The Portland daily press., 1896-12-12


extended investigation. is, that the pro-
visions Of this bill, in respect to pay
ments, are as favorable to the Govern
ment as can BIZ imposed without exceed
ing the limit of safe and prudent ex-
action.
There is opposition to this bill, both
business and political. Those who op-
pose on business grounds think that the
government should foreclose on the road
at once. This would mean that the
government would have to advance SOL,
3S5. 600 to buy up the claim Of the first
mortgage bond holders. Having done
that it would have railroad on its
hands.
The political opposition is very i'm
portant element: and arises from curl
Gus situation. The great Inogul CT the
Shouthern Pacific is Coils p. Hunting
ton. That road ia competitor OF the
Union and Central Pacific lines, which which
the government is now considering.
A bout eleven years ago the Southern
Pacific leased the Central Pacific. This
important action put Celifornia's two
lines of railroad to the East into one
control, aud Mr.. Huntington is lord of 1t
all.
Hence has arisen great agitation on
the Pacific coast. 1t is alleged that the
government must foreclose it's lien on
Du6 diRt Sc1tIdl nSiAiO ialtS tSRt
the latter road away from the Hunting
ton lease, and thus save the Pacific coast
from the monopoly by restoring compet-
ing lines.
This is very live Issue ON the Pacific
coast, and much will be heard OF IL
when the bill comes up for debate.
John 3. Cough, at the time the Wash
ingtonian crusade was begun, was
oung man of brilliant parts who spent
his evenings, and days tao for that mat
ter, in debauchery. When he had no
liquor, be would entertain the crowds
in the rum shops with bis powers Of
eloquence and mimicry and in that way
earn his share of the drinks. But he was
approached one night by q Washing
tonian and the words of this man. who
was an hum BILE waiter in hotel, made
such an impression ON the future bfll
liant orator that he Joined the new move
ment and became its brightest light, Tne
we'll expressed in their pledge, which
read as follows: n
We, whose La mes are annexed, deslr-
Gus to form a society for ous mutual
benefit aud TO guard against q pernic-
ious practice which is injurious TO our
health, standing and families. do pledge
ourselves that we will not drink any
spirituous or malt liquors, vino or
cider.
It will be observed that the Washing
tonians did not make that exception in
favor of the fermented juics Of the apple,
which is a part of the famous prohibit
tory amendment to the constitution Of
Maine.
Mr.. John M. Todd remembers this
Washingtt nian meetings in Portland.
Mr.. Todd came to Portland from Bath
In fS44 and the movement was then at
it's height. Mr.. Todd joined the Wash
ingtonians in Bath and is now the only
survivor of the original society in that
city. When Mr.. Todd came here, the
Neutrality-suspicious. held their meetings in
hall in one Of the upper stories of the
old Exchange building. "They used to
tell how much they had drunk and how
they had abused their families, said
Mr.. Todd, the other day. land the man
who told ths biggest story was the best
fellow. I think there was more drunk
enness among middle aged and old
people then than there is now, but there
ia. / think, more hard drinking among
the young now and perhaps that is q
worse form of the evil. Then q nah
could drink a quart of the good New
ENGLAND rum they sold at three cents q
glass without getting any drunker than
he would on three glasses Of Portland
whiskey OF today
As consequence of the Washingtonian
movement, said Mr.. Todd, many persons
were driven out of the business of liquor
selling because for time at least every
body stopped drinking.
Mr.. Todd's remarks upon the drinking
habits Ct half century ago compared
with those of today show alike cAaDgs
for the better and, at the same time per-
maps, one for the worse. If there are now
fewer old topars" who reel home TO
terroriza wrstched families, there is still
need Of reform work, and this. as the
writer understands il, 10 the end and aim
nf the new movement iu this city. AS
the first Washingtonian society, besides
the drunkarGs whose stories gave it's
meetings much of their peculiar in
tersst, included in its membership many
temperate men, who gave helping hand
to the less fortunate, SO this new Wash
ingtonian movement is intended TO in
clude all persons who are willing to work
against the evil of excessive drinking.
On Thursday some mis3hievous mem
beTs in the House took advantage of q
bill that came I'D to bait the leader of til 9
Populist larty In the House, Congress
very few in the House in spite of their
multitude in the nation; but they voted
for Mr. Bell rs their candidate for Speak
er, and SO he became their leader. On
Thursday bill was brought up to quail
fy somewhat the law which prevents the
ownership by aliens of land in the terri
tories. Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, took The
occasion to stir up the Populists and to
call Bell to his feet. Mr.. Bell belongs
to the type seen in Maine nearly 90 years
ago, when the Greenbacker was in his
glory, and the members of the House
rather like to see him stirred up. Dennis
Flynn. the bright and audacous young
delegate from Oklahoma, led in the bair-
ing of Bell, fually leading him on to o
statement like this: II ask leave of the
gentleman to make statement of fact. !"
But Flynn refused on the ground that
tb be gentleman was trying to do some
thing which no Populist had ever tried
before.
Mr.. Bell, by the way, will sit 10 the
House of the 55th Congress as the men,
Der having back of him the largest pu-
rality of any mem ber. He got about
68, 600 more votes than his Republican
Mr.. Shafroth, the other Con
gresham from Colorado was Republi-
can before the readjustment of party rela.
tions in the late election. He was elect
ed by plurality nearly as large as that
received by MIR. Bell.
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