Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-01-20
Ex-Governor Bowie's Answer TO Judge
W. Veirs Boulc.
BALTIMORE, January 4, 1873
To tie Editor Of The american

tne most vigorous ana telling speeches OF
his life. He paid Colonel Spates' manage
ment OF the canal compliment, by saying
that 1t was one of the best in its history
that there had been no proper management
since Col. Spates' presidency; that 1t had
been the football of scheming and corrupt
politicians. He showed how, and for what
purpose Mr.. Clarke was made president at
an immense salary; that Clarke engineered
through the Legislature the incorporation Of
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad under
the direction of Governor Bowie, and that
was Clarke's reward. He said that Pink
ney Whyte made German speaker OF the
House of Delegates, and that German final.
ly became president of the canal, and ma
nipulated its machinery 80 as TO Dust Whyte
and become Senator. Speaking of, Baugh-
mans presidency of the canal, he said he
had not sufficient knowledge to have ditch
dug to drain a mill pond"
To my inquiry of Judge Bouic Of to the
correctness OF the report, he replies that he
has "neither time nor the inclination 70 read
such political literature as is Usually found
in Tile american, and he canr bt, therefore,
say whether the report is correct or not"
The other gentlemen, SO violently Assail cd
by Judge Bouic, may not deem his attack
worthy of notice, but in justice 10 Mr..
Clarke, who is absent from our state, ana TO
myself, propose to show how grossly he
has misrepresented us.
They who have read Judge bouic'
charges will be surprised to hear Jiat ~
stead Of Mr.. James 9. Clarke having Zen
gineered through the legislature scor-
poration of the Is. q z. Railroad sla-
direction OF Governor Bowie" that w rtn d
was Incorporated Ia 1853, when, think,
Mr.. Clarke was in Illinois, certainly long
before had made his acquaintance, and
that the only legislation asked or obtained
by the b. g. p. Railroad Company during
my term as governor was an act extending
the time for the roads completion-it then
being under active construction-to 1875;
TO provide for an increase of its capital
stock, as it had been found that it would
cost much more to build it than had been
estimated; and ratifying the action of the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, au
thcrizing the building of the tunnel. To
this, to the best of my recollection, there
was no opposition at all, and, therefore, no
reason why the presidency Of the canal
should be "Clarke's reward"
That Mr.. Clarke was made president at
what Judge Bouic calls an immense salary
Is true; not for the reasons given by him,
but for those given in my message to the
General Assembly of Maryland in 1879, viz,
"The Board of Public Works acting, as
they sincerely believed, for the best inter
ests of the state, and with approval of the
bondholders, fixed his salary at ten thous-
and dollars year, upon the condition that
he should retire from other business, remove
his residence to the neighborhood of the ca
nal, and devote his whole time and energies
| to the canal"
This salary, which then seemed excessive,
but which results showed was wisely given
and well-earned, was necessary to secure
Mr.. Clarke's services, as he was then mana
ger of the Ashland Iron Works. in Balti
more county, land not, as charged by Judge
Bouic, IAN employe of the Pennsylvania
Railroad company at large salary and
| fine residence, free of rent, and was consid-
ering an offer of six thousand dollars year
to take the presidency OF a railroad compa-
ny in addition to his then position, and not
conflicting with its duties
1t was with great difficulty Mr.. Clarke
could be persuaded to accept the presidency,
because he feared that the Board of Public
Works would be censured for giving what
at that time was in Maryland so large "a
salary. Entertaining the idea l did Of the
capacities of the canal under such an ad
ministration as knew Mr.. Clarke would
give it, told him would trust to results
to justify me with the people of Maryland,
and would be content to rest under a tenn
porary censure to advance the prosperity of
a work in which the state held such large
interests.
These results detailed TO the General
Assembly jimmy message in 1877 dedffon
their publication to The date of this philip
pic of fossilized Montgomeran l have
never heard but one opionion expressed of
the success of Mr.. Clarke's administration
or the wisdom of his selection, even at so
large salary. Quite in contrast with Judge
Bouic's Wholesale defamation was the can
did admission of Dr. Wootton, of the House
of Delegates, who, in his remarks at the
same meeting, truthfully asserted that the
canal had been made to pay in the past
when properly managed.
On the few extracts from the message |
can give in the space now allowed me re-
~ as q sufficient reply to Judge Bouic's
misrepresentation.
In treating of the canal and its failure in
the past, | said: "But one resource, it seem
ed to me, was left to make the canal ever
remunerative to either bondholders or the
state. That was to secure for it, even at an
unprecedentedly high salary,in this state, but
of no unusual occurrence in other states
where even much larger salaries, amounting,
in many instances, in my knowledge. to
$25, 900, were paid to secure the services of
properly qualified off1cers-a president who,
with all the qualifications Of experience,
energy, integrity, a full knowledge of canal
manapement and of marked administrative
ability, would give his whole time and ener-
s,v, h;n, VIII an intsli;@ent h,ard Of
,,eptIemen ~ h,,h charac,er se,resen,;ns in
5ort the interests Of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES h
bad Arc, 10 ha no;d herore Inc state could 70
coiua amv w rar ro na ~ nar, nc tha s,ata
;,so,f. thasa i,st I;u;nn II Tho 90, nt;os
,Hrnn,h Which .ha nna7 rasoaS. 10 ahni;sh
S;necyra ntf,cas '- ronnnva inncomnetsnt Nh
Gals reduca e~nenses and onerate the cana,
With on s,a a niyIa 30 ito ,onpage and r',us
nues, its permanent structures and generally
improved condition"
In pursuance OF this policy, appointed
as directors to represent the bondholders
tlemen as Mr.. w. W. Corcoran, Of Wash.
ngton, and Gen. George s. Brown, of Balti.
more. The only gentlemen remember at