The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-07-03
4 0oNKITrEE go BE sNUBBED

A COMMITTEE TO BE SNUBBED
Chicago Tribune: Senator Van Wyck'l
very vigorous protest sgainst the action
Of the senate Judiciary committee in
agreeing 10 postpone its investigation Of
the condition OF the accounts Of the
Union Pacific under the Thurman act
again direc's ATTENTION TO the fragrant VI
olA'lon Of the rights Of the government
that 10 proposed. This is CT rtainly one OF
the most extraordinary usurpations OF
power that have ever been committed by
subordinate Of the government. The
judiciary committee agreed that If the
Union Pacific would deposit Sis. 614
with the government in the treasury, It
would postpone until next December all
consideration OF the manner in which
that company had performed its part un-
der the requirements Of the Thurman
act. This decision OF the committee was
announced to the secretary Of the interi-
or 10 9 note from Senator Edmunas as
follows:
SIN: have the honor 10 inform yon
that the committee has this day adopted
the following revolution:
Resolved, That this committee will
postpone, until the first Monday in De-
Gem Der, 1884. the further consideration a
matters AIieing under the act Of May z,
1878, selaIing 70 the Union Pacific rail
road company, etc. II the said compa-
ny shall Immediately carry ont the offer
Of MIR Adams, as stated in his commu-
nicatiOn dated June II, 1884, addressed
70 the Hon George z. HOar, and on the
express undertaking that this action
OF the company and Of the United States,
10 receiving the money and security IN
said communication mentioned, shall
have no effect on any penalty, or forfeit
uTe, or other right OF the Unite d States In
Cured or arising, or To occur or arise,
against the said company or any of its
officers but that all rights, penalties, aud
forfeitures shall stand as If these acts
had not been done.
Which l send for your information,
together with q copy Of the communIca-
ton of Mr.. Adams TO Mr.. HOar, referred
To In the resolution.
Respectfully,
I'd GEoEGE EDMURDs,
Chairman of the Committee.
1t might be supposed from tb lis that the
debt Of the Union Pacific was owed per-
sonally TO the members OF the Judiciary
committee. Perhaps the people ought
70 be % glad that the committee did moi
gObble up the money themselves
as to let the trespass of the commit.
tee on the function of congress
pass. But public opinion will not fail
TO censure this unwarrantcd and unpre
cedented procedure most emphatically
The business of the committee is to in.
vestigate and report. 1t has no authOri.
ty to grant extensions to government
creditors. 1t Is not in its providence tc
make bargains of any kind. 1t may
recommend any such arrangements, bu,
congress alone can adopt and effectuats
them.
Why does not the Judiciary commit
tee go on and make bargains for delay
with all The subjects OF inquiry before
1t? There are all the land grant roads
for instance. 1t would be q capital
thing for some Of these corporations FOL
the senate judiciary committee to give
them its assurance that the forfeiture o.
their grants should not be pursued for the
next three or four years. This would
enable the Insiders TO sell out their stocks
and bonds In time to escape the deter
ioration of values that would come will
the reOpening OF the question of forfeit
ure. This System OF legislation nigh
be carried on Indemnity. Mr.. EdmundI
has set q precedent in this matter tina
might be improved on by worse mel
when they come to be chairmen of thu
senate Judiciary committee. There ar
hideous pc ssibilIties of abuse In thil
precedent which would justify congress
IN summarilY upseltIng the bargain o
the judiciary for delay.
One OF the practical objections to thi
particular agreement, is that according
10 Senator Van Wyck, the amount owe(
by the Union Pacific is very muci
greater than the deposit required from
them by the senate committee. Why thi
corporation of all others should have beer
Favored with delay TO which 1t was no
entitled, or should be let of with a de
post of less than IL owed, instead of be
ing called on, as weuld have been
entirely proper, TO put up twice as mucl
as the largest claim the government
made, will be utterly IncompI ehensibl'
TO the majority Of thinking and reason
lag men, who KIN OW that there is not
single passage in the history of this
company which does not warrant thu
government in using the utmost severit!
and vigilance in making any settlements
temporary or final, with 1t.
But far deeper than the question O
whether the deposit should have beef
half million, more or less, Is the neces
sity ofdenying that the judiciary commit
tee had any right to take such usurpa
tive action, superseding and displacinl
the house and the senate. Congress
owes 1t TO its own dignity and to the pro
lection of the country from the evil cor
sequences that will surely flow hereaite
from the tact, approval of such method
Of settling the relations of corporation
with the government to repudiate imme
dIateIy the eciion OF the senate judicar,
committee. Nobody bat congress ha
the power to offer the Union Pacific tn,
respite which the senate committee hav,
assumed the right to extend it.