied upon, as a last re-
Sort to guard from wrong the public inte-
rest. That should be enough to show the
improperly of introducing mere clamor as
an element in the case.
Equally unfair is the assumption of tone
which, ,treauss the Pacific Railroad as a common
place project, and the companies that own it
as enemies of the public. The building of
such road now seems an easytask. We see
it in operation and imagine that they who
speak of difficulties encountered in it's con-
struction are guilty of exaggeration The
fact remains, however, that the road as it
stands is a monument of skill, enterprise,
energy, and sagacity which has no parallel on
the continent 1t was undertaken as a ma
tional work, and has amply vindieated the
policy which fostered it literally with national
aid. Traversing wilderness destitute of the
commonest materials required for its con-
struction, it was built far in advance of civil
lization, amid drawbacks and risks that would
have deferred ordinary men. Finished, too,
in one-thiTd of the time allowed by
law, it has not only opened the heart of the
continent to settlement, and made available
vast mineral resources, but has reduced very
largely the transportation expenditures O
the Government, and contributed greatly t