The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-15
The Same Old Job.

The Texas-Pacifc Railroad Company has
been alternately begging and bullying in
the lobby at Washington ever since 1t was
organized, with the exception, we believe, Of
one year.
1t confesses itself unable 20 build the road
pecuniarily unequal TO the trust conferred
upon 1t by the original act Of Congress, and
therefore an unfit public agent for the prose-
cution Of a continental enterprise Ii makes
this confession every time II comes forward
to ask Congress for the means Of doing that
which it undertook to do with the liberal
grants II received at the beginning. A cor
poration without credit is not the proper in
strument for such work. This one has no
credit, and therefore it asks the Government
TO lend II credit.
Its demands have been different every
year, ranging from $4,000 down to $4,000
per mile, but they have always heavily ex-
eeeded any reasonable estimate Of the cost
of the road. What was to be done with the
surplus Was 1t TO be absorbed by the in
side Ring, called some time ago the Cali.
fornia and Texas Construction Company"
but now going by. some other name aud APP
pearng In some other shape?
There were scandals connected with the
passage of the original Texas Pacific bill as
great as any that disgraced the country in
all that period Of Grantism, official venality,
and Ring villainy. Until these are explained,
the corporation is entitled 10 no favor.
The Texas Pacific broke faith with FIRE.
MONT and his associates; and the French
bondholders Of the Memphis FL Paso, whom
it undertook TO satisfy, aud whose landed
security it now holds, have been amused
with various shameless and cruel devices,
while their rights were defeated and usurpcd.
1t offers to secure to the Government re-
payment Of interest on its bonds-which
bonds, without the Government endorse
ment are admitted 10 be wurthless-by
mortgage on its road bed and other prop
erty, And here arises a question which it
is the duty Of Congress 10 settle finally, he
fore these people are heard, not to say graft
fled. Have they a valid title to this prop
erty? The primary source Of their title
was certain so-calcd judicial proceedings
Of Mr.. Justice BRADLEY, in CORrLANpr
PARKER's back Office, over in Newark New
Jersey, whore that eminent judicial APP
pointeo Of Tom SCorT then assumed to sit
as in and for the District Of Western Texas
Were these proceedings regular, legal, and
honest They may have been. The Sun
does not pretend to decide the question, but
only to notify the proper authorities that
it exists, and to insist upon just solution
Shall we take a worthless or doubtful
mortgage from tho Texas Paciiici Mr.
MORRISON, last winter raised the important
question in an official report from the Rail
road Committee and Mr.. HEWITT offered a
resolution providing for an investigation
The latter is now before the Judiciary Com
mittce, j. PRoOToR KNOTT, Chairman, of
whom we have yet TO hear that he fears to
follow to a just conclusion the logic of his
own science, or stands in terror OF the rod
that is picked in the lobby,
Mr.. SCOTT and his associates have ever
been remorseless enemies of the Democratic
party and Of the great economies and re-
forms that party has protested to have in
charge. They assisted in more ways than
by the casting vote OF Judge BRADLEY in
the Great Fraud of 1876 We know OF no
ground upon which they are entitled to the
favor OF this Congress, or Of any other.
For these reasons, and many others Of a
minor character, in which, OF course, we DO
not include the paramount and conclusive
constitutional objection, We think Mr..
SCOTS modest petition for the use OF the
public credit in his private business ought
to be heard with extreme jealousy and eau
ton. 1t would, in fact bo something OF a
relief ii Mr.. SCOTT could now be taught