Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-04-19
THE UNION PACIFIC.

Union Pacific Railway-He Recommends
That the Road BE Permitted to Manage
Its Own Affairs.
CHICAGO, April 1o.-A lengthy report
made to the Secretary OF the Interior
by Hon. Jesse Spalding, a Government
director OF the Union Pacific railway, Is
published. The report is the result Of
personal observations made during
trip over the Union Pacific system. Re-
ferring to the alleged hostile feeling to-
ward the company in Nebraska, Mr..
Spalding says: II found people in Ne
braska who are possessed with the idea
that the Union Pacific was constructed
and should be operated mainly in refer
ence to the wishes Of that section, and
who actually believed that their State
should be consulted by the managers
before any improvements were made,
innovations prosecuted, or extensions
pushed forward. But those who take
an unreasoning, and, to my mind, most
unjust view Of the conduct Of the Union
Pacific are exceptions to the rule"
Speaking OF Union Pacific Investments
the report says:
In addition 10 the railroads In which the
Union Pacific Company has n proprietary
interest, It has investments In other COM
panles and properties " h CHI, In one way or
another, form necessary parts or links OF
system that that has been compelled by
reason OF the n wness Of the country In
which its operations nre carried on, or be.
cause OF the uncertainty OF obtaining sup.
plies or accommodation from the outside, to
blaz, It's own way in all directions. The
company has been severely criticised for
going into these "outslde ventures" but the
fact IL that In Its own interest II has been
compelled to do this and great many other
things which railroad company operating
in an Eastern state would not find 1t either
necessary or even advisable to do.
In my estimation 1t Is imperativclv de-
manded OF tho management of the Union
Pacific that 1t shall push Its Northwestern
extensions until 1t has afforded the Puget
Sound cities all the facilities which they re-
quire. Seattle. Tacoma and Port Townsend
will welcome the Union Pacific and extend
privileges and franchises which are now
valuable, but which few years hence will
be simply priceless. Having made these
connect ions IL will be the greatest railway
system In the world, and will be able to offer
the Government unquestlonable security for
Iplace my opposition TO the extreme views
of those who appear to be bent upon en-
barrassing the present management OF the
system upon the broad ground that the good
of the public will not be subserved by the
threats they make or the course they are
pursuing. The inability OF the Northern
Pacific to meet its obligations precipitated
the panic OF l Is Let not Congress- follow
out line Of policy which 1t will make It I'm
possible for the Union Pacific to remain
solvent and which may shock the financial
world In 1897.
This question ought to DO settled by Con-
gress at once and for al time. The compa-
ny should be placed in the position Of a
debtor solely, and Lee permitted to manage
its own affairs without let or hindrance from
the Government National interference In
Its management has resulted only in embar.
RAISING situations heretofore and Is bound
to result so hereafter. The Union Pacific
railway system Is mt this time not only
wisely and prudently, but probably man.
aged. The br inches and extensions which
have been CONSTRUCTED and the now i'm
provcments made during the last Ave years
have been of direct and incalc Unable benefit
10 hundreds OF thousands of people In the
West and Pacific Northwest rs well as to the
business OF the Nation In general. As a
proper y 1t Is certainly far more valuable
to- day than II was In 1855 1t can not pay
the $50 100000 or % which It owes the Gtv.
eminent. however, at this time, hut Is able
to Of r security equal to ss4 0 0.COO more
than the Government holds now for Its
Indebtedness. II asks IN extension OF
time and low"r rate Of interest, both
of which the Government can afford to
grant rather than see the property i'm.
perlod, Tor to imporil It would threaten
the financial ruin of thou'unds OF people
who have invested their money In the en-.
terprise, and more than that the probable
impOverishment Of tho hundreds of thou.
sands who have settled upon its lines dur.
ing recent years. and whose interests are so
closely woven with the property Of the road
that they can not be separated.
The question resolves itself down to this:
What II est. not so much fol the Union Pa.
cific Railway Company as corporation, but
for the country at large? 1t seems to me
that there can g but one answer = this
let Congress deal as fairly W tn the Union
Pacific rs a business man would with a
creditor who was willing and able to pay his
debts u he wer" only permitted to attend to
his business without Interference or emvar.
rassment.