Washington sentinel., 1900-12-08
A one Man Trust.

a Oht NAAN AA N9Ns
The island OF Newfoundland is
about the size Of Kentucky, though
much less populous. It has per-
sistenh. refused to become a part
of the Dominion OF Canada, but
maintains a government OF its own.
That it has not always been well
governed Is a safe deduction, from
the fact that it has just emerged
from an electoral struggle made to
prevent it from be coming The per-
sonal property Of one man, a
sketch OF events which led to this
abnormal situation is not without
interest.
Twenty years ago Newfound-
land had no railroads. There we're
5000 miles of seaboard, and the
settlements were on or near the
coast. The interior was uninhab-
tied, and partly unexplOred, The
people near the coast visited and
traded with one another by the aid
of water craft OF various kinds.
This was all the easier as fishing
is the chief industry. But the peo-
pie we're convinced that they
needed railroads, and set out to
get them. They have proved
very expensive luxury.
In the first place there was some
negotiation with an American firm
which became bankrupt. Then
the Colonial Government under
took the work, but found it too
much for its resources. After the
lapsing Of ten years, the Colonial
Government turned the work oyer
to q contractor named 5. G.. Reid.
He built a road from the coast to
the east side OF the island, at SGs,-
600 a mile, for which he received
in payment colonial forty year
bonds, bearing four per cent inter-
est. The road and its branches
we're $50 miles in length, and, in
round numbers, cost $40, 900, 900.
The bonds are said to have been
marketed in London nearly at par.
Newfoundland now had a good
deal oil railroad for the area and
population OF the island, and the
Government owned it all. The
operation Of it was another ques
ton. 1t ran mostly through an
unsettled country, affording no
local traffic. But Mr.. Reid again
came forward and offered to oper-
ate the road for ten years If the
Government would give him 5000
acres per mile on each side of the
road This was agreed TO, but the
colony was not yet done with Mr..
Reid. In 1897 he came back and
proposed to operate the road for
twenty years more tor 1900 acres
to each mile. But the Liberal
Government was getting afraid OF
him and hesitated. At the next
election the Conservatives came
into power, on the cry of"no more
concessions to Reid" Mark what
followed Ihe Conservative Pre-
mier, Sir James Winter, appointed
one Morine, a lawyer, Minister OF
Finance. He was in the pay of
Reid, and proceeded TO take meas
ures 20 turn tn island over to him.
He sold him the railroad for a mil
lion dollars; a thousand miles OF
telegraph at one half of its cost;
gave him a monopoly Of mail, pas
senger and freight business on the
coast, certain subsidies, and other
concessions. When the relations
between Reid and Morine were
discovered, he was at once dis
missed from Office, When the mat
ter was broughtto the notice Of Jos.
Chamberlain, British Colonial Sec
retary, he said it was "the most
extraordinary abrogation OF the
functions OF a Legislature and a
government that the world had
ever seem,
The Winter Ministry was de-
fea'ed at the next election, and the
Liberal Bond Minis rY came in.
They refused to further any Of
Reds schemes until he abandoned
most Of the concessions which he
had traudulentlY obtained, He
refused to do this, and made war
on the Ministry. At the recent
election he had the eHrontery to
20 to the people on his issue with
the Ministry, promising them all
sorts Of material prosperity if they
would allow him to retain his
1000, 900 acres OF land, his sub
sides and all the other booty which
he had acquired bv a contract with
his own attorney. But the bait
was not taken. Returns from the
election are not complete, but it is
apparent that they went over
Rhelmingly against Reid. He will
no doubt be heard from in the
future, but he has not yet sue
ceeded in putting the island OF
Newfoundland into his pocket.
This story is a good illustration
of trust methods. First, the attack
is made BY progressive approach,
a little asked at FIRST; everything
demanded at the close. The put
ting OF a trust attorney into a Gov
eminent place is another point Of
resem mblance. Delusive promises
OF prosperity are still another.
Finally the mask IS thrown off and
an attempt IS made to govern the
country. This enormous project
was attempted by a single man,
though, OF course, he had many
others in his pay.-LOzkS1lXe COHY-