Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-26
POLAND,s WHTTEwASHING.

With very few exceptions, the Admins
tration press declare that the greatest sin il
the Credit Mobilier business was not sc
much in receiving the seductive stock, but
in denying that reception. The Providence
Journal calls this Gan astonishing failure in
veracity," but it nevertheless commends
the Poland report which says nothing about
it. But here and there we find Republi-
can journal that cannot stomach Poland's
embarrassing. The Boston Globe, which
is of this class, regards "the report of the
Poland committee, relative to the Credit
Mobilier, as being far too lenient upon the
guilty parties with whom it had to deal, ="
and it adds: 'It was none too severe upon
Messrs. Ames and Brooks, and was not Sc
we're enough upon others, whom it evident
ly tried to screen and whose culpable con-
nection with the great fraud it strove to
palliate.W We do not believe in making the two
men whom the committee have designated
bear all the obloquy, or that the sentence of
expulsion should be alone applied to them"
The Globe frankly confesses that "eVery
one engaged in the business is deserving of
exemplary punishment" If any newspaper
in the country could have been depended
upon for Thorough defense Ofthe Credit
Mobilier victims that journal was the New
York Times, Some things, however, are
entirely "too thin" even for that super
seryiceable Administration organ to champ
ion, and the report of the Poland Commit
tee is one Of them. II tried hard TO gee
virtue where it did not exist, and, no doubt,
mourned as one without hope when, seeing
the lame and impotent conclusion reached
by the white-washers, it was compelled to
administer the following gentle rebuke to
its partisans, under the head Of "Congres-
sional Morals"
"The general impression in reference to
the Poland committee's report is that it is
GOOD as far as it goes, but that it does not
90 far enough. We pointed out the
grounds of this impression yesterday morn
ing. The Credit Mobilier stock was &C
cepted by Congressman at half its value.
Its dividends were accepted also, and these
were drawn from the transportation OF
Government bonds and Government lands.
They were the result of fraud on the peo-
pie. The property Of the taxpayers is
pledged To the payment of the bonds ad-
vanced to the Union Pacific Railroad. The
lands gran'ed to that road belonged to the
people. The bonds were granted and the
land given to build the road. They were
perverted from that purpose; and became
the prey of shrewd speculative scheme.
Was it right for Congressman TO share in
the profits of this scheme? This is a queS-
ton which cannot be avoided, and which
the House of Representatives, must answer
if it hopes to retain the respect OF the
public.
"The POLAND committee does not meet it
at all satisfactorily. 1t says that there is no
evidence that the Congressman knew of the
nature of the stock. This is begging the
question. Congressman ought 10 have
known of the nature of the stock before in
yesting in it. 1t was their business to in
form themselves, and they could easily ta7e
done so. The character Of the Credit Mo
biler was no secret. The source OF the
protts was very well known at The time
Congressman bought it. Though Cakes
Ames may have succeeded in conceallDg
bis own motive, which was to bride Con-