Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-15
'lAL DAILY RECORD-UN
MANHATTANISMS.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THOMAS A. SCOTT,
THE RAILWAY KING.
English and American Elections Com
pared-Lucy Stone Redivivus-C.
J. Vanderbilt as a Novelist.


NEW YORK, May 3, 1880.
The resignation of Thomas A. Scott as
President of the Pennsylvania Railway ON
account of i'll health caused much surprise
to the general public, but none to the per-
sons whose business it is to be informed OF
what is going on in the world. These
knew, when he took his long vacation
abroad, some seventeen months since, that
he had broken down, and that his physi-
clans had ordered complete rest for him
for year, if he wished to live. Some
such facts were published at the time, but
they were pronounced sensational reports
without the slightest foundation. Scott,
it was said, was simply overworked all
he needed for complete recovery was quiet
and recreation. While he was in Europe,
paragraphs got into print periodically,
telling us that he was in good condition
that all stories to the contrary were untrue,
and that he would return better than he
had been for years. His friends and asso-
ciates spoke authoritatively the newspa-
pers were all wrong, as was their habit,
and much complaint was made of their
constant tendency to error and exaggera-
ton. In this, as in so many cases, the
newspapers were censured for
TELLING THE EXACT TRUTH.
Now that there is no longer any object
in hiding the facts, they come out. SCOTS
associates openly admit that he has been a
paralytic for twenty-five years, and that
he had second and very severe paralytic
stroke just before going to Europe 1t is
SAID that he will probably be able to
return to active life and duties within a
year or two, and that his resignation was
rendered with such expectation. He may
deceive himself with that idea; but his
most intimate friends are not deceived.
They do not dare to hope, | understand,
that he can ever manage RAILWAYS again.
He is only about 80 but his former force,
energy and vitality are exhausted. He
has used up all his strength and nervous
power, and he cannot regain them. He is,
IN all likelihood, permanent wreck, and
his associates would not be surprised if he
should not survive the year. No man who
has been partially paralyzed can toll as he
has done, and carry such enormous respon-
sibllltles for twenty-five years after the
paralysis with any reasonable prospect of
recovery. Unlike Cornelius Vanderbilt
who had made great fortune by steam
boats and steamships before he touched
railways, or Jay Gould, who became rail-
way man in the line of speculation, Scott
WORKED HIS WAY UP
From the lowest rung of the ladder. He
began by sweeping out small station on
a branch road of the Pennsylvania, and
grew to be the controller of one of
the largest railway combinations on
the continent. His fortune is to-
day estimated at $1,000 900; but am
afraid that he is too feeble and shattered to
enjoy it. Most Americans stop work only
when their health has been undermined :
they cease to toll for wealth only when
wealth will do them no good. As the
Arabs say, God sends almonds to the
tOothless. Scott has always been very
tranquil and unpretending in manner as
most men of character and force are apt to
be. l remember when, as Assistant Secre-
tary of War he went to the Southwest,
that hardly anybody, unless personally ac-
ouainted with him, suspected his position
He visited General John Pope famous for
rudeness and profanity, one afternoon at
his headquarters at New Madrid, Mo-, on
Government business. As he entered Pope
roared out, "What'n you have?" 81
wish, remarked the quiet man, ''to see
You on business. "Call on my Adjutant :"
81 desire to see you" "Call on my Ad-
-iutant, G. d you" "My name is
Scott" "Don't care what in h your
name is. Obey my orders. 81 am
Thomas A. Scott. have the honor to be
Assistant Secretary of War" s'Beg your
pardon, Colonel please take seat. De-
lighted to see you. The truth is l am so
Iauch annoyed by loafers that l am obliged
to be rude sometimes to get rid of them.
Can be of any service ?" Scott opened
his business at once, making no more refer
ence to the Generals brutal behavior than
If he had been treated with the most dis
tinguished courtesy.
THE LATE LIBERAL TRIUMPH
elections, which are conducted quite differ
entity from our elections. There are two
kinds of members of Parliament-Knights,
as anciently named, who represent shires,
or counties, and Burgesses, who represent
boroughs While they have the same rank
in the House of Commons, it is thought a
greater honor over there to be a member
from county than member from a bor-
ough. The candidates are not usually
chosen, as with US, by caucus or conven-
tion held by the respective parties, although
4 sort of caucus system has been intro
duced of late into some of the larger Dor
oughs. By the new system several
hundred leading members of the party
in the borough are formed into
a nominating body, called, say the Man.
chester Three Hundred or the Chelsea
Five Hundred, whose duty it is to meet,
discuss and question the various candidates
brought forward, and to choose between
them. The system has met with such op.
position that it has been established in
few places only, and is not likely to be-
come universal. The candidate commonly
effers himself to the party in the county or
borough at public meeting, expresses his
political opinions, and vote is taken in
his favor. The proceeding is very in
formal, as kind of general understand
ing has often been had among the leaders
But often the candidate has been clearly
indicated by circumstances. He is the son
and heir of a prominent nobleman, or he
has been identified with the industries of
the neighborhood, or he has been long in
Parliament, or he is statesman of distin-
guished reputation, whom the county or
borough wants to elect for its own honor.
The opposing candidates having been duly
nominated, the electioneering goes on act
lively. Public meetings are periodically
held, at which the directors freely uues-
ton the candidates on this or that political
point. Inns and tap-rooms are crowded
with politicians, and
THERE Is MUCH TREATING"
E1attering and wheedling of electors. The
walls of the towns are covered with con-
spicuous placards of blue and yellow, con-
tanning strong appeals to voters. Candi-
dates go in many instance from house to
-