Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-18

The Presidents message accompanying the re-
ports OF the Pacific Railroad investigating COM
mission confines itself chiefly 70 the discussion Of
the majority report. II reviews at some length
The history Of the Pacific roads, showing how the
Government not only made the handsomest provi-
sion for their encouragement originally. but after
ward doubled It's generous grants Of money and
land, and degraded its own lien on the property
from a nrst TO a second place; and how the only
reward IL received for all this liberal treatment
Was a greedy appropriation TO their own uses, by
the managers OF the roads OF all the ready money
that could be obtained by them II is evident,
from the tone OF the message, that the President
has lictle hope that the roads will ever be able to
lift the overwhelming load OF debt which they are
carrying. The principal OF the Government guar
anJy bonds already issued, with the interest ac-
crued thereon amounts, 10 one hundred and forty
million dollars, and will amount, BY the time these
bonds mature, TO nearly one hundred and seventy
nine million. Against this huge aggregate
the companies have paid about thirty-one
IGiIlOn: but the men who have engineered them
are worth great many million apiece Obtained
how? Through dividends and interest on securt-
ties which came into their possession not by DUR
chase in the open market, but by business bar
gains between themselves acting as trustees and
themselves acting contractors under the name
of the credit mobilier. This is a state OF things
which may well call forth structures from the
President; and his suggestion that Congress act
promptly for the protection OF the Government by
forodding the issue Of further patents for public
lands until the companies shall have fulfilled their
Obligations, entered into when the roads were
first laid out, Is timely. Congress should take up
the subject at once, and II there is any fair means
of stopping the present waste. apply It.
At the meeting OF the New York state Bar Asso-
citation yesterday, Daniel Dougherty delivered an
N w ha faIla
press and drubbed IL sOundly for treating the Jake
sharp boodlers. before trial, as II they had been
duly convicted OF the crimes laid at their door
There may he occasions on which trial By news
paper has been carried TO a harsh extreme: but
as the object society has In view In establishing
criminal code Is TO rid itself OF criminals the press
can hardly be blamed for lending its aid In the
good work as far as 1t can without injury to any
one, and the libel laws are broad enough to protect
even a man under suspicion OF crime II he can
show bis innocence There Is one thing certain:
III the press did not hunt out the wrong
doors, half the time nobody would and
they would go unwhipped Of justice This was
VIGOROUSLY the case with the sharp gang, as
II was years before with the Tweed ring II Is un-
doubtedy the realization OF the power OF the press
10 crush bad men that restraints many a public
functionary from an evil course to which he Is
tempted And OF Its occasional indiscretions the
public Is disposed 10 take as charitable a view a.
the wife OF celebrated Judge did OF her husbands
severe charges from the bench. In one instance
she was asked II she did not think he was unfair
In denouneing murderer as vigorously as he had
10 a rather unintelgent jury, when there was
Danger that they might acquit In spite OF the un-
snswerable array OF evidence. swell said she
''the Judge has his own conscience In such mat.
ters; and when scoundrels OF that stamp come
before him for trial II will never be his fault II
they're not hanged"