, 1878-01-19
Tho Mitchell Bill.

The Oregonian accuses us Of
not correctly stating its position
on the Mitchell bill. We most
cmphatically disclaim any lnten-
tion of misrepresenting the po-
sition Of that paper on the OBJ
sorbing question under discus
sion, and if we have inadvertent.
ly done 80, it is simply because
it has failed to make its position
clear to the ordinary understand
ing Of its readers. 1t says that
in representing Mitchell as act
ing under the influence and by
the advice of the Central Pacific,
the hypothesis is, that his bill is
specially designed to defeat the
extension of any trans-continen-
tai railroad into Oregon; the
corollary of which is. that Mitch
ell is q suborned traitor to his
constituents and State, no less
infamous than Benedict Arneld.
That is as we understood it, and
that is precisely the position we
were endeavoring to controvert.
The Oregonian has repeatedly
expressed its approval of every
detail of the Mitchell bill, basing
its opp osition solely upon the
ground that its provisions are not
satisfactory to the Northern Pa
cific company; that "No railway
will ever be built along the Co
lumbla on these terms, either by
one company or another. be-
cause the money cannot be OBJ
tanned for it on any such condi-
TONS" Why not? Is the vast
value of the grant considered in
arriving at this conclusion? 1t
is a grant Of the proceeds of
25, 600 acres Of land, valued at
s64, 900, per mile, to be held in
trust in the q. S. Treasury, as
security to the bond holders
Can there be any reasonable
doubt that an abundance Of mo-
ney to build the road can be OBJ
tanned On such ample security?
1t may be asked why the N. P.
Co. with like grant, went into
bankruptcy and forfeited their
charter. The answer is as plain
as that hosts Of men who inherit
large wealth reduce themselves
to beggary by mismanagcment,
and many others go the peniten-
tiary for the misappropriation of
trust funds to their own unfor-
tunate speculations. Theproject
was started with a "Credit Mo-
bilier" In its belly to eat out its
vitals. Go to the office of the
Secretary of this Territory and
you will find on file copies Of
two char ters-one from the State
of Maine and the other from
Pennsylvania-organlzing COM
panles composed exclusively OF
directors and managers of the
railroad, to speculate in railroad
land and town sites; and upon
further examination of facts, it
will be clearly shown that the
road was directed and managed
Exclusively in the interests Of
these chartered "land-riDgs."-
The four or five millions of dol
lars expended upon this coast,
which would have built and
equipped railroad from Puget
Sound to the head waters of the
Columbia, and been to-day the
best paying road on the cont
nent, was sunk IN building los
miles of road from Puget Sound
in a southwest direction, to the
Columbia river, not connecting
any established commercial cen
tres, opening any new line OF
trade, or adding in any material
degree to the prosperity of the
country, but solely for the pur-
pose Of creating towns on unim-
proved lands belonging to the
ring, which have proved utter
failures in every case. Capital
lists, after being informed ofthese
facts, refused to take their bonds
on any terms. Hence the fail