New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-20
RAILROAD OR CANALf

The postponed sale OF the Kansas Pacinc
Railroad under the United States Court oruer
in foreclosure proceedings is set down TOT feo
ruary 10 Until the order for postponemeu' was
made many supposed that the upset DC Oh 'ne
Union Pacific Reorganization Committee wouiu
be accepted and the property would continue
TO be operated In connection WITH ana as part
of. the Union Pacific system. BY that arrange
ment the Government would receive ABOUT
50 800 600 on It's claim Of nearly Sl3,"'Oooo
BE- good luck or sharp management on the paI'
Of the Governments representatives., the safe
of the Union Pacific a month or two ago uhder
similar conditions was made TO bring INTO the
Treasury the full amount OF that companys
debt TO the Government with interest This uh-
eynected result so encouraged the Government
officials that they Immediately conceived the
idea that if the Kansas Pacific sale were post
noned the committee-under a notice that the
Government itself would be a bdder-would IN
crease their offer and perhaps pay the whoie OF
the Government claim Of S13,OO0'OO0 for the
nroperty. On the other hand, postponement
was urged by the advocates Of Government
control and operation Of railways, who had been
dIsappointed In the matter Of the Union Pa
cifc. but now have hopes that the Government
will become the purchaser Of the Kansas Ia
cidc and so take the initial step IN the Popu-
listic experiment
A bill is now pending In the Senate giving
authority to The Secretary of the Treasury to
bid on behalf Of the Government at the fore
closure sale and II necessary purchase the
property. AS the purchase and operation or the
road would be in direct violation OF one of the
fundamental principles Of the party In power,
we must hope that there Is no serious purpose
TO proceed to extremities by actually purchasing
the property The proposition finds favor, OF
course with the POpulists In Congress, who are
by no means so anxious 10 have the Govern
ment reimbursed as they are TO secure an en-
tering wedge for the general scheme OF Govern
ment control OF railways. The situation does
not seem free from danger. II the Kansas Pa
ciic Is not actually essential tC the plans OF the
reorganiZed Union Pacific although obviously
Of greater value TO that corporation than any
other possible compctltor) and II they should
decide Il 10 be unwise on their part 10 bid
against the Government or increase their own
offer the Government might find itself sadded
NJ once with a 100000 prior lien which II
must pay and would have to show for It 394
miles of slngle.track road, running from Kan
sas City TO a post on the open prairie 249 miles
short of the Denver terminus. Its operation
would establish at once a sucker on the Treas
ury of no one knows how many Popust power.
No: II the advocates Of Government control
of transportation routes are really so anxious
10 have the Government buy into an assess
ment" here Is our Erie Canal; why not take
that? 1t has no first or second mortgage it be-
gins somewhere and gets somewhere; there Is
no danger Of its being paralleed; it connects
the Great Lakes with tdewater; comes under
the head of internal improvements, and with
perfect propriety and without wrencning the
Constitution can be provided for in the River
and Harbor bill. Moreover, there are superin-
tendents and gatekeepers and locktendcrs and
weighmasters and inspectors and engineers and
q whole host of Others-almost as many as
there are on a railroad-who would go on the
Government payrolls to increase the volume Of
patronage and plumber, and otherwise add to
the responsibilities and the joys Of Congress
sional life 1t can be had cheaper, too Some
OF the Legislators at Albany have expressed a
willingness TO sell It for 10 cents while others,
more literally disposed say that, so far as they
are concerned the Government can have the
whole outfit including Superintendent Aldrdge,
for nothing That would save the taxpayers Of
the State great many millions of money and
give the Government something it could have
lots of fun with. If the Government must buy
into an assessment" let It, by all means, take
the canal That would make us all happy.