The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-05-05
miscellaneous
WINDOW AND NORTHERN PACIF-
&c IN THE COURTS.

WINDOW AND NORTHERN PACIF-
&c IN THE COURTS.
1t would seem that Garfeld's secre.
tary of the Treasury, Window of Min
nesota, is one of the hypocritical polite
ians, a breed so prolific in this country
of late years. H. has been prominent
before the country as an "anti-railway
monopolist," when in fact he has been
one of the manipulators Of Northern Pa.
cihc. The N. Y. World thus sketches
the Northern Pacific robbery, the leader
in which was Mr.. Windom
ut was an essential condition of the
munifcent gift made by Congress in 1854
to the Northern Pacific Railway enter
prise, that the franchise the right of way
nor the 100000 acres of land granted
to the company should ever be put un.
der mortgage. The farmers Of the
northwest should lay fast hold upon that
fact. 1t will help them more than many
speeches could to get an accurate idea of
what manner of man Mr.. Window of
Minnesota is, now Secretary Of the Treas
ury, who has for soma time past po1ed
before the country as IAN antiTaiITay
monopolist." Mr.. Wi dom, it mu be
remembered was Mr.. Coukling'o sac nd
candidate alter Gen. Grant, for the Re-
publican nomination ate lea 20 last June.
"Mr. Window was member also of
the House of RepreseI atives in the
winter of 1868 8 He must be dealt wi h
as having been we'll aware at that time,
of the peremptory prerequisite Condi-
ton about future mortgages upon which
Congress consented in 1864 to give to the
Northern Pacific enterprise nearly $4,000
900 of acres of land in the West, estima'
ted to be worth in 1869 the enormous sum
of $125,0OO0 900. Had that prinCely gift
Of land, more prinCely than was ever
made by any prince, been wise and hon
estly h isbandAd, it would have almost
suffiCed to secure to the farmers of the
northwest forever the free transporta.
ton of their cereals and other products
to Lake Superior. Those lands, under
sagaCious and upright business manage.
ment, would have built and equipped the
railway, as Congress in 1864 clearly in
tended they should, when it required
that the gift of lands should not take ef-
feet until one.ffth of the hundred mil.
lions of capital stock had been taken and
10 per cent thereon actually paid, and
that the remaining eighty: millions of
stock should only be issued when paid
for, and as the building of the road de-.
manded. Congress intended and wa7
willing that those who paid the hundred
millions or built the road, should own
the road and the AZ 100000 acres of land,
worth in 1869 $125000000. Congress at
any time could regulate tFe freight and
passenger rate. But see where the steal
came inl First as a sort of feeler and
forerunner came an elaborate lecture or
sermon or speech by Mr.. Window in the
House of Representatives in Jan. 1855, on
the great advantages and utility of the
Northern Pacific Railway, chartered by
Congress in 1864. Mr., Windom's assoCi.
ates in Congress, who listened to him,
undoubtedly supposed him to be making
a rather purposeless euogy of the North
west and the Northern Pacific enterprise
after the order of bunCombe. But in
few weeks his real object became appar.
ent The statement made the other day
by Judge Emott and Mr.. Choate has un
covered the bribery done in Congress by
the persons into whose hands the North
ern Pacific grant has fallen. Mr.. Wind.
om's opening oration was made in Jan.
1869. In March, 1859. Congress author
lied mortgage to be put on the road
and the telegraph line. In May, 1870,
the next step was taken. Power was
then obtained from Congress to mortgage
the lands also, worth $l25. 100000. The
comp ny was authorized to issue bonds
to that amount. So completely had the
bribery fund-the organization of which
has been described by Judge Emott and
Mr.. Choate-done its work, that one of
these bills went through the House on
the very day it was introduced, and un'
der suspension Of the rules, without a
word of debate, although Mr. Randall
and others protested vehemently against
it. In the Senate in 1870 sharp resist
anCe was made to these proceedings by
Democratic Senators, and notably by Mr..
Casserly and Mr. Thurman. Mr.. Casser
ly, Mr.. Bayard's associate in the defense
of New York commerce, literally begged
the Senate, in behalf of the people of
the Pacific coast, for time to enable him
to uncover the true inwardness" of the
scheme, hut the "bribery fund" was too
strong for him. Mr.. Thurman asked the
Senate to compel the company 70 offer
these lands to actual sett ers for So so an
acre. Mr., Bayard joined his Democratic
colleagues, then unfortunately few in
number, in the effort to make this Gov
ernment gift boon, and a benefit to the
northwestern farmers during all time.
But no appeals could withstand the "bri.
berry fund" Mr.. Window, who became
a Senator in 1870, had his will and his
way. A mortgage was Immediately put
upon the franchise and the lands, and
$50 900 900 of bonds were issued, the pay.
ment of which the insolent "grabbers"
even attempted to seduCe Congress into
compelling the Government to guaran-
tee. Out of the proceeds Of those bonds,
as Judge Emott and Mr.. Choate declare,
the whole expense Of bribing Congress
and all the other expenses of the inCor.
porated managers and holders of PRO.
prietary interests" were paid. So that
Window and his associates swept all the
capital stock into their own pockets with
out paving therefor one dollaTW