Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-03-27
THE RAILROAD DISCUSSION.
Scenes in the Senate Portrait of jaw
GoUld--The Prospect Ahead.
Washington Letter to Springfield Republican

Washington Letter to Springfield Republican,
The most important subject at present
before the senate is the report of the
Judiciary committee on the Pacific rail
roads, and the debate is deeply interest
ing. Whenever the subject is called I'D
q crowd of distinguished railroad people
are Immediately to be seen in the gal
cries, and one cannot but wonder where
they come from. When Judge Davis
read his little speech, the other day, on
the law points involved in the proposed
bill land it sounded more like the opin-
ion of a judge on the bench than a
speech), the railroad crowd was on
hand to hear. There sat the singular
looking Jay Gould in front seat with
two or three of his friends, as impossible
as a statue. The only expression one
ever sees on his face is sheer. Insig-
nificant and yet striking jetblack
hair, eyebrows and beard, and skin
white as snow,-there is something in
his retlcence and self-possession which
gives to spectators sense of power.
And there can be no doubt on that point;
he is a man Of imm ense resources, and
If his moral nature were as we'll devel-
oped as his mental, he would be a
great man. AS it is, he will 60 down to
far pastperity as the man who put the
Erie railroad in his breeches-pocket-
who captured fifty millions as easily as
an ordinary thief takes handkerchief.
Huntington of the Central Pacific, is
totally different man, in his looks, at
least. There is something fine in his
personal appearance; he is of such stall
wart proportions and bis face is so open
and benevolent in it's aspect. Tom Scott,
OF the Texas Pacific, is a cross lin his
loOks) between Gould and HUNTINGTON.
He has ajovial, good natured face. One
can see that he does things'on colossal
scale, whether it is for good or evil He
has not stolen railroads, but he has
wrecked a good many, and came pretty
near running the Pennsylvania Central.
He is nonicer in lobbying than Gould,
and has a host Of strikers under pay all
the time. Like Gould, he thinks that
legislation can be purchased, and before
now he has cOntrived to Influence
congress in an astonishing way. Gould
and Scott are not pulling together this
winter. Scott wants his Texas Pacific
scheme to pass, and Gould desires it not
to pass, but he cares a great deal more
to defeat the judiciary committee bill.
And l have no doubt he has friends
enough in the senate to accomplish his
purpose, SO far as to prevent the success
of that measure. The two roads-the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific
have many friends in the senate, and
the lobby will be able to add something
from the Indifferent class. With Thur
man, Edmunds, Davis, Bayard and
Conklin in favor of the bill, it would
seem as if it ought to succeed, but it
probably will not The legal argument
Of Judge Davis as to the court-like
power of congress to pass the bill is
conclusive Besides, congress need not
legislate on that point, for if the bill is
not good law the companies will be sure
to asail it and carry it finally to the su-
preme court, and if it is found unconsti-
tutional there will be an end of it.