, 1878-09-05
AN INJURIOUS CHANGE.


President Wright to change the
Snake bill in the interests of the Or
egon Steam Navigation Company:
"The course of the Northern Pa
cifc Railroad Company in its appli-
cation to Congress for an extension
of time has been devious. A bill to
attain that end was introduced in the
House by one of its advocates which
contained simple provision for ten
years extention of time, and contin.
uance of the grant and franchise. 1t
was not lavorobly viewed by the
House Railroad Committee. Mr..
Mitchell introduced in the Senate a
bill to extend the time eight years,
which contained many provisions for
for the benefit Of the people, the pro-
lection the Government, the en-
forcement of the contract, and, cou-
pie with it a REIMBURSEMENT of the
land grant by which the Portland,
Salt Lake & South pass Railrord Com
pany was created, with a right of
way and land grant extending from
Umatila to Salt Lake. This bill, af,
tcr few amendments, was favorably
reported by the Senate Committee on
railroads. Thereupen the railroad
company caused another bill, con.
tanning some Of the provisions Of the
Mitchell bill to be introduced and re
ferred to the Senate Public lands
Committee, where it now rests. Sub
scquently an understanding was had
between Mr.. Mitchell and the rail.
road company, whereby another
bill was prepared, and submitted to
the Senate Committee on railroads.
which after full examination, discuss
ion, and amendment, was with the
consent of the railroad company, re
ported to the Senate for passage.
This bill, after full discussion, and
some slight amendment, unanimous
ly passed the senate on the 23d OF
April, 1878. The bill! as it passed
the Senate provided among other
things, that the company should
build portage railroads at the DalIes
and cascades within two and a hall
years from the passage of the act,
over which all freights and passen
gers should be carried as offered
without discrimination or excessive
charges, under penalty Of the for
feiture of that much of "all the rights
grants, privileges and franchises
so far as the same relate to the con.
struction of a railroad between Port
land and Umatila, Oregon" Dur.
ing the discussion in the Senate,
Senator Mathews, said "The times
as now fixed in this reported bill were
the times fixed by the railroad itself.
This is their proposition; this is their
offer; this is what they say they are
willing and able to do, and what they
propose and consent to do, as con
sideration by them for that which
they have asked from the public" "
This statement Of Senator Mathews
went unchalenged, and has never
been publicly disputed.
The bill then went to theHouse and
was referred to the Committee on
Railroads. On the 18th OF June, al.
most the last day Of the session, Mr..
Pound moved to suspend the rules
and pass the bill, "with certain a
mendments." An examination of the
bill as amended by the House Com
mittee discloses the fact that all that
portion of the Senate bill which pro-
vided for forfeiture Of GALL THE
RIGHTS, GRANTS, PRIVILEGES AND
FRA NCHIsEs" BETWEEN PoRTLANDI
AND UMATILA, IN THE EVENT OF THE
FAILURE TO CONSTRUCT, EQUIP AND
OPERATE THE PORTAGE RAILROADS
WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION, HAD BEEN
STRICKEN OUT. Under the amend
ments proposed by the House Com.
mittee, the company are required
to construct and equip the portage
railroads in two years and half, but
by failing to do so, no penalty is in
Cured and no punishment could be
inflicted. The company would lose
nothing by the failure.
Why was this change proposed?
Why was the provision tor opening
the Columbia to competition strick-
en- out? Why was it proposed to let
the vast country east of the Cascades
continue to pay enormous freight
rates for the next ten years? III
does not require much skill or knowl'
" edge to find answers to these ques-
" tions. The N. p. r. K. Company,
"as company, is not interested in
"the o. S. n. Co., as a company,
" neither is the O. S. n. Company in
" terested in the n. 2. r. K. Com
"pany. But the President of the
" one company is a Director of the
" other. There can be no objection
" to this. Every man has the right
L. A.,.,