St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-25
A STAB AT THE $500"
The Officials of the $500" System
Think the President Is Favoring
Chicago Roads.

Il
Chicago Roads.
The message was the chief topic of
conversation about Minneapolis yester-
day, but the talk was entirely of the po-
litical, not commercial, significance of
the presidents position and stand.
Democrats everywhere commended the
ready courage and independence of the
executive. and pronounced the message
the most striking state paper of the adj
miniStration, Republicans were lost.
and as a rule, disliking to commend
anything from a Democratic official,
were silent. Several of them, however,
forgot their partisan feeling to express
their admiration of the man and the
act Later in the day there was more
or less talk of the probable effect Oh the
through traffic of the 800" line, of
which there was variety of opinion.
Gen. w. d. Washburn is absent from
the city, and when a GLOBE reporter
visited the $500 headquarters he
knowledge and an equally sur
prising lack of interest. General
Manager Underwood and Treasurer
Petit were both there. but admitted
they had not read the message, the first
because he had just returned home and
the second because of injured eyes.
''As this message is supposed to affect
our enterprise" Mr.. Underwood laugh
ingly said, Il think some of us better
read it. | will do it tonight" But
both of them talked considerably about
it and, without knowing, blamed it.
II see it ALL said Mr.. Underwood;
sit is New York and Chicago have done
this. They have brought the pressure
to bear on the president and this mes
sage resulted"
you think them" ventured the re-
porter, THAT this tremendous engine of
state has been set in motion simply on
account of the 500 rOad?'
lit is the railroad feeling in Chicago.
as the beginning, and New York as the
ending OF the system of railroads that
object to Canadian routes to the sea-
board" said Mr.. Underwood. unheed-
ing the question. Il don't think it is
right"
''But you have not read the message
and do not know what is proposed"
mo, but l think interference with
traffic is wrong on principle. This will
raise fresh howl throughout New Eng
land, for their railway life depends
upon inter-Canadian traffic.
''What will be the direct effect?"
81 cannot tell until see the bill and
know what is proposed. | will see you
again."
Mr. Petit talked very freely at the
same time, but admitted his ignorance
of the subject for the time being. He,
too, was unable to see anything but a
scheme to down the 500. He had just
returned from Canada and had talked to
the people, finding them all we'll dis
posed toward America. He thought the
proposed fishery treaty was unjust to
America, though he said he said he
knew nothing about such things. but
''since the Canadian papers praised it."
he had become very suspicious of it,"
This was all that was obtainable.
None of the officials had read the mes
sage, but all were firmly of the opinion
the Northwest. Gov. Pillsbury, a di-
rector. is quoted as saying:
81 do not think the president should
be granted any sucn power as he asks
for. 1t is too large. The suspension of
traffic laws regulating the passage of
bonded freight through the United
States would not only shut out the
passage of Canadian freight through
this country, but would shut off the
right to ship freight between tide water
and the Northwest through Canada.
This would work great injustice to
the Northwest, which should be al
lowed to ship its wheat and flour to a
market or bring in It's merchandise by
the cheapest route, whether it be by
Canadian or American lines. This
message when carefully analysed
amounts to this: 1t is move made in
the interest of American trunk lines,
and gives Mr.. Cleveland the entire
Northwestern commercial interests as q
club to work with. | am in favor of
protecting American interests with
cannon and ball if necessary, but | do
not believe that vast commercial inter-
ests should be used in such manner
as Mr. Cleveland prODoSeS ,;