Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-12-04
PACIFIC RAILROAD MONOPOLY.

/ Prom The Harrisburg Fainpt
The Pacific railroad companic. have
disclosed with sufficient di-tinctnes.
their purpose to demand the repeal Of
the Thurman act. In round figures
the Indebtedness Of this gigantic mon.
oPoly to the people Of the United
States is sG4 10000 This j. the
amount Of bonds of the United States
issued to them as a subsidy and for
which the people are responsible. Of
this debt s2j 100000 il due from the
Central Pacific railroad, s27 600. 600
from the Union Pacific, and $4,000
600 from the Kansas Pacific. The
rest has been distributed to branch
lines which are under the control of
the grand monopoly. These bonds Of
the United States are u second mort.
gage on the Pacific railroads.
Ever since the construction Of the
Pacific railroad. BY the magnificent
subsidies Of the people the manager.
Of the monopoly have sought 10 escape
from their obligations to the govern
mcut with the view OF ultimately cyad-
ing payment of the whole amount OF
the debt They have resisted payment
in every way, in Congress, in the de-
partmcnts. and in the courts. until AT
last the Thurman act has brought
them TO book. The act having been
declared valid and constitutional by
the Supreme Court nothing remains
at present but 10 enforce Its provisions.
which require the monopoly to pay
into the treasury Of the United State,
a certain percentage of their net earn
ings a. a sinking fund for the ultimate
extinction of the debt due the people.
But a small portion Of the amount
/ that has accrued under this act ha.
been grudgingly paid into the tgeasu-
~, though the owners of the mon.
opoIy are sharing enormous profits.
While reluctantly making payments
Mr.. Huntington, the president of the
Central Pacific branch of the monopo-
. ly, insoleutly denounces the decision Of
the Supreme Court and demands the
repeal Of the law. There Is no danger
Of repeal in the present Democratic
Congress, but the movement will pro.
badly be made in the approaching
session of Congress and the business
will he kept warm in the hope of the
advent of a favorable Republican ma
jority and of restoration of Grant
ism. The votes in the next session Of
Congress will reveal the strength of
parties in regard TO the monopoly and
enable It's managers to lay their plans
for the future. They already exuli in
getting rid Of their most formidable
antagonist in Senator Thurman. The
next object of the assault Of the Ia
cific monopoly is Senator Mcdonald.
Of Indiana, and the Cincinnati Cou,.
merciat boldly suggests TO Jay Gould
that he provide for the immediate set
/ tlement of ten thousand negroes from
the South in that great State to con.
troll the elections. This intimation TO
Jay Gould was hardly necessary. Mr..
John ID. Defrees, public printer at
Washington. in an interview publish
ed in the New York Tribune, boasts
that negro colonization in Indiana is
rapidly progressing, and that under
the law of the State the colonists will
be entitled TO vote in six months.
The Pacific monopoly can we'll afford
this expenditure if it will relieve them
of so sturdy an antagonist as Senator
Mcdonald. AS political venture il
would be far more profitable than
negro colonization in Kansas.
The object of the Pacific monopo-
lists Is to carry on an underground,
warfare against the Democratic party
in detail. Their alliance with the Re,
publican party is becoming every day
more perfect. They have gecovered
control of California, and the votes of
that State in Congress and for Prcsi-
dent are TO be given TO the Republi-
cans in carrying out the compact he,
tween powerful and unscrupulous
corporation ring and corrupt party.
Wherever the lavish expenditure of
money can be made available, it is to
be employed in Wrestling States aud
Representatives from the Democracy.
Every Democratic member of Con.
grcss who has exerted himself to COM
pei the monopoly to discharge its obi.
cations 10 the people is to be struck
down, and an obcdient servant put in
his place. There Is no mistaking the
magnitude Of this struggle between
the Democracy and insolent corporate
power. The Pacific monopolists have
a hundred and twenty millions, in.
cluding principal and interest, involv.
ed in this issue, and they will aght
with the utmost desperation,