The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-05-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. G., May 5, ,ss.

While discussing the speakership
of the next house of representatives
the other day somebody asked why
Frank Hurd, of Ohio, had not been
brought out. Undoubtedly he would
make good speaker, but he is not a
candidate, and Notwithstanding his
popularity there are reasons why his
candidacy would not be wise or sue
cessful. But this reminds me of a
circumstance connected with the
electoral count of 1867. Mr.. Hurd
was member of Congress then, and
one of the ninety democrats who
stood out to the last against the out
rage of counting in Hayes. He had
in his possession facts which would
have enabled him to defeat the count
had not his high sense of honor pre-
vented his using them. His room at
Wormley's hotel was next to the one
in which the famous conference of
republican leaders was held, and he
overheard, by accident, some of the
strategic schemes for deceiving the
democrats and propositions made to
certain southern members in order
to gain their acquiescence TO the work
of the commission. Yet Hurd never
made any use of his knowledge.
Neither has he since ever given any
account of what he heard. He told
me once, says well known western
correspondent, about the fact of his
being made an involuntary caves
dropper, and when asked him what
he heard, he replied, Enough to have
defeated the counting in of Hayes
beyond peradventure, but l could
better have afforded to have him
counted in than to have used illegiti-
mate means to defeat that end. ]
could not afford to go down to history
as an eavcsdropper, and so l held my
tongue, not even telling any of my
associates until the fight was over"
One of our local journals aptly says
that the Union Pacific railway COM
pany, accustomed to duns from the
government, will not be surprised to
receive the letter sent recently by
Secretary Teller to Sidney Dillon,
Esq, president, making an urgent
demand for the immediate payment
of the uncontested sum of 81, ,036,S4
IS. opart of this debt is disputed,
not even the SS cents; neither is any
part of it paid or rendered for pay
ment; but it is now hoped that Pres
ident Sidney Dillon will either re-
new the old excuse or put up bet
ter one. A discouraged claimant
once said the plan of the government
was to assume that every bill it is
asked to pay is fraudulent and then
wear out the claimant in making him
prove it few times in the depart
ments and before congressional COM
mittces. This statement came, of
course, from the infamed imagina-
ton of an enraged claimant, and il is
only of use in passing as suggesting
that, if it were true, it may be said
that the government has match III
this railway, SO long and SO wide.
1t is the only corporation in the
world with more assurance than the
Washington gaslight company, and
runs its trains as placidly while ow-
ing millions to the government as
though it held surplus invested in
gas stock. Mr.. Secretary Teller re-
minds Mr.. President Sidney Dillon
that by the act of 1878 he is enjoined
from paying, making or voting any
dividends to stockholders Of the COM
| pany until the five per centum of net
earnings and other money due the
government has been paid; and after
calling attention to this law, the
Secretary of the Interior says to the
road in effect that it will do well to
pay what is incontestibly due, and go
into the law Of the disputed parts of
debt afterwards, the payment Of the
recruitment for the year ending De-
cember, 1882, not to prejudice any
sums in dispute. If Mr.. President
tDillon takes the free and easy stand
in the matter maintained by him to-
ward the government directors of the
-road, he will probably put the letter
away in the pigeon-hole with the
other government duns, and tell his
secretary to wake. him up when il
comes time for another dividend. 1t
will be interesting to watch the case
and learn by issue which is the
greater, the government or sub
sidized railway running through the
middle of its territory.
l
Chalmers, of Mississippi, came OH
here to make himself solid in the
matter of patronage, to secure abso-
lutte control of all appointments in
his state, after the manner of Mahonc
in Virginia, and went home with his
tail feathers considerably curled.
His business was chiefly with tho
Post Office department, and the new
Postmaster General had views Of his
own touching the matter. So Chal-
mers got left. 1t is even limited that
if Judge Gresham has his own way,
without interference from higher
authority, Mr.. Malone won't be as
potent in that department hereafter