Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-30
THE PACIFIC ROADS.
Minority Report on The Bill Pre-
scented 10 The Senate.
THE OBJECTIONS POINTED OUT.
The Railroad Companies Charged With
the Preparation OF Enormous
Frauds.

wAsHINoToN, March Ex-senator
Morgan today presented minority
report on the bill recently reported
favorably to the Senate for adjustment
OF Pacific roads debts through the
agency OF q commission. The report
gives the circumstances of the incep.
ton OF this national highway across
the continent ana maintains that 1t
was essentially government UNDER
taking Entrusted TO private hands, Just
rs national banks are inslrumentalities
OF government, although In private
hands.
To secure the government against
the default OF these corporations In the
payment Of the bonds Issued to enable
them to build these railroads, there
WAS provided Ia the cnatters dislinc.
aud separate lien upon all their prop
erty OF every description In favor OF
the United States. The statute pro-
vldes for forfeiture on default OF pay
ment and transfers the title and
possession by oct OF law to the United
states. The government is thus sub.
stituted Ia absolute and unconditional
ownership OF the corporate property
OF every kind, In place OF the stock.
holcers, whosv ownership thereupon
ceases. rbe report then points out
that this bill provides an agree.
ment with "the owners" OF the
Union Pacific railroad, without
declaring who owns 1t, and deals with
It as II the United States 10 not the
owner. The bill also, 1t is infested,
destroys the unity of this great high
way aud proposes to separate tho
Central Pacific from the Union Pacific
road.
Morgan states In the report that he
will offer an amendment In the Senate
proviuing that the provisions OF the
bill shall apply to both tho Pacific
railroad companies. The senator says
II this "istal act OF separation between
these roads" had not reached con-
elusive stage by reason of agreements
made by the President for the dis
posal OF the governments Interest in
the Union Pacific road, then 1t should
be intercepted and placed in the hands
OF this proposed commission.
The report adds: "The United
States can no more afford TO have this
great highway pass beyond lite right
IMAM Great BTIiaIn could afford to have
The Canadian Pacific road, which III u
military eense 10 the spinal column OF
the empire, pass into the hands Of the
American government. Tine nature
OF such u transaction condemns 1t as u
u,urpation Of authority by the execu-
tive that has NO support in law. IL Is
too much TO ask that Congress snail
STAND by and witness disposal OF this
vast property under private agree.
msnt between the executive and u
great railroad cJmbiua on without
even protest. The vslur . the whole
properly is not adequate ompsneatiOn
for sucn uemoIallZatioLS the al US, of
official power"
Morgan contends that the destrue-
ton OF this unity will enable q great
railroad combination to control trans
portation from New York to the
Pacific ocean, making the people along
the routes mere ieuuaIOries of these
great railroad kings. The report
asserts that the real occasion for this
hill Is to avoid the disclosures and to
provide for the conformation OF irhuIs
aud breaches OF trust on the part OF
owners and directors OF the Genial
Pacific railroad, which, ar they Were
dealt with In the spirit OF justice,
would faaten liabilities upon these
men that would far exceed the vast
Gums wbich ,hs company owes to the
government"
Morgan refers to tho enormous
frauds perpetrated by both OF these
railroad oompanies upon the United
States, the remedy for which Ia eaei-
ly In reach through tribunals OF jus.
lice.
The report then urges that the Presi.
dent should not be left as final UNI pire,
as proposed by this bill, sin contest
between crime nnd public iustico."
The responsibility rests en- Congress,
he says, anu 1t should not un urd On II
on the President.
Morgan adds that although the re.
cult would uissppoint the powerful