The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-19
The Pacific Roads and pattison.

The Pacific Roads and Pattison.
The question If the Indebtedness Of the
Pacific railroads 10 the government Is one
that has been frequently discussed by Con
greSs, but no way has ever been devised 90
compel them to pay this indebtedness. It
is a well-known fact that in the building OF
tae roads rGere were many successful
scheme, for eurlching tie builders at the
expense of the government, and never at
any tiEe does there appear to have been a
purpose to settle with the government hon
estly, The impression is that there has
Leen, ana stiI is, determination on the
part of those who control the roads 10 pre-
vent the government from getting from the
roads what is due it.
The President Is anxious that there shall
be a permanent and satisfactory adjustment
Of the claims of the government ale would
like 70 have the government get what IS due
it at once-something like $l400 OOO-but
if that is impractcable he would at least
like 10 have assurance Of payment in the
near future. The chances that the govern
ment viii ger the debt are not good
In order that Congress might have a solid
basis for It's action the President appointed
a commission year or so ago to inquire
into the condition of the Pacific roads The
chairman of the commission was ex-Gov.
Pattson, of Pennsylvania. Many important
facts were collected relative to the affairs Of
the road and two reports were made, that
of the minority being signed by the chair
man. The majority report advises that the
railroads be given time to meet their obliga-
tons, while the minority report advises
that the roads be forced to pay to the gov
ernment what it owes it without further
delay.
The President in the message which he
sent to Congress on Tuesday, a synopsis of
which was published ia the dispatches of the
MORNING NEWS yesterday, does not advise
the adoption of either report. He takes a
sort Of middle ground, and expresses the be-
lief that something good can be got out Of
both He says, however, that the questions
growing out of the financial conditions of
the roads should be permanently settled at
once
Elk Gov Pattison is finding that the po-
siton of an honest refor1ner is one in which
there isn't much money, and that it has few
attractions. Several papers which, to some
extent, may be under the influence Of mil
lionaires who are largely interested in the
Pacific roads, have contained bitter attacks
upon him The latest was in the shape of
story, and was intended to convey the inn
preston that be is a corrupt man, and that
when he was Governor of Pennsylvania he
sold out to a railroad corporation for large
sum of money
In brief the story is that the South Penn
sylvania Railroad Company secured the
passage of three bills through the Legisla-
ture Of that State which gave it privileges
| of a very valuable character. Gov Patti
son determined to veto them, and got the
late Judge Jere Black to write the veto
messages. At midnight of the day before
| the veto message was to be sent to the
Legislature strange men were seen to enter
| the Governors room at the capitol. The
next day the bills were signed and the veto
message was pigeon-holed.
| Gov. Pattison says that there is not
word of truth in the story
and there is no doubt that he
| Ue1S bue ITuCn. ne WIS eleCItd OoNeEhOI
because he was believed to be an honest
man, and that he administered the great
trust confded to him honestly and intelli-
gently there is no room to doubt. The Pa
cic railroad people are interested in having
it appear that he is dishonest, In order TO
break the force Of his report on the Pacific
roads, but if they are instigating the attacks
| upon him they will not accomplish the OBJ
| iect they are aiming at.