National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-10
THE MAN ON THE AVENUE.
Small rats ABOUT O,cn and Measures

sherman had been offered and declined the
presidency Of the Northcrn Pacific railroad
company. IL was also stated that his reason
for declining was that if he accepted he must
resign his scat in the senate, aud q democrat
would take his place. Both OF these stato-
mcnts were reported to Senator sherman,
aud he was asked his opinion Of thom. This
is private business said he, ''and other
peoples business, and | can't tall, about it.
You may soy That docino to talk about it,"
The facts were that the senator received no
formal tender Of the position, but n number
of leading stockholders talked with him
about it, aud he said that he could not take it.
The defeat of "Gonthmnn George" in the
senatorial caucus at Columbus has created n
genuine alarm among tho democrats in con-
gross, If ono is to judge by the Expressions
heard under the capitol dome yesterday Tho
lato letter of ex-senator Thurman, in which
he pleaded for p0ndrton, but admitted that
he hud grievuusly siuncd in originating the
civil service bill, gave % olcw 20 the real geol-
ing of thu democracy on. the subject Of re-
form in the government service. Tho sum-
mary retirement OF Pcnioton has emphasized
this clcw in such u way that there is no
longer any room for doubling tho fact
that tho Drawn OF the party Is "iorninst'
reform, and that any public man
who fayors it is doomed 60 sack
cloth and ashes As II leading democrat
put 1t yesterday, "You don't catch nc 0lvo-
eating civil service reform any more. don't
propose to give my constituents chance to
sit down on me as the ohio democrats laid
u, 4 ,.1 :,
declaration fairly illustrates the scare which
is now vibrating the democratic camp A
well-known representative even went so
far as to say that he believed the
democrats almost in body would
vote against any appropriations for the civil
service establishment. OF course this would
be u vital blow at tho entire system, as the
commission, if deprived of money, would be
constrained TO shut up shop and retire from
business, and tho occupation of the able
bodied examiners, like Othellos, would be
gone" Then that beautiful system, which
requires $500 q year clerk to be able to read
ThuCydides backward, or to explain why the
hypothenusc of right-anglod triangle is
equal to its TWO sides, will be shattered.
, The pretense on which tho democrats will
refuse an appropriation for the commission
is that the entire system is unconstitutional
in that the legislative branch of the govern.
ment interfcrcs with tho provocative of the
executive They will claim that the Prcsi
dent can lawfully refuse to recognize the com
: mission if he chooses to do so. They will
, therefore refuse to uphold the law unit
, its constitutonaity is passed upon
by tho supreme court. The Same ques tor
was discussed in the senate whom tho law was
first considered, but these democrats claim thai
the law could not then be declared unconsti
$ tutional, because it did not then exist, i
was necessary to make the first appropriation
for the commission In order to bring the mat
ter before the supreme court Now they
claim it should be settled before any NOR
money is voted for it,"
. e~e
, "Tho public lands committee Of the house
appears to be making great boom for itse
out of nothing" said the railroad lobbyist
1t looks as if the committee had done ire
mendous thing yesterday, when IL decided tt
declare. forfeited all the lands granted t.
j seven different railroads, but the magnifi
cence of the thing all dwindles out of i
when a little examination Is made Tie frs
grant declared forfeited by the committee wa
that made by congress to the Gulf and Shi
' Island railroad Aug II, 1856 The road wa
to run from Brandon, Miss, to the Gulf O
Mexico and tho grant was six sections pc
~ mile. The road was to be finished in tel
r. years, or the land was to revert No land
n were ever patented to the road, no portion @
n of the road was ever built, and the roserva
s, ton of lands for the road ceased Aug. II
e. 1866. By the same act, and under the sam
. conditions. grants were made TO tn
10 Tuscaloosa and Mobile railroad and t
= the Mobile and New Orleans railroad
K. Not mile of either Of these roads wa
s. ever built, no map Of their location was eve
re filed, and the government ceased to reserv
- lands for them Aug. II, 1866. The committc
I'd has decided that both of these grants al
ly forfeited. Another grant which is declare
70 forfeited is that to the Elyton and Beard
us Bluff railroad. No part of this road WI
" ever constructed, no corporation or con
al pany was ever organized to col
3 struCt tho road or accept q
grant and the government ceased
reserve lands for it more than sevcntee
In years ago. The committee also declared TO
or fcitcd the grant made to the Memphis III
,
RS refused long ago to accept this grant, and ii
nc lands worc returned to market in Fobruar
u, 1853. The committee declared forfeited Il
~ grant to the Savannah and Albany road.
n, map of tho location of this road was ev
A. filed, no portion of it was ev
mt built, and tho government ceased
o. reserve lands for IL nearly seventeen yea
:" ago. The committee declared forfeited Il
ia grant made to the Iron Mountain road,
m Missouri, now the st. Louis Iron Mounta
ny and Southern. This is the only one of d
Id seven that was built The grant was mat
July !, 1866, and by its conditions the rot
was to be completed in five years, On
twenty miles OF it was completed in that tin
oh and accepted. Then the company wanted
w. change the location Of the road, and ask
, permission OF tho interior department
NV which was refused, Nevertheless {
he road was constructed on u different Ii
OF from that stated in the act, and, therefor
ay the government never accepted it. II
~ company docs not claim the grant, and b
viz, not done so Tor eight or ten years. In ia
Inc it has applied to the war department for
his lief from the obligations imposed upon it
en- the granting act. The lands have howev
lre been withdrawn from market by the COVER
bu