The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-04-26
Squanderng Of the States Monies and Securities by the
Republican Party
TAKEN OFF RAILROADS AND FASTENED ON PEOPLE
Official Corruption Unparalleled Outside Carpetbag Rule
in the South.

AAO AOS SAoldOuAOi WuiCu Was ONeI-
whelmingly Republican in both
branches, in the session of 1868 passed
this act:
'That the debt due, or to become
due, from the North Missouri Rail-
road Company to the state Of Missouri
for bonds Of the state loaned said com
pany to aid in the construction of
their road (amounting to four mill
ion three hundred and fifty thousand
dpllars), and for the interest paid on
said bonds by the state, is hereby
sold and assigned to Henry T. Blow.
rs *and their associates for the
sum Of two hundred Thousand dollars,
which sum may be paid in any out
standing state bonds, and shall be
paid into the state treasury on OR be-
fore the fourth day of July next"
BY this act there was fastened on
the state a direct debt Of So, 76O, 900.
This republican legislature did not
BY any means limit its corporations
debt-releasing and state-debt-creating
tactics to the Wabash.
The Iron Mountain went through
the farce of a public sale. The high
est bid was rejected and the road,
which owed the state over six millions
OF dollars, was awarded by the COM
missioners to firm by the name Of
"a. J. Mckay and others" for the
Si9.ro u $3.50, 900.
The commissioners rejected bids for
over million dollars.
Evidence taken before the McGin-
mis- legislative committee developed
the fact that McKay's visible prop
erty consisted Of span Of Arkansas
mules and an open spring wagon, and
that the "others" associated with
him as purchasers included three
brothers Of one of the commissioners
who voted to reject the higher bid.
By this Iron Mountain transaction
an additional debt of 6,O61, asa was
fastened upon the state.
But still the ravenous maws of the
political blood suckers of that corrup-
tion-breeding period were not
satisfied. The Missouri Pacific owed
the state $40, 10000 At this same
session a legislative committee report
ed to that body that after thorough
investigation, they found the Mis-
souri, Pacific road to be worth $l2,-
797, ,497.
This was twenty per cent above
the amount due the state. Yet with
in a month from the date Of this
report this legislature passed an act
fastening upon the state So, 7S0, 900
Of the Missouri Pacific Indebtedness
and relieving the railroad company of
this sum.
Naturally, the question would arise
as to the cause which led the legis-
lature to add over five million OF
dollars to the burdens of the people.
The facts came out in a suit in the
United States court in the case OF
James NJ. Lamb ct al VS.. the Missouri
Pacific Railroad company, in which
the evidence established the fact that
corruption fund ofS193, ,64S.60 had
been used by the managers Of the
Missouri Pacific to pass the bill re-
leasing the road Of So, 100000 and
fastening that sum on the people.
But still there were other pro-
moters and political favorites to be
taken care Of. The Frisco owed the
state six and half millions Of dollars.
Another mock sale was held, and the
road, with over a million acres Of
land, knocked of for 81, 300, 900.
After the purchasers paid 1925, 600
they concluded the state could be
beaten out Of the remainder and this
same legislature generously passed an
act relieving the purchasers Of the
payment Of the remainder Of their
bill.
BY this last act the state had fast
ened upon it an additional debt Of
SO, ,l0s,77O
These are all matters Of record.
They constitute one Of the darkest