The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-17
Remedy Worse than Disease.

Remedy Worse than Disease.
If the national treasury was 'sfush,v and
its resources inexhaustible, if there had been
no Credit Mobilier scandal and even no Van
derbilts, Tom Scots and Jay Goulds, if ev-
erybody in the thirty-seven states of the In
ion and its outlaying territories except the
indians, were as good, as loyal and incorrupt-
ibie Is they profess to be, then we might re-
gard with some sort of favor Gen. Hurbut' S
bill for double track railroad from New
York to Omaha, costing $3.50, 900, 900, and the
score Of other undeveloped schemes that de-
pend for life upon the national treasury. But
alas, none of these conditions exist; the gov
eminent is now paying out more than it col
lects; we have had Credit MobiIier, and
swarms of spectators are waiting for an OPP
portunity to multiply them; we not only have
Tom SCOTS and jay Goulds and sanity Dag-
Drews, but thousands are asking the govern
ment to give them power to become greater
and more dangerous men than these, and the
best Of US when exposed to temptation can
not safely be endorsed. Consequently we are
opposed to Gen. Hurlbuts magnificent doub-
lie track freight railroad, unless company OF
individuals will take the stock, pay it in, issue
the bonds and pay the interest and build the
railroad themselves. From one Government
subsidy railroad experiment, the country has
learned enough. To be sure, Gen. Hurlbut's
bill does not ask the government for subsidy,
1t only asks that it shall guarantee the inter-
est on the small sum of $100,0OO,OOO. Now
guarantee between man and man means thai
the one will zee that the other fulfills his
agreement; but between the United States
and railway and steamship corporations, it
means in every case that the Government
assumes as the first party all and even more
. than it guarantees. SO wien Geu. II 1rl-
butts bill provides that the United States
shall guarantee the interest on 500, 900
until The road pays its running expenses, it
simply provides that the Government must
pay that interest until the end of time.
Just now the National Cheap Transporta-
ton Convention is in session in Washington.
Its protested object is good one; bnt judg-
ing from the first days proceedings, all it will
do is to pass resolutions urging Congress to
dig canals, pump water from lakes to fill riv-
ers, and gridron the country with double
track railways, or give corporations the means
to do all these things. hrs,
p We have frequently alluded to the multitude
of schemes that will be or have been present
cd to Congress to develope the country and
secure cheap transportation. 1t is safe to
say that there is not in the country sufficient
money to complete these enterprises if all
were given what their projectors demand.
II there was any danger that Congress
would look with favor on any of the schemes
now pressing for attention, there would be
cause for genuine alarm; for there is no spe-
cies of corruption and profigacy which would
not logically follow such a policy, Once
launch upon so fatal policy, in few years
these great interests would control every Of
nee In the country. The President would be
railroad Cesar, the Supreme Court would
become tribunal to enforce the demands of
monopolies, and Congress and Legislatures
would at once become servants of corporate
interests. .s as, fs..f4.,,i gsie-d s. s4d
If this policy was not certain to make the
administration ofpublic affairs synonym for
nationalfraud and debauchery, it is not expe-
dent on mere financial grounds. Il isa well
established fact that the service ofthe govern
ment is not performed so economically as is
that OF individuals or small corporations. Ii
any one DOUBTS this, he has but to visit our
navy yards and public works of any kind, to
be fully convinced that the work of the Gov
eminent is not done with that degree of econ.
omy which characterizes we'll managed pri-
vate enterprises. If, therefore, the Govern
ment should assume the expense Of building
railways, tue cost would not be less than
double what it would if corporations had to
raise their own funds. This one objection is
20 serious in itself that it should deter the q
Government from embarking in a business
entirely beyond its legitimate sphere. q t
Cheap transportation between the seaboard
and interior is greatly needed; but all that
can be properly expected of Congress is that
1t shall use alfcohstitutional means to prevent
extortion and hardship. But any system Of
cheap transportation secured by the Govern
nent In building railroads or canals and run
ming them with low rates of tariff, and thus
putting upon the people burden of taxation
which would assume for all time the propor
tons OF that extorted the last years Of the
war, will paralyze rather than stimulate in
dustry. The only safety lies in letting tho
whole thing alone so far as subsidies are con-
cerned and to rely upon the natural develop
ment Of the country and legitimate comreti-
ton for satisfactory system of transporta
ton.