The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-08
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING. JAN. s, 1872.
Railroad "Amalsamation."

eminent sagacity, prudence and ability,-menr
second to none in the State as respects either
their prominence at this time or the lustre of
their past career-they have profound signi-
ficance. We timid people, who believe that
real danger threatens the State from the
schemes of railroad monopolists, could not
ask for a more convincing proof of the AFRO
gance, the contempt for the will of the people
and the impotence of censure, or even the
mildest and most respectful criticism, which
keep even step with the growth of corporate
power. Neither Emperor nor King Bourbon
nor Bonaparte, ever issued more imperious
edicts against the liberty of the press than did
the leading minds of the Maine Central ON
Saturday. They occupied large part of the
time at meeting called to see if they would
do themselves and the city the favor to accept
certain large inducements, pecuniary and 9th
erwise, to join other roads in locating union
passenger depot in a place where the city, the
public and the railroads will, it is alleged, be
best accommodated, in dwelling on the ex-
IRENE irreverence and impiety of the city in
harboring persons who speak disparagingly of
certain project which they wish to succeed.
They say in effect: We rather like this union
depot scheme, and if proper inducements are
held out we shall adopt it. But we shall take
our time, and require concessions, because
your impious people are not in situation to
ask favors. There are many of you who do
not hesitate to say that the consolidation
which we have effected is illegal, and an cir
responsible press" is permitted to repeat the
falsehood. This hurts us with the Legisla-
ture that we are about to require to legalize
or authorize, under the new name of "amal-
gamation,"-a name that is expected to make
the consolidation rose smell good deal sweet
er,-an arrangement which we consummated
Immediately after that body had given an en-
phatic refusal to a similar request on previ-
GUS occasion. Your newspapers "give us a
good deal of trouble" and ought to be silenc-
ed
The speakers seem to have overlooked the
fact that they were speaking of matters that
are entirely irrelevant to the union depot pro-
ject on any other hypothesis than that para
mount allegiance is due to the railroad, and
that accomplishing submission to the consol-
idation yoke is the condition on which indi-
viduals or communities are to bask in the sun
shine of the autocrat's favo: 1t is apparent,
at glance, how making shibboleth of con-
solidation or its alias, ''amalgamation, re-
verses all those natural relations of the citizen
to the State. Loyalty to the State and zeal
for its safety, prosperity and fair fame becomes
disloyalty to the power that aims to rule the
State. Persons or communities that dare ut
ter word in favor of the old-fashioned gov
eminent of the people and respect for the
laws are to be punished as factious malcon-
tents who speak i'll of those in authority. Let
them not ask for union depots unless they will
wear the Maine Central livery and swallow
the proposed amalgam with the smiling face
of submission and contentment.
Having stopped the mouth of one of our
Portland dailies by means of libel suit, it
seems to be their purpose to silence the other
by intimidation-by loudly accusing it of false
hood and denouncing it as irresponsible
AT present the PRESS will not be silenced by
that or any other means. 1t will merely ask
the eminent gentleman who has been pleased
by charging that it is irresponsible" and that
it states what is not true. Very likely it is
not responsible to the same extent as cor
poration owning ten millions worth of rail-
road property, but within its own humble
sphere there can be no doubt that it is perfect
ly solvent. 1t is responsible, too, at law to
any gentleman who has received any injury
from it. How is it irresponsible? There
was, indeed, some months ago, report COM
ing from very reliable source to the effect
that an unsuccessful attempt had been made
to silence the argus by representing to it that
"the PRESS had agreed to say nothing about
consultations If this report was true, we
can well imagine the disgust of the railroad
magnates on finding that they had been deal
ing with irresponsible persons, who had no
power to carry their agreement into effect and
no control over the columns of the paper they
claimed to represent. In that case some al
lowance should be made for the hasty Ian
guage used, but denunciation should have
been directed against the impostors alone, and
not against the journal that has frankly, but
honestly, temporarily and absolutely without
malice, opposed in the interest of the people
project of which it cannot approve. The
indignation aroused by the report that the
PRESS would keep quiet has only increased
with the months that have since elapsed, and
it has added no doubt somewhat to the zeal
with which, at the proper time, we have en-
tered upon the conscientious discharge of the
disagreeable duty, which, as journal that
claims to be genuine tribune of the people,
we owe to the public. The charge of false
hood is still more serious. The PRESS has
said that the lease of the Portland G. Kenne-
bee road to the Maine Central on the 18th of
May, 1870, was not authorized by law. Mr..
Morrill, says this is not true in the most en-
phatic manner, making himself personally re-
sponsible for the statement, with solemnity
which seems to indicate an impression that
such an act on his part is equivalent to settle
ment of the question. As between him and so
humble an authority as the PRESS perhaps
this assumption might not be unreasonable
But there are other authorities whose opin-
ions are entitled to more consideration than
even Mr.. MorrilPs, and they are all against
him.
First, There is the Legislature of 1870,
which refused to authorize in advance the
contract which was Immediately made with
out its consent. Would it have refused to
give its formal assent to a scheme which was
already, in its opinion, authorized by existing
laws?
Second, the very corporation that Mr.. Nor
rill represents. If the contract of May 18th is
legal, why is there to be an application to the
Legislature of the present year to give it va
lidity? If the thing is all right, why do not
the companies go ahead, issue their CONSOLE
dated bonds in exchange for their individual
ones, and mortgage their whole line to secure |
them? What is the effect of the "amalga-
nation they are about to apply for but to |
cure the fatal weakness of the famous con-
tract Of May 18th.
Third, the people of the State of Maine,
who, acting through the proper officers, have
the corporation before the Su- |
preme Court to show by what warrant it has |
proceeded in making the contract in question.
The decision of the Court has been long de-
layed and may possibly show that the PRESS
the Legislature OF 1870, the people of Maine
and the railroad managers themselves are
mistaken in supposing that consolidation has |
been effected without warrant of law, but the |
x.roba hilitiaS GRO otIorx,;zo