The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-10-29
The Epoch of Public Piunder to he Revived.
New York Suul

The Epoch of Public Plunder to be Revived.
New York SUM-
Despite the errors into which Mr. Thur
man has been led by ambition for the presi-
dency. his retirement from the Senate will
prove to be serious loss tn that body aud
to the country at large. His influence wss
felt materially beyond the limits of the
Democratic party, Of which he still stands,
even in defeat, the acknowledged senatorial
leader. In the discussion of sll questions
outside of politics bis commanding ability,
varied resources aud purity OF character
have never failed 10 make an impression.
ard sometimes they have even conquered
the prejudices of his isopponents.
His most remarkable recent success was
the legislation of the last Congress com
pelling the Pacific railroads o account for
their debts to the Government, after the
supreme court had been captured into de-
cision that the interest on the bonds Issued
10 aid their construction was not payable
until the maturity of the loans. The great
corporations were powerful enough in the
Forty-fourth Congress to throw his first bill
over; but he persisted, making some unim-
portant concessions to secure support and to
meet the objections of Republican senators
who were acting as agents and attorneys for
the roads on the floor. Hereupon
Jay Gould, Huntington, and other
representatives Of the Union Pacific. the
| Central Pacific, and their eastern connec-
| tions, backed by a most formida 1le lobby OF
| both sexes, and an unllDlited fund to draw
upon, established themselves at Washing
| ton early in the session, when the Thurman
bill was to be revived They made no con-
cealment of purpose to defeat the measure,
| cost what it might, and they openly boasted
of having votes enough pledged to make the
| threat good. Confidential friends OF senators.
| supposed to be beyond the reach OF corrup-
ton, were bought up like sheep at the
i - invaded hv MIN ms
and spies; temptation spread its seductive
| nets In every direction, and the corridors
1 and galleries swarmed with attractive wo-
men, chosen In the great cities. and carried
to the capitol 10 win votes. Tens
| of thousands of dollars were lavlshed on en-
| tertsiD ments and presents were put where
they would do the most good, even in social
| circles not suspected OF being open to indi-
| rect bribery. As the crisis approached, lists
with the names of senators in
| The three categories OF certain,
opposed aud doubtful, were shown
verified by different agencies, each
| acting secretly and unknown to the others.
The day of the vote presented spectacle the
| like of which had not been seen in Congress
since the day when the House was called
| upon to pass judgment on the credit mobi
lier plunderere. and Mr.. Blaine sat in the
chair administering the rules to mob OF
railroad kings and emissaries collected tc
save the jobbers from expulsion.
Mr.. Gould and his associates and his crea
lures filled the best places to command the
senators below them. They knew at the
hour the position OF every member, and
they felt sure of q majority. They had moi
reckoned, however. on the effect produced
by the publicity OF their operations all over
the country, by the presence OF the lobby
and by the reputed expenditure OF large
sums Of money to carry their point. When
the roll call ended they were beaten, and
the record told that some of their own
friends had helped to pass the bill. Con-
eciousness OF guilt, fear OF exposure, and
dread of the independent press, converted .
msjority pleged for the corporations into Q
msj ,rity against them. Mr.. Huntington
Mr. Gould and the rest OF them were dumb
founded at the vote and utterly demoralized
By the blow. 1t was the first great victory
over corporate power since the outbreak Of
the civil war; and 1t may be said to mark an
event in our legislative history:
While Mr.. Thurman remains in the Senate
no serious attempt will be made to disturb
this legislation; but he will hardly have
retired to private life before some pretex'
| will be invented to take the life out OF It
and to relieve these great corporations o
their responsibility to the treasury. They
built the roads with money and land sub-
sidies; they organized q ring of construction
OF which the credit mobilier was the outside
cover; they have created q powerful monop-
oly in the hands of few men, and have MOI
paid dollar Of the principal or interest due
to the Government, though the two roads
according to their own reports. have had q
net revenue of SIS 600 900 year.