The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-28
POWER OF THE PRESS--I1 STOPPED THE
UNION PACIFIC STEAL.


qNa mower of the press has never been
shown so clearly as in the action OF
xhe Mckinley administration with ref
erence to the sale of the Union Pacific
railroad. 1t had been arranged by Cleve-
And and approved by Mckinley to sell
shis valuable property to a syndicate at
q loss involving twenty to thirty mil
sion dollars to the government, as esti-
mated by the Journal and the World re-
spectiyely There were enough Union
Pacific men in the Senate to prevent ae-
ton on bill introduced by Senator
Harris to stop this scandalous deal, and
but for the active fight led by the San
Francisco Examiner, aided by the New
York Journal, the New York World and
the New York Herald, the Infamous
scheme, worse than the j. Piefpont
Morgan bond deal, would have been con-
summated on November LIST.
These papers have made a fight that
deserves the gratitude Of every tax
payer in America. The domination of
trusts and monopolies, the daring wreck
and reorganization by railroad jobbers,
and the unblushing legal theft of all
she best things in sight by big cam
paign contributors had made many good
men despair Of preventing the consum-
nation of this climax of syndicated
greed and wrong. But there was one
agency that could avail. The unbought
press, led by the great metropolitan
journals, throughout the country ex-
posed the job, and made it impossible for
Mckinley and McKenna to execute Han
mas contract with the syndicate with
sut inviting personal political destruc-
ton.
The victory cannot be over-estimated.
The saving Of the twenty million dol
hn IL . great thing, but greater than
any money saving is the proof that jobs
End schemes can be broken up by the
Of publicity. Such deals go
through when newspapers are silent,
when powerful influences are muzzled,
when public opinion is not aroused.
Even then, SO great is the power Of or
gained wealth, they succeed too often.
But-and this is the hopeful sight is
possible to break nefarious scheme
u there is enough publicity given to
u plans aaaf methods, and the public
conscience is thoroughly aroused.
In the fight against bond deals, rail-
road frauds like this, trusts and tariff
robbery there are some good people who
ny: whats the use to fight them I?
OF course they rob the people, but as
long a. they have the money they will
vim. Those who fight them only de-
ytroy their own success and win the
and useless gratitude OF the
masses. As far as / am concerned, / am
not going to kick against the pricks.
Trusts are wrong, but il can get in on
The ground floor / will join in with them.
IL l can't, I'll attend to my own business.
I haven't the time to reform the earth"
The victory over the Union Pacific
steal will tend to silence such pessimistic
Htterances, and gird men with endurance
TO continue the fight for the just and
equal execution Of all laws.
II the Pacific Union steal could be
stopped without legislation, but by the
force of public opinion alone, it is posi-
Bile by the joint influence Of legislation
snd public opinion to bring back the
government to the plane of honesty,
frugality and justice that characterized
Il when it was ruled upon Jeffersonian
principles.
To show the deep interest manifested
in the matter on the Pacific slope. the
Journal yesterday printed a telegram
from the Governor Of California in these
words:
'San Francisco, Oct. %.
Editor Journal:
"On the occasion of the Journals re
cent victory in defeating the Central Pa
si6c funding bill before Congress ! de
slared a public holiday in California.
II hope the fight the Journal is nov
making against the Union Pacific stea
will be equally successful.
JAMES FL. BUDD,
Governor of California"
The recent action Of the administration
forced by the Journal and other papers