Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1888 — THURMAN AND THE PACIFICS. [ARTICLE]

THURMAN AND THE PACIFICS.

Chicago Timos: The scene in the senate of the United States when Th urman, by the sheer force of his rugged honesty, compelled the passage of his refunding bill is one of the most memorable in the history of that body. The manipulators of the subsidized railroads, chief of which we e the Central and Union Pacific, had not permitted their corporations to make any preparations whatever for the payment of their obligations to the United States. Fourteen years had passed and the only credits the government o'd give them for the subvention, which, principal and interest, now amounts to more than $100,000,000, grew out of the transportation of troops and supplies. Vet the projectors of the roads, or their successors in control and mangement, were bilding gigantic fortunes from the properties. The companies had the audacity to ask of congress that certain barren and unsalable lands granted the roads should be bought by the gover ment for a priee. U .der the management of a persuasive lobby such a measure was likely to be carried. Thurman called a halt. “Debtors of the United States, you must arrange to pay your obligations,” said Thurman: “Year by year there must be set aside from your earrings and paid into the treasury of the United States a sum that, with accruing interest, shall make the government whole when the subvention bonds mature.” This was revolution. Was Gould to stand it? Was Huntington? Were the plu ocrats of Nob Hill, in Frisco? When the day for the vote was at hand Huntington came himself to the senate and was permitted the use of a room openmg out on the chamber. He Blew many of his men. Blaine wffi a lieutenant, active upon the fio«r. Gould sat in the gallery checking off the votes on the amendments offered for the purpose of killing the bill. Ordinarily placid, Thurman, indignant at the scandalous spectacle of a shaneless lobby, led by the chiefs of the Pacifies, thundered a speech that compelled senators to choose then and there between their duty to thjir constituents and the government and their interest with the Pacifies. The bill carried. Yet Stanley Matthews, who was opposed to it, went through republican favor to the supreme bench, and Leland Stanford was soon after sent from California by a republican jgislature to reinforce the millionaire monopolists whom Thurnlan had routed. - - - - , I A Republican-farmer )of Illinois, in discussing the polit- ; leal elation in the United State •, 'jay.-:: “I he Farmers’ Alliance in i fllinoiswiil elect the Democratic State picket with Gen. Palmer at the hlad of it. Never since the old Giungerdays has there been so much bathusiasm and such complete organization among the farmers. iVhilc the majority of the members are nominally Republicans, almost all of them are tariffreformers to the core. They are sick o! all this talk about protection. The average Illinois farmer has serse enough to know when he is beinif robbed, and he is commencing to wake up to I is necessities. 'ihe Snringfield ring is held responsible for a great deal of bad government i» the State, and as a result ] am willing to wager anything tiat Palmer will be elected.”

A Tribute to Thurman.—There is no perceptible diminution in his mental icumen, in his rugg d adherenceito what he believes to be right. To the despaiiers in his own the adventurers, the “expedihit” men, he is as unbending as and, naturally enough, his iamb excites their hostility whenevej it is mentioned, whether in or cd of a convention. —Cincinnati Times-Star, rep.

' More t. employee lines in t

an one million men are by the various railway le Uhited States.