The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-21
THE PERUVIAN COMPANY,

President shipherd on the Defensive.
NEW YORK, Fec. 20--In an interview, Act
ing President Shipherd of the Peruvian Com
pany says: 'sThe Blaine-Hurbut correspond
ence amounts to little, and does not affect the
main question. just upon the Secretary Of
States retirement from office he is attacked by
the fear that some one will say that both he
and Hurlbnt have been bought up by the Pc
ruvian Company, and all ola sudden neither
of them knows anything abont it, and he
hastens TO says SO to the public. Now, this
company has tried to buy up no one; it has no
lobbying to do; it wants no favors from the
government which would not be granted to
any American company. We are doing legit-
innate business in legitimate way. If our
documents are marked private it ought not TO
create any more suspicion than would the sdoc-
uments of any other reputable corporation
marked in similar way. MIR. Baine'S and
Mr.. Hurlbut's animadversions upon me are
wholly unlustifiable. have said, done or
written nothing which was undplomatic or ir-
regular. Alter Secretary Blaine's letter No.
II, he, two days later, wrote another, No. IS
(perhaps he was told to write it), in which he
withdraws everything he had insinuated
against the good character and intentions of
the Peruvian Company, recognizes the lawful
standing of it, and declares that it is composed
of reputable citizens of the United States.
consider that No. IS is full withdrawal of
MIR. Blaine's former adverse criticisms. l do
not feel called upon to reply to what
he has said of my methods, further than
this:-H silence is going to lead to any suspic-
ion in the public mind of the good faith of the
Peruvian Company then will reply in way
that cannot be misunderstood. Mr.. Blaine's
reflections upon me are merely personal and
shall not thrust them in the way of the COM
pany's business. II seems to me that the pub
lie is interested in knowing whether we have
An honest claim to honest property. That is
ALL"
1--WE have title to property in Peru Mr.
Shipherd continued, "and that fact has not
been and cannot be overcome. Chill, having
conquered Peru, wants o take the property
which belongs to us and not to the Peruvians
We simply say to Chill, sYou have conquered
Peru, but you cannot conquer title belonging
to American citizens That property is ours
and when the proper time arrives we shall take
possession of it. This is blind company SO
far as the general public are connected with it,
but let me tell you that there never was a com
pany in America better organized than this,
nor composed of more reputable set of men.
If any persons think otherwise they are great
~ mistaken, and some of the men who have
jumped into this business with their shirts off
are going to wake up TO realization of the
fact that they had better put their shirts on
again.
Mr.. Shipherd gave COPY OF the latest mani
festo of the Peruvian Company. issued three
days ago, which is Endorsed "Ofiicial announce
ment" and Printed for private use only, not
published" He called attention to the folleW-
ing list OF names Contained in thB document as
of those who, among others, had critically ex-
amined and approved the general merits of the
compaDys title; George S. Boutwell,, Henry
w Blair. A. H. Cragin, Scott Lord, W. w.
Eaton, l. P. Christiancy. w. 81. Robertson, r.
w Thompson, A. G. Riddle. The announce
ment says that their united judgment has
been supported by that of Peruvian, CHILEAN
and Spanish counsel of the highest rank" and
further, that s'eminent counsel retained to OPP
pose the title have, after months of anxious
research, frankly declared that the claim on its
merits seemed impregnable."