The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-01-03
The letters of Huntington, President

The letters of Huntington, President
of the Central Pacific Railway Co., to
one of his associates, relative to attempts
to control congressional Legislation on
railroad matters, are a revelation. The
fight was between the two railroad mag
mates, Scott and Huntington, and sue
cess was to be the reward of liberality in
giving brides. Scott lavished money
among congressman in greatest profusion
and seemed to have won. The letters
show most corrupt state of affairs, in
volving congressman, governors, United
States officers and newspapers.
Evidently these railroad meu think
money is omnipotent. Huntington states
that for $1,000 he can get charter,
which he desired, but that he does not
think it worth the cost. BE complains
that the expense of managing legislation
has made the corporation poor, and puts
the expense and interest on debt at 81.
600, 900. He directs that certain DEM
ocratic congressman from California be
beaten at the polls; that for this purpose
a democrat be run against him. thus
securing the election of the republican.
He speaks of congressman with whom he
has made bargains, and of standing CON-
mittees owned by himself, by Gould and
by Scott. He directs that certain per-
sons be sent to territorial and state legis-
latures to secure the passage of bills
favorable to his road. He writes of gov
errors who inform him that it would be
unwise and costly for the railroad COM
pany to send men as lobbyists to secure
favorable railroad legislation, but they
the governors, offer to secure the pas
sage IF such bills as Huntington may di-
rect. His tools wear the disguise of
anti-monopolists and seek to influence
the United States courts IN their decis-
ions concerning railroads. He complains
that Scott has tremendous advantage
in owning the roads running to Wash
ington, and that when he wants favorable
action by the committe, the members
who are In opposition are given passes
to New York and go off on lark with
some man, tool of Scott, although his
character is concealed.
He writes of the Thurman funding bill,
which he and Gould fought desperately
to defeat. This was bill requiring the
Union Pacific and the Central Pacific to
create sinking fund for the payment of
their debt to the government. The bill
was passed but it killed Thurman politi-
cally.
These letters are brought into court
now by the widow of the person to whom
they were written. Their authenticity
is unquestioned and they show to what
an alarming extent this country is in the
grasp of corporations. But there seems
to be no redress. The people side with
the monopolists.
For years the people have favored
protection which Is simply tax imposed
upon the people generally for the benefit
of corporations. Thurman, the able
champion of the people against corpora
tons, is no longer in Office. The people
drove him out and the more promptly
because he fought their battles against
Jay Gould and Huntington. This action
of his drove him into private life and put
an end to his presidential aspirations, as
it was felt that to run man for president
whom the railroad magnates would OPP
pose, would be to court defeat. The
people stand by the monopolists while
shouting themselves hoarse with vapid
denunciatiOns.