Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-04-12
PAY DAY HAS COME.
But the Railroads Cannot Settle With
Uncle Sam.
Senator cuIIum Thinks Tailed Siales Will
Lose It's Claim Outright.

In the course Of Il long and very interest
ing conversation On the development Of
railroads In this country and their present
relation To the government, Senator CuI-
loru pointed out the numerous difficulties
In the way Of any Of the proposed schemes
and gave 4. "a his opinion that IL IL now
almost II not quite impossible for the wis
eat body q men 10 arrange any system
that will satisfy the people and adapt Itself
TO the rapid changes In trade and trans
portation. THE proposition To sell our
claims on the Pacific railroads, 80 said h.
'is at present without backing-thaf l.,
80 far "a know, no authorized body has
proposed 10 buy them. And II the govern
Tncns should try to sell, by what rule could
tileI be vaIncd> The subject ~ not before
our committee but IA near "a / can make
CIT from the statements published the
managers claim that the roads are making
nothing, and what's property worth which
earns nothing2 However, the roads might
sCll for a great deal more than their pres
Ont value and no doubt would. The fact
Is. those roads were built under peculiar
and exceptional circumstances. II was "a
time Of high prices and lavish cxpcndi-
turrs, Of general carclessncss and waste
fulncsa. There were land grants and sub
sides all that heart could wish, and I'm
pay for them n big mortgage on the fu-
turc. Pay day has come, and nobody Is
able 30 pay.
4 Hundred Years Extension.
1T looks to mc ~ II we should just lose
our claim outright as the propositions
TO put the road in commission or the like
are Of a nature that congress viii not yet
consent TO. The fact Is, the country Is
not yet ready for any comprehensive plan
Our constitution and general system Of
government were not got up to deal with
such things, and lawmakers honestly con
fess that It will take long time to devise
practicable scheme. Other questions are
pressing on this generation, and II looks
rs II this railroad question would have to
be- left Ia n new set.
AS 10 the measures now before the Pa
cific railroad committee, ] think it likely
that In the end the companies will get all
the time they want. Possibly that plan Of
giving them u hundred years To pay in
with no interest Mt all for the first 10 years
will bo adopted, and you know what that
means. In 10 years everything will bc
changed, and the roads would take their
chances on what they can do after that,
ID simply amounts to postponing the thing
10 years, and at the end Of that time new
set will he here with great deal more cx
pcricncc and, 1t Is % be hoped, more wis
dom. am only a minority member Of
tho. Interstate commerce committee now,
and you cnn see by looking AT the bills be
fore our committee that everything is in
an experimental condition"
The Pooling Clause.
Examination fully confirms this state
ment of the II bills before the commit
tee the one which has made the most prog
rcss IL the German bill to repeal outright
the pooling clause Of the interstate com
mcrce net, rs nearly all outsiders who have
been heard by the committee have made
their attacks on that. Others are the vii
son bill To abolish ticket sealping and
mako ticket agents moro responsible: the
Mcmillan bill, to allow pooling when tho
contract therefor is approved by the inter
state commerce commissions the Lodge
bill, providing for dollar shares in rail
roads; the Cameron bill, to give the Frank
lin institute s25, 900 to experiment with;
tho Cockrcll bill, offering 500, 900 re
ward 90 any one who will invent flying
machine, and others of an equally enter
tanning nature
The advocates of statehood for the four
territories arC bringing to bear some new
forces, among them an argument that it
would make 70 glorious rCorl for this con
tsrcss to end she territorial system, which
has always been an anomaly in our sys.
tenn, II began really with the famous or
dlnanoe of 1857, but that was largely SUI
persc,lod by the constitution. and after n
variety Of experiments tho territorial sys-
tom reached its final form in 1850. On the
Nth Of September that year President Fill
morn signed the organic acts creating
Utah, New Mexico and SO forth. which was
the end vt that long session and tho exCit-
ing struggle over slavery in the newly &C
quird territory The system has remained
practically unchanged ever since. the or
Eanic act creating each new territory he
ing almost u literal copy of those Of 1850.
and now the territorians think 1t would
he great honor for this congress TO wind
up the ~ year system
Changes In Party Alignment.
II Is an odd fact that In the six months
OF its ACTIVE life tho Fitty-thirh congress
has had five material changes of party
alignment. Now that o'NcilI and Eng
liSh have secured the seats lately occupied
by Joy and Hilborn, Republicans. and
MIR. lslar has come in rs the successor of
MIR Brawlcy Of South Carolna, the Dem
ocrats In the house have reached their high
est numhcr-2ls. Twelve members are
now counted as Popullsts. SO there are
hut ia Republicans, This gives 81 Dem.
ocratic majority over NIL. and on questions
where the pupulists vote with them they
leave the Republicans In the lurch by 1905.
As ~ Republicans are avowcd frcc silver
men. 1t would seem that Mr. Bland was
quite within bounds in his confident proph-
ccy that his soignioragc hill could be pass
eli over the veto, only IL did not turn out
So. or the two vacancies ii is certain that
MIR, Blanoha,i's succtss,r from Louisiana
will bc u Democrat hut Ohio Republicans
arr betting that the Dayton district will
send a Republican To suecSd the late Mr.
Houk. which would leave the majority un-
changed Mr. Hatch ssys that his antiop-
ton hll Is in exactly the right shape. that
the features which made il obnoxious tn
~ many In the Fifty III 5; and Fifty second
congresses have been eliminated, that the
longer ii Is discussed the more supporters
II will have, and that he is confident it
viii pass the house by u two thirds major
ity. This opposition declare, however, that
he must have n quorum Of his own TO pass
IL