The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-07-19

49, R0WSE 80 49, WDNM& 88Mxm
reaa me&epesgs
TIE recent removal q e. Fs.nch A,d,,or a
he PAci6Qs Rnilroaa9 - - hi2nry e. IN
eanss ss1 8 90 q q ~ Waatlnesou o.
respondent a - 9 aszA Asss:
The appsu smf5f q hndiloi shr ths Pacisc
Railrosds - pesyI1sd i ths csa.lssssd Thu-
man BIN Thai hlII waa framed 30 lorue the va
corporations, knoWn undw TIE one kand q Pa
cinc Railroad, 70 make GOOD the ohiig.ksons 10
Tie go7ernmcnt entAiled h the original ach IN
Arcs q psblic lsada Tks TO- wee sssducs-
ed On government money b he ksue of bonds
% Ia pagmsnt aof ia insansss and prineipal.
The people became obligated II The roads Ailed
But As r0sns ID nos M They made immsrsss
nms Of money. they declared dividsads and b
onss rsgsl.ziy, 69s ~ ted ne sep. leokieg Q
redeem their bsuds = pssscfibed By law TIE
aboEe b short oafline a oas q the blackssl
pages IN the history Of lesislatiou under the Re-
publican party. tn details are pretty Airy
known: The bribery. corruption and wholesale
plundssisg soccmpasyiss \ .sd following aAer
framed 70 compel the roads 70 provide dinking
fhnd Tor the redemption II the bonds. An On
Ger to Re that the l8w was executed We nec0-
sary. One OF the men who Add Mr. Thurman
~ me preparAtc1 Of IN bill was Theophilns
FRENCH then chief Of the division Of accounts Of
the Treasury Department he knew the chican-
earnestly eathusiastic for law 70 make them
fulfill their obligations. BE Was thoruuKhly
honest His services were % appreciated By
Senator Thurman and the Democrats. who -
cured the pa@age Of the Thurman bin. that
French was named In that document a the man
TO be appointed auditor 10 sse that iis provisions
were fully carried out Such thing b very IN
usual IN legislation. Preach entered upon his
duties. his integrity no man doubted Or could
doubt He made Il very warm log the roads,
especially amer the decision Of The Supreme
Court upholding the constitutionality 81 the
with the money 10 provide Or the liquidafion Of
the debt which Professionally devolved upon the
government he was Impartial yet Stern In
holding those vast corporations up 70 the law.
BE made several trips out West 10 investigate
matters IN order that his actions might be upon
foundation that could mot be shaken. He
travelled a. private citizen, and did his work
quietly. In few months, however, he made
another inspection visit This time he went
with his family In special cars provided by the
railroad companies. BE was toasted and given
many "points" that enabled him TO make money
in railroad speculation. he was q psor man
when he got the place little over two years
ago; now he u o rich man. The Pacific Rail
road Companies went on defying the law
French began TO be talked about Either 10 do
SOmetnlnB 10 0eou ON tnB 8ik OF 10 make q
speculation in Pacific Railroad stock for himself
and the men who had bought hint looks - il
there was a combination Of both these ifs-he
last fall induced the Attorney General 70 insti-
tute suit against the Pacific Railroad Company
for not fulfilling its obligations to the govern
ment. The stock OF the road went down A
few weeks ago, after q hasty trip west, he wrote
letter 10 the President Of the road that the con-
Germ was ell right. and the government having
no case the suit would be discontinued. The
stock went right up Instead of reporting TO the
Secretary Of the Interior or the President, his
superiors, French said nothing at all 10 them, by
word or writing, but simply reported 70 his pur-
chaser. This was too much L. led to his NJ
fairs being looked into. As q consequence, OF
goes his head. The moral Of this tale supports
the theory Of Talleynnd, that every man has bis
price, and that the rich corporations are able 10
put up the price. There b no doubt bat that
French was honest and conscientious when he
took the ONCE. But the gold Of those over
whom he was put 20 watch was too much tor
him. 1t Ii hard to see with such an illustration
as this, how under any law or laws the people
will cease to be plundered by the powerful cor
porations which. If they cannot defeat the pas
sage Of . law in the public interest, can buy up
those appointed to execute IL.