Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-01
Our Washington Letter.
wAsnrsoroy, D. c., December 90, Il

the social and political waters created by Tie
few days preceding sessionof Congress. Every
session Of Congress is really divided into two
sessions by the invariablc adjournment Of two
weeks as the holidays approach. As Christ
mas comes Congress goes and with Con-
prcss the army Of lobbyists, claimants and pleas
ure- seekers, who can journey to Name, Mon
tana or Texas with less expense than they can
spend the two or three weeks Of the recess in
Washington Hence the hotels and places of
public resort are as deserted as they are in mid
summer. Even the few Senators, members and
other officials who do not join the hegira, Sc
clude themselves from the world, busy doubtless
in writing up reports Of Committees, prepar
ing bills to be introduced upon the re.as.em-
bling Of Congress, or in reading up for Iorthcom-
ing speeches Meanwhile society stands still
Balls, parties and receptions are unhcard Of
and even the theaters offer no attraction but O
simple Christmas pantomimc wherewith 10
amusc the children.
with the second week 10 January, however,
the spell will be broken-the crowds will re-
turn or emerge FROM their retirement. Society
will resume and briefly maintain It's reveis
until the mereiul season Of Lieut. interpo-cs. To-
give it another enforced season Of rest
Meanwhile, in the absence of passing events
to record and comment on, correspondents, 30
they will write at all, are forced to fall back
upon some subject Of general interest that has
received, or will attract the attention Of Con-
gress and the people.
No subject Of more practical Importance 10
the people will occupy the attention Of Con-
gross during the present session than that OF
the adoption of Postal Telegraph system
This subject has been persistently urged upon
Congress for several sessions by the Postmaster
General, and ably advocated by few friends
Of progres upon both floors Of Congress
The powerful influence Of the telegraph monop.
oily, however, has been sufficient 10 quiet the
agitation By silencing the agitators. Nomeas
ure Of true progress or reform ever dies. Like
truth, it may be smothered, but cannot De ex-
tinguished. Hence this subject SO often kill
ed so dead and buried so deep, persstently re-.
wives and stalks into Congress at each recur
ring session Three bills have already been in.
troduced, providing in different ways for the
adoption of postal telegraph By the govern
mcnt, whereby cheap and easy means Of tele-
graphic communication may be brought within
the reach Of the great body Of the people
This never can, or rather never irH he done,
without governmental agency Until race Of
men are created who will be satisfied with o.
dollar, when it is within their power 10 exact
four, the present tendency 70 monopoly and ex-
tortion will characterize private enterprise.
especially as directed through corporate bodies
This is abuudanily illustrated by tie present
telegraph monopoly, whose prjhibitry rate.
exclude from the advantage of tie telegraph
all but messages Of necessity and business im-
pornnce. It is further illustrated hy tho great
transportation monopoiies, who bold both the
/ great producing and consuming classes of tho
country helpessly by the throat, and dictate
in their own interests alike the price OF whoa,
in the west and Of lour in the east A more
provoking and exaspemting illustration - FUR.
nished By that stupend9us system % legulizcd
robbery and cxtortion pmcticai hy the Expire.
| Company m0n9polics. The most ardent adyl.
cate Of leaving tie public con,enicncios o. De
/ subserved By private enterprise, does not ven.
ture the assertion that private enterprise could
orwould transmit and deliver letters and popor-
with the safety and celebrity OF tie pre.cn.
Plst-Ohce Department. 1t is unquestilnably
as much within the province Of government d
assume the transmission Of intelligence by tel
egraph as by mail, and the people Will soon
demand Of their servants the performance oil
the service.
The Creda M9jaiv investigation of whicl
Judge Poland has chareel has thus far beer
conducted with closed doors Enough. how.
ever, has transpired to warrant the expectation
Of more astonishing developments than wor,
at first promised If the majority Of your read
ers have very clear idea what the Crc5i
Noliier was, and Of the business in which .
was engaged, they are better posted than Oh,
average listener TO the discussions thereon here
/ Presuming that there may be some who woul,
like a more definite idea upon this subject
which viii occupy much space in The paper
for some time to come, permit me briefly &
explain.
To encourage and secure the rapid builj.n.
Of the Pacific Railroad, the government Of th
United States, in addition to enormous LAM
grants, loaned to the road ready money in th
shape Of government bonds 10 the extent o.
$4,000 per mile for the portion most oasih
built-across the plalns-and as high as SIS.
COO per mile for the more difficult or mountain
Gus portion 1t also authorized the road to h.
sue its own bonds to an equal amount. Wiu
most astonishing liberality, by subsequen
legislation it allowed the road 10 place the issu
Of It's own bonds as a first mortgage upon d.,
road, and thus, with unparalleled generosity
voluntarily gave up its prior lien aud took tn
position Of a second mortgage creditor
1t is now asserted that the road was actuall
built for less than the amount of bonds nd
ganced by the government, and that the ssu
Of the same amount Of bonds by the road wa
unnecessary. Twice the amount Of none
needed-or the ability to raise the same-wa
thus placed in the hands Of the Directors q
the road. Here we re too rich pickings to D
allowed TO remain unharyested and the COOS
was plucked of her superlluous feathers in tn
following ingenious and enterprising manner
The president, directors and business mar
agels Of the road organized themselves into
company known as the CredR MoBiier. an
then in their character as oilic of the ron
contracted with themselves as the credit No
6iher to build the same, receiving therefor tn
entire amount Of the government bonds an
, the bonds Of the road This magniicer
speculation is said to have returned the Crld
MobihT net profit Of over sixty-two millio
dollars. The Credit NojiHer "saw the en-
: from the beginning and with such glitterin
eertainties ahead, they would have been indee
nngmteful If they had not kindly thought q
/ those who had rendered this capture Of fortun
possible. Accordingly, rs it is alleged, the
distributed a few shares of stock in the Credi
Mobihp, or rather sold it at nominal price
to certain Senators, members Of Congress. m
I other officials, who had been Grieadly to III
Pacific road, and perhaps to few others who.
friendship they thought it advisable to con
eiliate. OF course, neither party admits tina
these transactions were designed to reward o
to influence the official action of the reeipiep
or purchaser But certain in natured person
] have suggested that they were calculated
! raise suspicion. Hence this investigation
How much will be proved remains for the r,
port OF the committee to show. II is said tbe