New-York tribune., 1879-01-06
TIE RESIGNATION OF Mr.. ADAMS.

OF Eolc lhcfal pOlicI IN luc mdLdBcHCht' ihO
Funding Act is criticised
THE RESIGNATION OF Mr.. ADAMS.
REVIEW or THE DIFFICULT AND UNDIGNIFlED
POSITION IN WHICH TIE GOVERNMENT DIRECT
oRS ARE PIACED.
IBr TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-The following is the text
OF the letter of resignation sent TO the Secretary OF
the Interior ny Charles Francis Adams, jr., chair
man of the Board of Government Directors OF the
Union Pacific Railroad, brief notice OF which was
published in THE TRIBUNE Of Saturday:
WHAT Is REALLY REQUIRED OF A DIRECTOR.
BOSTON, Dee. 81, 1878.
SIR: Herewith I forward you the report of the Gov
ernment Directors OF the Union Pacific Railroad COM
pany for the current year. AT the same time WISH 10
tender my resignation Of those directors 70 take
Immediate effect.
You may remember at the time of my appointment, IN
March, last 1 accepted the position most re-
Iuctantly In compliance with your urgent re-
quest however, I finally did So with the distinct
understanding tnat I should be permitted to
retire whenever it might appear that the proper per
formanee OF my duties Incompatible with my re-
naming Board of Massachusetts, Railroad Com
ssioners You may also remember that In pressing the
appointment upon you met my objection on account
ef the time proper performance of its duties would
,ccupy by saying that you thought Overestitnated
hose duties and that since the office Of Government
Auditor was about be created they need require OF
ne little than such attention as l could easily
give in the intervals Of other and more pressing engage
ments.
THIS has not proven to be the case On the contrary
merely partial performance Of what has seemed to me
The necessary work OF a Government director
\ performance most unsatisfactory TO he because
Of its iucom peteness-has now practically taken mp
ny whole time during the last three months.
To enable to attend to It, my colleagues kindly re-
ieved me from all my duties in connection with the
Otherwise before
should have been compelled to resign the one office or
the other. I can no LONGER defer doing So
At the ime time my OBJECT IN aecepllns the appoint
tnen a. - Sd m NOT in resenipe it, c in
some de with great dccness my fun reasons for
doing. In tins way only can 1IlhG 10 your uotce
ships whca ought TO be bet er undefs ood
than they but which cannSt well be male part
IT Is not necessary for say that in popular es
nation the Beard OF Government directors OF tht Ohion
Pacific Railroad has not been success. Ii LAS ialIed
10 exercise that influence which 1t was thought
seems TO be iexpected OF it, This failure the
Dal Of the present board at least am moi disposed 10
Seedinr boards viii siai try point ont NV excuse
Tor doing shall seek IN tte iact thai tAis IS IS
O matter of much more Importance than l. G,ua Is
supposed II has already IN tue past cost the country
millions o. the public money. 1t is now incorrectly cost
Ing il ct other mill ons; and TINS loss IN my oHion'
will steadily go on just so long as the present system
From the outset the attempt has been made in
from motives OF puoc spirit, for 1.-the honor Of tDe
O.
psts country in these roads and to incur the re-
spnnsihiy involved doug Should any private per-
Interests of smilar character look after Them
in the same way, the result would be speedy
bankruptcy. With the Government it has been
corruption, incompetence and neglect OF duty. or
nj pest Its paruM performance.
think am mistaken in saying that it Is generally
supposed that the position OF government director Oh
the Union Pacific Is one OF tle emoument 1t IS true
thtt cEey implies an agreeable Journey across tlt Con-
a special car, and the forward ng
naturally suggest Ihemse YES. 5ad would require for
their only knowledge oprincipes and IA Is
isnggestr,i to You last Msrch. ana l know
from n. .rsonaI experience. me duties OF that posi-
iion, il properly performed, involve heavy
responsi5ity and a great deal OF work which
Is neI.her pe.saut nor remunerative. Take for
instance, the annual sXaIGinatl1n OF the prop, %
tssbiv ~ Sform his duty unless lac makes this conscen
iiOusy in person Ii is commonly posed hat he
aer5 n maze e stScd O'' seated tDi 'Oar AZ he
rear G@ of Fes'' s oronaR R and d'1' @
inspectos o. a railroad requires only & ianil
rarity viii the tails aud standards Of manager ueut
fstgn.ug labor SO mOnOtonous and iatgu-
Ing tua it Is almost never performed ex-
certainly have never known IL TO be performed or
heard or lis beng performed by board of directors
directors examinations, bul which, in tact, were the
ness with pleasure these occasions invariably
ends in casure getting the upper hand; in
what il yuisarly known as railroad lunLet
1horoush yectlon involves sustained physical effort
and constant attention to those numeIous % detail; ans
which only be observed while valng he tiacr ana
taking 20 those having it directly i'll charge. TGere
ryerv ei%crt very 10 ,ai pec lariIy of grade So
iron must be examined, The Reason OF u tX-
noted Oy when all this is done. at the rate perhaps
OF Hfty. or at most Of 100 miles miles, dday;
ha, done Bis best TO niorm himself don't 0eheyc
that Pacific was Inspected in this way by
a represcrIayc Of the Government. 1 am very sure
that II va, moi : inspected last Autumn.
fnporianr a. we as least bIrdeBsome duIy OF The
GOye4Ii.Dyd director. He, and ne only; represents
policy of tie corporation That he may be
IN lo.ilicn to- lnnGcng ahat phsS ~ nS i mas
This hC ciuut without ear iul study OF the sltua-
eomuiB lt,c, on lis iine The tuioh fdehc operates @
more tC-u thousand miles o. I0aO, ana
ats man isea,nt ia referrcd 10 in the accompanying
Fepo,t. ia studying these interests the G0vernmcnt
,frctof He can take nothing for grant. d. He
aud To- lc,t n, tcrrcetnr... That he may be able
to uphold in discussion the side OF the pub
lie. ts constituency, on each question. s,aoe he
oi th, v"5poIy. II he Is going to accomplish any inhS
hc nu,; clear idea of VIVA is needed. aud lhcn
insist upnn II with Enowiedse, Judgment, hfInncss,
and ne same,ns Tl% do Unics. s h9 he H cs
do II, whatever he may attempt he can ne,
after all .nlv nominal member OF the board. For
myself. ,hak may say ~ijIont undue a. aSsumpuoa
that rutc-td upon the position pue as Weh epaen
myself {, 90 iis work. can only further add that
te result OF one yeai t9ief3Dly lliai iaitaia
situation west the Missouri and on The Pacific slope
audl ihE possible thar might, after one or tw 0nore
years study be able to exercise an intelligent and per
cepuhie luineHcc Ou The board. Without such sady
most assucdy neither could ought to be able tO do
ponular ImIrcssiOn exists that Union Pacific Govern
Int Mt director. the mere fact OF his appoutnentl
inspired with iu ledge Of all the intiicaeies OF
rairvad situation probably as singular Ms e1-
ists anywhere IN the world; II, then. immediately
uDon hS appointment and IN the intervals of
leisure IN occupation he fails TO exercs" per
ceptle influence OF great ability, borough
familiar with the history. the literature the social
fnanca cOnmeTical and climatic conditions 0i one oi