The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-12-20

government wanted to get any compensa-
ton for it's immense grants of land and
bonds $50, 900 was scarcely worth while
considering Let it take the whole $739, :
900 and put il into the treasury as COM
pensation to the government for the great
loss which certainly awaited it when the
bonds matured. The amount due the
government Immediately after the passage
of the Thurman act was 5000 900; the
amount due on the 30th of last June was
81. SOC, 900; an increase of 300, COO in one
year. If the government were to day to
take possession of the property 1t would
take it subject to the prior liens The re-
suit would be that these roads would cost
the government $165, 000.0 600. There was
an impression in the country that these
railroads did not intend to pay the debt
due to the United States. He (Hewitt con-
fessed that he shared in the impression.
There was but one barrier in the way of
the obligations of the people to take these
roads and that was the operation of the
Thurman sinking fund act When that
bill was passedit was believed funds would
be provided sufficient to at best hqui7ate
the private debt. In the report of the
commissioner of Pacific railroads there
was statement that when the debt ma
tured there would be due the government
81, 000,0 600. Add that TO S62, 900, 900,
the first mortgage, and it would be seen
that $133, 900, 900 was the maximum lien
which would be on those roads He had
not been unobservant of the policy of these
companies. They were securing other
roads independent of their own, and he
expected to see them abandoned, and the
people of the country would be brought
face TO face with the question of admins
trating and owning railroads. The propo-
sition brought before the house would di-
minish the sinking fund by so per cent of
the compensation now allowed for carry
ing mails; but that money went into the
sinking fund. What ought congress do?
Ought it diminish the means provided for
paying the government, or ought these
means to be increased2 The duty of con-
gress was plain. The Thurman act was
held to be constitutional; legislation of this
kind new proposed would be held uncon-
and valuable time would be
lost If the committee on appropriations
would amend this proposition by striking
out the provision that the companies should
take one half the compensation, and insert
in lieu thereof a provision that they should
pay into the sinking fund so per cent of
the amount now allowed by law. and
would support it.
Mr.. Holman offered an amendment pro-
vidiRg that the land grant roads las dis
tinguished from the roads which have also
bond subsides) shall be paid only
so per cent of the compensation allowed
other roads which have no received gov
ment aid. He contended that the de
cision of the supreme court in the Union
Pacific case did not decide, but, on the
contrary, avoided deciding that congress
could not alter or repeal the original char
tiers. It was no hardship to require rail
roads which had received imperial estate
to transport mails at less compensation
than was paid other corporations which
had not received such grants.
Mr.. Anderson, of Kansas, opposed the
position taken by Mr.. Caswell that c0mpa
MES had vested in the right with which
could not interfere, Where
could it be shown that any company had
vested right to determine what was a fair
and reasonable compensation for carrying
mails? He said the Pacific roads received
a higher compensation that other rail-
roads, instancing the Kansas Pacific, which
received three times the amount paid the
other trunk lines; and yet these magnifi
cent companies had the audecieus, mali
c.ous, egregious cheek, impudence and
ievilism to come TO congress and say that
hey must sbe paid express rates, and. not
all that, his friend Col. Rob
ert Ingersoll was in hurry to abolish hell
Mr.. Robson stated that the object of
lis amendment was to bring the compen-
'ation given the Pacific railroads down to
he compensation granted other roads. He
'epudiated the idea that congress had no
power to do so.
Pending action the commit tee rose. The
peaker announced the following named
members an escort at the burial of Repre-
sentative Orth: Calkins, Pierce, Steele, |
Watson, Davis, of Illinois, Urner and |
Reese.
Adjourned.