The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-06
UNION PAC|F|C'S' DEBTS,
Government Director CoombS
Here on a Tour of In
SpeCtion.
Demand a Third Term of
Cleveland.

William ]. Coombs, lately appointed by
President Cleveland one of the Govern
ment directors of the Union Pacific Rail-
road, arrived here yesterday on a trip of
inspection over the road and its branches
and connections. Mr.. Coombs was elected
a member of the Fifty-second and Fifty
third congresses from one of the Brooklyn
districts and took prominent standing on
tho Democratic side of the house. He is
| called the father of the American export
trade, in which business he has been for
over forty years.
Asked about his trip last evening at the
Palace. he said: ~ have come out to try
to form business judgment of the situa-
ton of the Pacific railroads, more particu-
larly the Union Pacific in relation to its
Indebtedness to the Government, in order
to prepare to act intelligently with the
other directors in framing some plan to
relieve it from its embarrassments, more
particularly to formulate plan for settling
the Indebtedness to the Government.
II have been over most of the system
and am very much pleased with the condi-
ton III which I find it. | find that some
of the feeders are improving in condition.
the country opening up much better than
beyond the lava beds seems to be booming
with the new enterprises along its route
and the people are happy and contented.
"Of course, the Union Pacific is very i'm
portant to the middle tier of States and it
would be out of the question to allow the
road to be destroyed.
II am going at the question in bust
ness-like way to try to find out what the
future can be under good management.
The President is very much interested in
this matter. 1t is the one question besides
silver that he is deeply concerned about
1.-The Government can never expect to
get all its money out of it on account OF
the awful capitalization. 1t has got to be
| brought down to business basis"
| Asked about the Governments taking
| the road Mr.. Coombs said: II am Sc
| thoroughly in favor of the Government
! having nothing to do with railroads that
| would favor any plan to scale down the
amount and free the Government from
railroad complications"
| Mr.. Coombs said that he voted for the
Reilly funding bill, believing it the best
thing that could be done.
The Government director is an ardent
admirer of President Cleveland. Asked
about a third term he said: 81 don't be.
lieve that he considers it for moment
Cleveland, l am sure, does not want q
| third term; but | can imagine a state oil
affairs where the people would demand
it. You must bear in mind that while he
is not the choice of the politicians, there
never was a man who had such a strong
hold on the people. Mr.. Whitney,.
think he would laugh at the idea. Whit
ney would not want to sacrifice himself in
a forlorn hope"
"Do you consider it forlorn hope
| then?"
"Well, you can hardly say that Demo
cratic prospects are very brilliant for the
next campaign. If we had as many cards
as the Republicans we should find no
trouble making choice"
Asked who he thought would be the most
likely to get the Republican nomination,
Mr.. Coombs said 81 would guess Allison.
! could not give the grounds for that be-
| lief but have that feeling. He has not
been in condition to make enemies"