Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-08-10
EDMUNDS AND G0RMAN,
a WARM DEBATE OVER cULLoM-
RAILROAD RESOLUTION.
numerous Failings of the Administration
Portrayed by the Vermont SENATOR
Nothing but Personal InvectiVe IN
RepIy-Gorman as u Keformer.

and directors OF one OF the rOaus Wnlcn, he
said, is designed to receive part of the
bounty paid by the British government,
among the names being Levi =. Morton
and William H. Scott of Erie, Pa. Mr..
German submitted that it was time for an
American Congress, without regard to
party, to recognize this condition ofaffairs
The Americans, whose names he read as
directors of the Canadian Pacific roads
had perfect right to become such. Mr.
Mitchell interrupting said if the senator
rom Maryland mad taken the trouble to
read the names of the directors of a west
ern road which had lately fallen into the
hands of the Canadian Pacific, he would
1ave found the name of the chairman or
The democratic national executive COM
mttee.
Mr.. German said he had no doubt of it,
out that gentleman was not candi
late for office. He did not believe there
ought to be any partisanship in the ques-
zion, but as the senator from Oregon
brought it out so pointedly he desired to
express the belief no man who is can
lidate for a high office whether demo
cratic or republican who if elected, might
Become president of the United States
could properly accept the office until he
had purged himself of every interest In
this British enterprise. 1t was not
question of politics, he had not brought it
in for political purposes, mistakes had
been made by both parties in the past.
II as democrat and the senator from
Ma slcnusetts (Hoar) as a republican,
both rs American citizens. ought to be
here To day in a private council discussing
these matters as persons aiding this adj
ministratOn and couuselling and advis-
ing with it so as to protect these great
transporting interests
Senator Gray asked whether any part of
4rtt t.r Fltr tlxn
building through the State of Maine Mr.,
German could not speak with absolute
accuracy but from information, that the
road received from the British or Canadian
government $4,000 mile for the con-
struction of a road which was chartered
by Maine and was subsidised by the Cana
Liam Pacific, and if it was permitted to 90
IN, not only would it absorb the trade but
would bring the Canadians into closer re-
alton with that class of American citizens
Who have power and influence in shaping
jhe affairs of our own government. This
ought to be no longer tolerated He was
glad the senator from Illinois introduced
the resolution. Let the matter be probed
TO the bottom. He knew the struggle to
which IL would give rise in the States of
Maine and Vermont, where the roads ara
peiDg built, and great as his friend from
Vermont (Edmunds) was he doubted very
.4uch whether he was prepared to drop
all partsanship and join the democrats in
wlplng out this interest, not as democrats,
but as American citizens.
Mr.. Edmunds replied that the fault with
the democratic party was that the only
thing about it was its name. That party
had had control of the House of Represent
.atives 0 or IL years and yet no attempt
mad been made in all that time to rectify
chose prOdigi1us evils which the senator
rom Maryland had now for the first time
discovered. 1t was possible that some in
5erests in the State of Maryland might
nave stimulated the senator, in the form
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad com |
pany, more intense interest than general
patriotism would have done 1t was
perfectly right because if the Senate was /
composed only OF men who had no personal
interest i'll the country it would be a yery |
poor legislative body.
Mr. German admitted that he was a |
INJECTOR OF the railroad company, and |
sand that the senator from Vermont would |
scarcely be able to appreciate why. He |
."as not private director in any railroad, |
put when the great railroad which /
The, State of Maryland had helped to
4nld up was about to go over to the syn. |
d.cete which controlled the Canadian :
roEds, Mt was selected as public man to
represent the interests of his State and
preVenG Inc syndicate which was controll-
ing the Maine road and the Vermont
coaI from taking the Baltimore and Ohio
Hons would purge himself as he Co.,
ndn) had purged himself
Mr.. Edmunds said he would purge hun
sell 10y the statement that he had never
1eeh director in any railroad whatever
he o'd not, however, see the distinction
,etw e being director TO represent the
Inleresh, 81 the state Of Maryland and q
,ilee' x to represent private interests,
~ - AS he knew there was only one rail
- ii line in the State of Vernon which
by the Grand Trunk in Canada,
End thai vas ii link III the northeastern
corner OF the state, completing the line
between Montreal and Portland but for
9Very one OF these ~ o4 30 miles o! rail
S1sd controlled in Vermont by foreign
oYn pany there were so miles OF road (he !
would be safe in saying 100 miles, in Can !
ada that were controlled by Vermont
corporations. There was one thing chat .
might be taken as true on botn ,
sides of the Chamber and that was
that the physical geography of the globe
could not be changed either by the St. |
Louis or Chicago platform, or by Presi- !
dent Cleveland or his successor, President |
Harrison. The round globe would con- |
5inue to be Just what it was, and if the ,
niles shorter across Canada than through
5he United States, it would remain 500
miles shorter. If the goods could be car
,ied cheaper between Liverpool and Hong
Kong across Canada commerce would |
seek that route.
But besides the physical facts of the
geography the physical condition of the
climate has played its part. No govern
ment could change it. He believed there
fore his honorable friend (Gorman) was
immensely wrong in saying the Canadian
Pacific line whether going through Maine
or not could ever compete with the Amer
lean Pacific lines without going to ruin or
unless sustained by aid from its govern
ment. There were seven months in the
yearw hen the transportation of q million
chests of tea on million boxes of silks
would not cost half as much
by the American lines as by the other
lines. And w u 10 that was added the
tact the Am a. lines were capable of
doing and We )ng an immense local
business, any merican citizen who lash
ed himself into great fever on the sub
ect of competition for the Asiatic trade
vas falling inLo an immense delusiOn. 1t
vas true so long rs money could he found
70 run the Canadian line at loss and
carry goods ut half the cost, it might be
lone, and the United States could not
lelp it.
It had to be said, however, the contrasts
aetween the governments of the United
States and Great Britain in regard to en-
couraging trade, commerce ana manu-