The Portland daily press., 1885-02-23
The Portland B. OGDEN

The Portland & Ogdensburg Bill.
The gentlemen present at the meeting Sat-
urday night who excepted TO one of the pro-
Visions of the Portland & Ogdensburg rail-
road bill disclaimed any intention of casting
any reflection upon the purity OF the motives
of the gentlemen who framed the bill. Mr..
Chapman who was the spokesman for these
gentlemen expressly declared that he be-
lieyed the trustees of the second mortgage,
their counsel and the mayor had been actua-
ted In all that they had done solely by a
desire to do the best thing possible for the
city OF Portland. There is no reason to
doubt that Mr. Chapman and the gentlemen
be represented are actuated by motives
equally pure and honorable. Tue differ
ence of opinion, therefore, as to the provis-
ions OF the first paragraph of the bill results
from an honest difference of Judgment as to
the way in which the interests of the CITY in
the road can best be protected.
That paragraph gives the city council
power to sell or lease the road without any
appeal to the people. Mr.. Chapman and
the gentlemen he represents wanted this
provision changed so that the road could not
be sold or leased except by the cons, Mt Of
majority of The citizens of Portland ex-
pressed at the polls. Mr.. Chapman thought
the people could be safely trusted in the
matter. Judge Webb thought SO to, proyid
ed they could be made to understand the
matter in all its bearings, but he feared heir
minds might be poisoned BY interested par
ties and thus they be misled. Mr.. Chapman
before the meeting concluded apparently bt-
gan TO share Judge Webbs misgivings for
he consented without protest to an amend
ment providing that the road should not be
sold or leased except by consent of two.
thirds of the people. This amendment was
adopted doubtless with the idea of mote Sc
curely guarding against an unfavorable sale.
It does undoubtedly do that and if that were
all it did or might do there would be no OBJ
lection TO it, But it is a double ender.
While it will tend to defeat an unfavorable
sale 1t will more surely tend to defeat a ia,
vorabie sale. If it is adopted by the legisla-
ture one more than one-thrd of the voters
W Vi biauu SdH urAcdt a idFOIdUlo sale OF Lne
road. If the Canadian Pacific road should
make an advantageous offer two thousand
and one voters could override the wishes of
four thousand voters and defeat its accept
ance. Now it is well known that there are
interests here exceedingly hostile to a sale or
lease of the Ogdensburg road TO the Canad-
Ian Pacific, that they are powerful interests
and would be able to influence the votes of
great many men. Is it safe to make it so
easy for these interests to defeat a sale of
this road9 This side of the case seems 10
have been completely ignored BY the meet
ing on Saturday night Starting off with
the declaration that the popular will ought 10
govern in this matter, it wound up by ADOPT
ing an amendment that puts 1000 voters in
the power of 2,0O1 voters. Was this unite
consistent?
II seems TO us the resolution was yerv
much better before 1t was amended on mo.
tion of the Hon. John w. Deering so that
ifty-one men could defeat the wishes of a
hundred. In its original form the consent
of the city council and majority of the
voters was necessary to a sale of the road.
1t is hardly possible that an unfavorable sale
could run that guantlet. The danger of at
tack from this direction was sufficiently
guarded against, but in their zeal to make
assurance at this point dOubly sure the