Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-11
(From the New York Times Jan. 9th,)
FACTS ABOUT THE CREDIT NOBI
LIER


+ 1t must be perfectly clear to any one who
has read the evidence in the Credit Mobilier
investigation, so far taken, that Messrs
Ames, Alley, and McComb may be success.
full as railway contractors, but that as wit
nesses they are failures. Thus far they
have had the field nearly to themselves, and
they have been freely encouraged to tell all
they knew of their respective sides. Mr.
Ames has told his story at length, Mr.. Nc
Comb still longer one, and Mr.. Alley the
| longest of any. But Mr.. McComb fatty
| contralicts Mr.. Ames, and Mr.. Alley de-
clares that Mr.. McComb's assertions are
false. Meanwhile, Messrs. Blaine and Col.
fax in person, and Mr.. (now SENATOR Alli-
| son by letter, come before the Committee
with explicit accounts Of their own transac-
tons, in every way consistent, which leave
the testimony Of the previous witnesses still
more deplorably unintellgible.
| No one can analyze the testimonials it
now exists without marvelling at the struct-
ure of Islander which was built up concerning
this subject during the campaign, when the
accessible element was far less both in am
cunt ard moment. Then the chief organ
OF the Liberal Democracy" continually
pointed to the men mentioned in McComb' $
memorandum as to men who were prima ia
Gle bride takers, and whose mere denial of
the charge was OF no account. This course
was pursued with special spiteiulness and
persistency toward Mr.. Blaine the Speak
er of the House. The motive was plain.
Mr.. Blaine was very prominent Republican :;
he was the choice of its representatives for
the most responsible position in Congress !;
he was powerful and indefatigable pub
lie speaker; and he was a skillful politi.
clan, whose own State was one Of the most
| 4 GIL oil No IL
must be broken down at any cost, and part Of
the cost to the journal that undertook the
task was the total loss Of its reputation for
honesty and fair dealing. The attempt more
over failed, Mr.. Blaine was returned to Con-
gress by heavy maj ority, and his party was
overwhelmingly victorious in his own State
and in the nation.
| Now, going down on one knee before Mr.
Blaine, this tardily repentant Democratic or
gan declares at would be unfair to con-
denim anybody on the suspicious testimony
of McComb alone or even to accept the ad-
missions Of Ames and Alley as final proof
of guilt, until the accused have been
heard in their own defense" And it adds ::
sWe have no hesitation in saying that the
record of the Speaker in connection with
this affair seems to be absolutely clean"
Yet it was on the Suspicious testimony,
of McComb" not with, but without, "the ad-
missions of Ames and Alley" and not before
hut after, ''the accused had been heard ia
his own behalf" and had denied McComb's
story point blank and in detail, that all the
precious venture of insinuation. inuendo,
accusation, and SANDER was LAUGHED in the
interest of the Democratic ticket. And the
work of blackening honest mems names on
suspicious testimony" was kept up for
months, TO the very eve of the election, with
pertnacity and ingenuity which no affec-
tation of candor and magnanimity will cause
the public to forget There is 'no hesitation"
now in pronouncing Mr. Blaine's record Sab
solutely clean" There was no hesitation be-
fore election in pronouncing it everything
that was foul, though there was not then, any
more than there is now, particle of trust
worthy evidence on which to found so base an
attack.
Meanwhile, as all the Congressman who
have been examined have completely brushed
away the assertion against their good name,
would it not be well to remember that YER
dict on partial evidence is unjust and dis
honest2
On the general subject of the Credit Mobi.
lier, its origin, management, and participa-
ton in Government bounty, and its relation
to the default in interest by the Union Pacific
Railroad, there is much light needed, which
|
will be sure to let in. So far as the public
can now judge, the whole business was one OF
an extremely irregular character. The view
generally taken of the Credit Mobilier is that
it was an organization made up, in great part,
of the directors of the Union Pacific Road
that the directors, as directors, let out to
themselves, as the Credit Mobilier, the build.
ing of the road at rates extravagantly profita.
BILE, and yariously stated at from fifty to one
hundred per cent. This is view which may
be modified by investigation; but if it should
turn out to be correct one, no one would
deny that gross wrong upon the taxpayers
who really furnished the means to build the
road as it now stands, has been perpetrated
1t is evident that the investigation last or
dered deals with subject quite as important
and is more likely to yield serious results
than the ore concerning which so much cleo
ton excitement was raised.
The schooner Water Fall of Southpor
| Maine Cantaip Daniel Camaron which ar