The record-union., 1894-09-03

portation as to enhance the value of our
property. Mr.. Estee assures us that it
viii accomplish this result. Mr.. Estee
did not say that it will take $3.50, ,O00, 900
In gold coin of the United States to OBJ
TAIN possession of the roads, that this
Sl9o000,0O0 is money belonging to the
people of the United States, and that they
cannot afford to lend it to the people of
Caufornia and Nevada without interest.
Nor can they afford to invest it perma-
nently in railroad without hope or ex-
pectation of returning it to the Treasury.
1t Is obviously the desire of Mr.. Estee
to have the voters of this State under
stand that he is in favor of confiscating
the money the Government of the United
States has put into the Pacific railroads
for their benefit; that he wants them to
have the perpetual use of that money
without interest; that he wants the prop
osition made by the incorporators and
builders of the Central Pacific and Union
Pacific Railroads to pay what they owe
to the Government in time defeated.
He is opposed to the proposition that
the Government shall recover what is due
or to become due it from the constructors
of the Pacific railroads. He wants the
railroads operated specifically in the in
terest of the people whose votes he is
seeking, and he is perfectly willing to
conhscate the interest of all other portions
OF the United States, if only by this pro-
fession he may appear in the light of
friend of the people. He wants those who
built the railroad forgiven the debt they
owe the Government. He wants the first
mortgage liquidated in coin. He desires
that all other portions of the United States
shall lose the share they have in the Pa
clfic railroads. And he coolly arrogates to
these astonishing propositions the merit
of an anti-railroad position. By this
means he will show to the world his de-
testation of associated capital and his
broad and human sympathies with the
struggling masses. The impulse which
has controlled Mr.. Estee arises out of that
intuitive perception of the politician as
to the popular side of an issue.
Mr.. Estee made all these professions
solely because they were popular, and not
because they would stand the test of ex-
animation if tried by any standard of
craftsmanship. The advocacy of pol
icy which. if successful, would rob the
entire country for the benefit of ones
attributes more becoming in buccaneer
than statesman. Yet the position Mr.
Estee has taken in these matters will be
the slogan of every party in this cam
paign. Every candidate for Congress on
every ticket has already declared his un-
alterable, undying hostility to any ex-
tension of the time for the payment of
the Pacific Railroad debts. None have
specifically declared IN favor of paying
$50, 100000 from the treasury in discharge
of the first mortgages but all have
pointed to the advantages to ensue from
the operation of a main line over which
the products of California must be car
ried by an owner amply able to lose
money on our behalf
The spectacle presented is that of po-
Iitical cunning whispering in the ear of
greed suggestions of illicit gain. The
cunning will be successful in gaining at
tention; greed will listen with avidity to
the predatory suggestion. but the Gov
ernment of the United States will not
own and operate the Pacific Railroads.
The whole proposition savors Of dishon-
esty. 1t is uninventive demagogism,
impracticable pretense and utterly i'm
possible of realization.