New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-04
THE PIrIIIC H1ILEOID UIEI.

BY lis action on Saturday. i'm voting 10 re-
commit 10 The Committee. on Pacific Railroads
the bill which that committee had reported pro.
vlding for an adjustment Of the maturing debts
OF the Pacific Railroad companies 10 The GOV
| eminent. This Democratic Congress has again
illustrated lis utter incapacity To treat public
questions with either intelligence or courage.
The settlement Of the Pacific Railroad debts
upon some basis by This Congress WAS due not
only 10 the rights Of security holders aud the
interest of the public In the proper maintenance
If The properties involved. bur 10 the dignity ~
| the Government. which 10y the refusal 4" act IL
placed in the position OF wantonly obsir1icting
the only process by which the first mortgage
creditors can obtain their just dues. A. The
matter il now left the Government will be tie
pendent solely upon The posiponcmcnls and tie
| laws granted by The courts for the payment Of
any portion Of lis claims under the second mort
gage lien. That i MOI by any means Il dgnihcd
or even reasonable attitude 10 be taken by
great Government. either toward It's own debt
| ors or toward citizens ~ this and other coIn-
tries holding securities for which the faith ~
the Government Is pledged. whom II obstrlcts
by dilatory motions In the recovery Of their
own II IL especially disgraceful in view Of
the fact that The choice was fairly presented 10
Congress between a settlement on the offer OF
stockholders 10 cxtinguish the prior mortgage
and some definite action looking 10 foreclosure of
the Government lien and proceedings for pur-
chase and control. Not having either. the in
| telllgencc 10 understand the question or The
courage to meet IT, the House. after three days
Of rant against dead men, sncaked away from
1t by voting for rccommilal
The three DAYS devoted 10 what is called by
a legislative fiction, the consideration Of the bill.
was for the most part given up 10 reckless de
nuncatiOn Of everybody who ever had the mis-
fortune To hold any Of the securities Of these
luckess corporations mixed with the senscless
rawlings and grotesquc rhetoric which came into
fashion with the Colorado Watcs, the Oregon
Pennoyers, the Illinois Altgcds. the Kansas
dwellings the South Carolina Tillnans and
the Texas Hogs. 1t Is the consolation or n
weather beaten and stOrm-tossed people. who FOR
two years have been paying the penalty OF their
own wind sowing, that the fashion Is passing,
and the reign Of inflated folly, OF exaggeration
and hyperbole, OF adjective and expetive and
mad gesticulation Is drawing TO close. During
the three days bowling, which this Democratic
and Popustic Congress calls discussion, the
| official reports show that the opponents Of a
settlement with the roads and advocates Of
Government control. almost without exception.
expended their Orat0ry In violent and
abusive language on wholly irrelevant mat
tiers, never once pretending 10 bring 10
| the so-callcd debate the calm Judgment
and sober utierances which should char
acterize the deliberations Of intelligent men
upon business proposition. Had they after
| these three days Of worse than frutless talk
shown manliness and courage enough to vote
directly upon the bill. IL would have left them
less dscredited, at least. Instead of that after
befuddling themselves with figures they did not
! comprehend. and lashing themselves Into . psss,