The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-11-08
A VERY MODEST SUGGESTION.

ment," and is said TO be devoted to
all large interests from a financial
standpoint" The reader will not
doubt the sincerity of these CLAIMS
after reading the following from the
May issue Of 1893. If this isn't "de-
voted to a large interest from fnsn-
Clal standpoint" we do not know
what is:
A newspaper, like the Capitalist, feels
chat lee duty is TO escheW politics, as much
as possible, except when any measure in the
state or federal Legislature, threatens TO
affect prejudiCially the interests Of the bank
ing community, of whose we'll l-being' and
continued prosperity, the Capitalist is the
recognized conservstor; but the Capitalist
can not avoid having opinions, which coca
sionalIy conflict with those Of the majority
and which il believes TO rest on sound
foundation Of equity and common sense. A
careful perussl Of the thirteenth annual re-
porb of the Union Pacific Railway company,
has reSuSOitated forcibly an opinion, which
the writer of this has had for at least twenty
years, and which he now ventures to place
before the numerous and influential read
era of the Capitalist. The question is: Have
the people of the United States treated the
Union and Central Pacific railroads JUSTIFY
Is the demand made upon these railroads to
repay the subsidy bonds, equitable in view
of tho immense benefits, which the country
has derived from the construction Of these
two pioneer trans. continental railroads?
And again, il a correct debit and credit ac-
count were struck between the government
and these railroad companies, and the action
Of che government, in subsidising other
trans continental railroads, to compete with
the Union Pacific and Genital, taken into
consideration, would not the result Of that
accounting show that the services rendered
by the railroad companies we're immeasur-
ably greater than the advantages conferred
by the government on the railroads, and
that, therefore, the government should
msQnsnimously release its lien, and charge
the millionp, now reOkoned as liabilities OF
the PGOifc railroads, to profit and lossE
This suggestion will naturally appear het-
erodox TO those who have been educated in
the belief that these Pacific railroads were
acCursed monopolies, that the parties inter
ested in their construction had become inn
mensely rich out Of the manipulation OF
these enterprises; and that the properties
had never been worked in the interest OF
those who alone had rendered their con-
yhruotion possible; but notwithstand ding
that the suggestion may be considered hes-
erodox by those who base their opinion on
common rumOr, and who have never per
Sonally considered the situation in all it'
varied details, it is firmly believed that the
Justice Of releasing this lien can be satisfaC
sorily demonstrated, and in such manner
that the people themselves, would insist thai
Justice should be done. Americans, az
rule, are busy people, aud they generally
leave the settlement Of all political Ques
tions TO their representatives aud senators
but IL they are busy people, they are alsC
honest; and il they are once convinced tha
wrong has been done, they will insist OF
that wrong being reOtifed, not in part, bu
in whole. They will not allow the fair nam'
OF the nation TO be smirched ortarnished
Il 10 honestly believed, that case can b,
prepared, which would be convincing to al
but the most bigoted and prejudicsd, a. Il
the correct status Of the Union and Contra
Pacific railroads, but of course the prepara
tion of such q case, would involve much la
Dor and research in The various department.