The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-31

I WAAAsA IN A9k HAsA Al8Ha = htAAAAAt-Ats
Issue in the campaign, and perhaps few
yoters are familiar with the question.
Mr.. BlaJr took especial pains NOT to give
the history OF the matter, or to contrast
the action OF the Republican admlnis-
tration with that Of the last Democratic
administration. Had ne made COM
parison OF the Two methods OF handling
the Pacific matter his hearers would
have seen 1t In a much clearer light The
debt against the Paclhc railroad had exc,
listed for a great many years, a mort
gage being held by the government. The
status Of the matter now Is that much
better arrangement was made for SECURE
ity. ana the government win not lose
the amount OF indebtedness. but on the
contrary, receive 1t all.
To undertake here 10 contrast the poll
cies of the Republican ana the Demo
cratic administrations regarding the
sale Of the Pacific railroads would re-
qulre review of a great deal OF history,
which was thoroughly discussed when
the matter was before the public. The
financial interest of the government in
the Union Pacific ended Just year ago
tomorrow Con November /. 1870. when
the main line was sold to the trustees
Of the organization committee under a
decree Of the United States court for the
district Of Nebraska.
The bid by the committee which was
accepted covered the entire indebted
ness to the United States, The amount
due was S5s,4ls.222. During the Demo
cratic administration an attempt was
made to sell the Union Pacific and Kan
cas- Pacific lines, and the government
agreed with the reorganization commit
tee that the whole debt on both lines,
amounting to s7OOOO,OOO, should be set
tied by a sale that would realize to the
government only s42,OOOOOO. This agree
ment was not sustained by President
Mckinley and the department Of Jus
tiee, and, through the management Of
the President and the attorney general,
this same reorganization committee was
compelled 70 bid sum which covered
the entire amount Of the government
debt, which was, as stated above, $751;
t4s,22S.
This was on the main line, and on the
Kansas Pacific line the demands of
President McRinley's administration re-
suited in the realization by the govern
ment OF the total amount of its claim.
se,sOs,oOO. when the reorganization COM
mi,tee had previously declared that 1t
would not bid more than S2.5Oe.OOO. This
presents q contrast strlldngly. favorable
to the present Republican administra-
lions business way of treating these
matters and that of ;he Democratic adj
ADMINISTRATION, which would have resulted
IN loss to the goyernmeat-a contrast
which Mr.. Blair did not dare refer to.
The bill which Mr., Blair doubtless re-
fers to in his criticism Of Captain Dow
ener is the amendment to the general
deficiency bill, fixing basis of settle
ment with the Central and Western Pa
c!fic railways, adopted JulT 9, last. This
amendment appointed the secretary Of
the treasury, the secretary Of the inter-
Tor and the attorney general commits
sion to settle the indebtedness Of the
government growing out Of the Issue OF
bonds to aid IN the construedsa OF the
roads, provided the settlements are sub
United to the President for his approval.
This course met the approval of every
fair-minded person except the populistle
element that would have policy pur-
sued which would compel the govern
ment to enter on the policy Of the own
ership Of railroads. Congress- acted
mora wisely than that. It created this
commission OF cabinet officers to make
an agreement on BASIS OF FULL
PAYMENT OF THE INDEBTED
NESS, with interest at per cent. the
whole TO be paid within ten years, in
semi-annual payments. A default of a
single payment makes the entire amount
due. An this is to be done in the full
public knowledge.
The 1ntelhgepcer has taken much
space to explain this situation, because
Mr.. Blair, presenting upon the lack OF
knowledge of the situation by many OF
his hearers, is using Captain Dovener's
attitude on the question against him.
Captain Dovener stood by the wiser and
better policy pursued BY the present ad-
mlnistratlon, as against that Of the
glevelaud administration. The present
situation is eminently satisfactory to all
save the popuIIstic element that wants
government ownership OF railways.
Another Comparative Statement
The biennial report of the manage
Iii s4tasa lIF