Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-02-05
MORGAN'S COLUMN.
THE ARKANSAN ON SOME CUR
RENT DOINCS.
Tie Takes a Few Snap Shot Pen Pic
lures of the Passing ShOw-NO Quar-
ter cfor the Wicked-His Views on
Present Prosperity.

The Pacific railroad funding bill Is
now one of the most important meas
ures before congress. The railroads
have defefaulted in the payment OF
their debt to the government and the
mortgage can now be foreclosed. This
is an opportunity to begin in a practi-
cal business way the government own
ership of railroads.
The government issued bonds to aid
In the construction of these railroads.
The proceeds of the bonds were sufii-
cient to construct and equip the road.
Besides this millions of acres of lands
were granted to the companies. For
thirty years now the railroad COM
panies have been defaulting in the
payment of interest on these bonds
until now they owe the government
something over one hundred million
dollars.
1t has been ruled by government Off
.ials that default in payment OF the
interest was not such default as to au-
thorize foreclosure of the mortgage,
and the effect of this ruling was such
as to give the companies the use OF
both principal and interest for thirty
years without compromising. Govern
or Pattison of Pennsylvania, who was
member of the commission appointed
by the President to investigate the
methods of the companies, in his mi
nority report said that the use of this
interest money was worth to the COM
panies one hundred and ninety-nine
million dollars.
The proposition now is to fund this
debt into two per cent bonds, some OF
which may run for seventy years long
err. This bill is now pending before
congress, and G. P. Huntington is
there to assist with his lobbying meth
DDS to get it through. AS he was a
large contributor to the Republican
campaign fund he may be successful.
But the people of the whole country
should see to it that everything posi-
BILE is done to prevent it. In states
where United States senators are to
elect, no man should be supported who
will not pledge himself to vote against
this funding scheme and do all he can
10 protect the government from any
%knv
Here is an opportunity for Populists
TO press the issue of government own
ership Of railroads and insist on the
seizure of this opportunity to test its
utility. Tslere is no good reason why
the government should not foreclose.
If was manifestly the intention to do
so when the aid was given if the roads
defaulted. Ample provision was made
to do so, and there is now no question
as to the legal right to do so. Here
is the law covering the case (act OF
July /, 1859: "On the refusal or fail
ure of said company to redeem said
bonds or any part Of them when re-
nuired to do so by the secretary OF the
treasury, in accordance with the pro-
visions of this act the said road, with
all the rights, functions, immunities
and appurtenances thereunto belong
ing. and also all of the lands granted
to the said company, which at the time
OF said default shall remain in the
ownership of said company, may be
taken possession of by the secretary OF
the treasury for the use and benefit OF
the United States"
Two years ago, when Coils P. Hunt
ington first went to Washington to
lobby for an extension of time on the
debt of the Central and Southern Pa
cific roads, Senator Stewart acted as
his go-between to the other senators,
conducting them from the senate cham
Der to the lobby rooms and introduce
ing them to Mr.. Huntington. Stewart
was also on the committee to which the
Huntington bill was referred and voted
to report it cavorably to the senate.
Stewart is evidently Huntington's at
torney. The Missouri World, COM
menting on this phase of the case,
says: Watch the Silver Knight, pub
lished at Washington, D. c. When
congress was in session last winter
the Pacific railroad funding bill was
I'D. but readers Of the paper saw little
or nothing in it on the subject. An
alleged populist paper, published at
the national capital, keeping mum on
that stupendous subject! Senator
Stewart, the editor, is on the Pacific
railroad senate committee, and, strange
to say, is in favor of the funding bill,
which the national platform of the peo-
pies party denounced as Infamous. I"
The Loud bill is up before congress
again. The purpose of this bill is to
'esrict the present scope of mail car
'iage. 1t provides against accepting
books published as serials as second
lass matter, and the mailing of free
ample copies. There can be no good
'eason given for the passage of the bill
Whatever deficiency is caused by the
carriage OF second-class matter is
simply gain in one way and loss in
I