The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-20
KILL THE STEAL.

which we have noticed elsewhere, is a
remarkable usurpation Of power, one
practical effect of it, if it shall result in
killing the Nicaragua canal bill for this
session, may be accepted as a blessing.
A more colossal and unblushing bit of
effrontery than to bring forward this
measure again at this time has never
been seen since this government began.
We have just passed through a period
of treasury deficits. The deficiency
for the current year is already away up
in the millions. The new president has
announced that he will call congress
together in extra session to provide ad-
ditional revenue. In circumstances like
these the most rigid economy should be
the rule, and even at the present rate
of expenditure the people must be more
severely taxed. It is proposed, under
such circumstances, to make a practi-
cal gift Of not less than 500, 600, 900, and
probably between two and three times
that sum in the end, to a private cor
poration which is lobbying for the pas
ocAoC VI I1iS 4NlCdIdSud canal Dill.
There has just failed to pass in the
house a bill to adjust the indebtedness
of the Pacific railroad companies For
thirty years the subsidy policy has in
Volved this nation in scandal and loss.
Uncle Sam is at this moment out of
pocket to the tune of Sill, 00O, 900 because
Of guaranteed bonds Of the Union and
Central Pacific Railroad companies.
whose payment by the companies them
selves was a million times more prob
able than the payment Of it's securities
by any Nicaragua canal company. The
United States is now left with no re-
course against these companies except
to put up $60,O00000 more, buy the
properties and then run them on gov
eminent account, to the great danger
OF the public service and a loss of no.
BODY knows how many million dollars
per annum. These are the fruits of our
adoption Of the subsidy policy in con-
nect1on with the Pacific roads. And vet.
at such a moment, with our financial
necessities pressing forward and with
thls monumental lesson from the past
staring us in the face, public opinion is
lnsulted and defied by the jobbers in
congress, particularly in the senate.
VINO coolly propose to involve this
country in another similar experience
which can only result in a greater dis
aster.
TT11.
Ihere is no more wicked, Infamous
or corrupt scheme before the public to-
day IN any country on the globe than
this Nicaragua canal Job. There is no
more excuse for any one who supports
IL than there is for advocating Don
Cameron's Cuban resolution. Admit
ting the value Of an inter-oceanic canal
there are two perfectly plain choices.
and only two, which this people should
consider. If the undertaking is sufH-
GENTLY important to us as a govern
ment, let the government build the
! canal, operate it and pay the whole
cost OF 1t. If 1t is not, then let the gov
eminent have nothing to do with it,
and private capital and private enter
prise, If the scheme is what it's mem
bers set forth, will take care of the
project without assistance from the
treasury. The persistence of fraud and
the undying purpose Of corrupt poll
ticians to swindle the people form the
only explanations Of an act to guar
antee the bonds of the private com
pany, after what has happened in the
case Of the Pacific railroads, and with
an empty treasury and a deficient rev.
enue appealing to us for help. Let
every man who is willing to help clear
the vermin out Of public life strike his
first and hardest blow at the Nicaragua
canal thievery