Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-17

nish just the proof that was neede
| that the scandalous acts of the depart
ments and of Congress in behalf o
the Pacific roads were inspired b.
mercenary considerations. Huntin Q
tons tender condolences supplement
the Credit Mobilier disclosures anC
rivet the chain of evidence of tn,
wholesale buying and selling of the
public's interests all the way across
the continent. The Credit Mobiliel
told us how the Union Pacific cor
rupted those who should have been
the guardians of the Commonwealth,
and Huntington's self-interviews re
veal how he and his associates did the
same nefariOus work IN behalf of the
Central Pacific. The whole length of
this enterprise, which was held up to
a deluded people in the name of the
defense of the country and binding
together the eastern and the western
sections of the Union, was line of
transcontinental fraud, treachery and
depreciation.
While the public were kindled with
a noble enthusiasm for the execution
of great national work ia defense
of their imperiled nationality for the
development of the wilderness as fu-
ture homes for toiling millions, few
cOld-headed and cold-hearted men
saw their opportunity for converting
the generous mood of the people into
perpetual power, wealth, and luxury
for themselves. The Northern people
were engaged in the terrible sacrifice
to put down the Shareholders Rebel
lion. 1t was 4 time when men who
had the fainteSt spark of love of coun-
try IN their breasts would have plan
ned to Tighten the cares and burdens of
the multitude instead of increasing
them. But these men, planning to
coin the blood of a patriotic people in
a death struggle into fortunes for
themselves and their families, were
not merely willing to increase the
load the people had to carry, but they
We're willing to do it by fraud and be-
trayal of trust.
At time when the Government
had to strain its credit and sell its
bonds at SO cents in gold on the dollar
to retrieve the disasters of Bull Run,
Chlckahominy, Fredericksburg, and
Charlottesville, these. Pacific railroad
robbers not only solicited the issue of
tens of millions of bonds to them
selves, but increased the issue for their
own undeserved enrichment to the ex-
tent of tens of millions by the most
dcbauchment of the repre-
sentatives of the people. This they
did IN the very heat and stress of the
fight for the life of the nation. They
took a dastardly advantage of the alb
sorption of the public mind in the all
struggle for ,elf-preserva-
ton. They picked the pockets of the
soldiers In the field and the women
and children at home. The ONLY
shadow of regret or conjunction that
is known to have crossed their depred-
atory way is reflected in Huntingtons
plaintive sigh that "every year the
light (of corruption) grows more and
more expensive" He would like to
have bought his Congressional Bene-
dict Arnolds cheaper. This was the
contribution that Huntington and his
partners made to the "War for the
Union" This was his fight"
This was what Huntington did in
the War, and in its darkest hour.
There is one more touch needed to
complete the picture, and that too, is
supplied by the hand of Gov. Wash
burn, and receives confirmation strong
as Holy Writ from Huntington's own
letters. He said:
| state nothing more than what is
notorious when say that the Vice
President of the road has charged the
company with $50, 900 as having been
expended in Washington to secure
the passage of the act; claiming that
the money was expended in conf
Dental way, and declining to furnish
any vouchers.
There is one more sIgnifican fact
The opponents in Congress of this act
of 1864 which virtually voted away
$64, 900, 900 of the peoples money (and
priceless privileges and exemptions,
and doubled the land grant in vain
demanded the ayes and noes upon the
vote by which the bill was passed.
There were not enough members
in the House to call the ayes and
noes.
The Rebel Hood was defeated and
driven from Atlanta; the Rebel Lee
was caught in the tolls and finally
forced to surrender. The only anti
Union victory won in those July
days was the victory of Huntington
and his raiders at Washington, when
they doubled their land grant and
captured $64, 100000 OF Government
6 per cent. bonds.
REPORTS from all sections of the
country give evidence that the Gus
tom OF ladies receiving New Years
calls from their gentlemen friends is
Iarralu ahandnnad The c11stnro hos