Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-30
TEXAS PACIFIC SUBSIDY.
LETTER or HON. JOHN 6. kENNA.
Tom Scott's Scheme TO Plunder the People
Credit MObilier ReyVed-A Bill to
Encourage Emigration from
West Virginia TO Texas.
HoUsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, !
WAsHINGTuN, ID. c., Jan. 27th. J
l. A. N.,..,,,.., IIb.yI;,a.

inst, has lust reached me. You state
that YOU voted mo" ON the Texas
Pacific resolution, recently pass
, cd BY our Legislature, that you had
no information on the subject to war
rant any other course, and that you did
50 in the line Of safety tO the people of
the country. You further ask that,
with the information at my command
here, | shall give you my views OF the
propricty Of your course. very cheer
fully do this, desiring, however, that no
suggestion from me shall be con
strued as reflection upon the
action Of those who may differ from me
on the subject or rs evidence OF any
want Of respect for their opinions.
First The bill prescntcd proposes
that the United States shall endorse and
guarantee payment Oi interest at five
per Centum per annum for fifty years on
the bonds al this corporation To- the
amount of S3S, $50, ,OOO-the aggregate
liability in interest thereby assumed
being SgS,OO0,OOO. In other words
the bill proposes that the United
States shall become an "accOnmO-
datiun cndOrsrr" 10 the amount uf a
definite and fixed sum Of sos OOO, 900 for
this prtrdis corporation. am aware Oi
no warrant in the Constitution for this
exercise uf extraordinary power
Second II it hc true, as claimed by
dsinterrsted parties, that the grant of
land to that corporation by the act OF
1871 be- forfeited, then this bill
r,,iu,s that grant To the extent
not only oi the way, but also Of every
alternate section heretofore granted.
This involves direct subsidy 10 that
extent, and Is IN conflict with every
Democratic platform which ! have ever
seen. Ii is further in conflict with that
declared policy uf the Democratic party
Of the country, which has demanded the
reservation of the public domain for
actual settlers, and denounced lts use M
subSidizIng corporations at the expense
ut the musscs.
Third Ii fixes UO terminus on the
Mississippi river further than that II shall
not be- north Of Memphis, and provides
irr the selection Oi point 10y commls-
sion Of five There is no provision IN
the hlll 10 control the connections cost ui
the Mississippi river, and thus, while
it pretends tO avoid monopoly W,s
al that stream, Mr. Scotts connection
with the enterprise gives assurance that
II will be- made To- operate a. feeder to
his existing combination sdd OF that
stream.
Fourth-lt prctcnds Ia give the
United States the power Ia regulate lts
tariffs, while in iact this reserved right
is male la effect only its hrUnyh freight,
and all control over any other than that
character uf freight Is absolutely sur
rendered by this bill. Ii is in this re-
-pr,t ia conflict with the provisions ot
what II known as the Reagan Blll, tn
regulate Interstate commerce, which
is demanded 10y every commercial, agri-
cural aud producing interest ui the Coun-
try, and which your body has instructed
and requested our delegation to support
with, | believe, substantial unanimity.
Filth II il claimed by its promoters
to be- a southern measure, when IN iact
10 J., not So recognized 10y many repre-
scntativcs from the South, and when 1t
IL notorious here that with a point
fixed for It's terminus on the Mssls-
sippi river, il could not command the
united vote even ui the representatives
from the Mississippi Valley south OF
Memphis
Sixth IL is artfully urged that it will
give employment Ia idle lahorcrs
and relieve existing distress. This pol
irv uf It's advocates would be amusing II
IL dill not trife with the solemn fact
that thousands of honest, industrious
men are without work, and II it did not
offer the strange anomaly uf giving cm-
pluymcnt In few hundred wOrkmen,
who for all We know and Tor all this
bill provides may be imported
from China and employed at the eX-
prusr ui the millions Oi tOiling men and
women throughout our land, who must
bear the burden and pay the taxes
necessary tu meet this enormous outlay
ui SgS UJpuU from their treasury,
Seventh Ii has been suggested 10y the
friend. ui this measure that the local
interests ui West Virginia will bc pro
moted hy It's passage, Looking at It
from a local standpoint, may bc par
doncd if fail Ia see the good
which my state can derive from
a benefit II there be- any in 1t, which
our citizens must leave their families
and their homes and go to Texas Ia en-
iuy. Al lural considerations are 10 CON
tfol the subject We had better at once
amend the title So ~ to make Il read.
An act Ia encourage emigration from
West Virginia 10 Texas.
Eighth-The bill Is revival oi that
system ut railroad legislation which a
few wear, agD robbed aud plundered the
people II IhIs country, and brought dis
grace at home and abroad upon the
American name. The lobby ia lts sup
port which thrungs the corridors here,
aud failing at the National capitol
rrachrs throughout the land besviging
state Legislatures, state Oranges, AMI
every other avenue IT public opinion,
aWakens TrCullc,ti1ns ui those days
when the same PToccss vas
giving birth tn the credit
mubIlicT and when the Interest,", ut nity
millions ui irccmcn were made Ia
trrmhle before the combined puWcr ut
money and monopoly which thuniercl
al the vaults Oi their treasury. An Il
IIa bat not l-Iyd a. support thus measure
on NV part, Vouli be 10 violate the
solemn pledges which | have made
hunir,-l times over To- thv people oi
nv district. have not denounced
subsidies to come here and support
them. have MT RAISED my yoir In
opposition 90 class legislation against
the interests ami the right OF the masses
to c,me here AMI lend my vote 10 the
cunsun,matjOn Ot that very work. !
have not joined in the indignation 81
nav PEOPLE at the stuprndous PoStr and
corruption oi the American lobby Ia
cuIne here AMI surrender myself help
leSsly into it, hands. Ii relief
of distress he the purpose
lrt the friends Of this measure
luin me in liberal and iudiCious eN-
pendimre tor the improvement Ot the
rivers AMI harb0rs Of the country They
are the great natural arteries OF AmeTi-
can commerce They ART m the grasp
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