The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-08-17
Platform and Practice.
The Republican platform declares !:


I'VE demand Of Congress the speedy forfeiture of all
land grants which have lapsed by reason Of
pliancs with acts Of incorporation in all where
there has been attempt In good faith to perform the
conditions Of such grants"
At the late session the House Of Repre-
sentatives passed bills for the forfeiture of
that had failed to fulfil the conditions.
Other bills aggregating about 1885 900
acres were reported, and are still pending.
The Senate acted on only one Of these bills,
that OF the Atlantic and Pacific road. with
proposed forfeiture Of 100000 acres In
stead Of carrying out the principle OF the
platform, that body amended the bill so Us
to involve the Government in q lawsuit.
The House OF Representatives adopted
amendments to the appropriation bills for
the Army and the Post Office reducing the
pay to the subsidized railroad corporations.
for transporting military supplies and the
mails. fifty per cent on the rates paid to
other roads. This reduction conformed to
the terms Of the original charters.
The Senate not only rejected this PROPOSE
ton, but the Republican managers OF the
two conferences threatened to lose the bills
rather than agree to any compromise which
might harm the favored corporations by In.
creasing the payment Of their debts to the
Government.
The House Of Representatives adopted an
amendment to the Pacific Railway acts by
which the provision OF the THURMAN act re-
quiring that as per cent. OF the net earnings of
the subsidized roads should DO converted into
sinking fund was changed 80 that the
Central Pacific should pay IS per cent, and
the Kansas Pacific should pay As per cent.
This amendment was fought boldly by tho
friends OF these corporations, and by others
too who professed to DO their opponents.
That bill was conveniently put out OF sight
In the Senate, and. like all other professed
legislation affecting these corporations. it
was committed to the tender care OF their
principal protectors In that Republican body.
The great scheme Of the Pacific companies
now Is to resubsidize their present posses
sion by an act OF Congress, pretending to
protect the Treasury for the bonds and ac-
cumulated interest that will become due bo-
tween 1895 and 1893. This plan is to create
new bonds payable In sixty years at per
cent. interest. the basis Of tho substituted
debt to be falsely figured In the interest of
the corporations.
This audaolous proposition has been ear
nestly supported and recommended by Mr..
ARMSTRONG, Commissioner Of Railroads,
from the very start Of his official career. His
zeal In this respect and his whole course to-
ward the companies show him to be q
worthy successor OF THEoPHILus FRENCH,
who turned out to be little else than their
servant while administering great trust.
In closing the debate on the bill to enlarge
the payments under the THURMAN act, Mr..
THOMPSON said, with much force and truth:
"Mr. BsRwsrER. the Attorney General has refused up
to this time to enforce the penalty against these roads,
and has allowed them to In the face Of the fact
that that section denounces the penalty upon
them from making any dividend from tsir fund until
they have complied with the terms OF the Sinking Fund
act They have baked the Government every attempt
TO enforce s rights by the negligence Indifference Of
administrative officers Of the Government.
The Railroad Commissioner. ~ have every reason
to believe 10 operating In interest of the rail-.
roads to pass through the House the Identical bill
against which have spoken, and which an outrage
upon the Government and tho American people who
have contributed generously build these roads"
1t Is undoubtedly true that the official ma
chinery Of all the executive departments, of
many OF the courts, and the power of largo
representation In Congress, especially In the
Senate, have been constantly employed to
protect these corporations against the rights
OF the Government and the interests OF the
people. In the face Of this long experience,
the platforms that profess desire to forfeit