The House Would Rather Not Buy the Railroads
Olympia lawmakers mock a memorial urging Congress to foreclose on the Pacific railroads, then vote 67-55 to let the matter drop.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
OLYMPIA, Jan. 28.—(Special.)—In the house, on the memorial to Congress that the government foreclose on the Pacific railroads, there were several good speeches.
Nelms of Chehalis said the movement reminded him of a Dutchman and his dog. The dog was a sheep-stealing, worthless cur when he got away from you and worth nothing when you had him with you. He was killed, and the Dutchman said: 'He was not worth a damn, but since you have been mean enough to kill him, I'll make you pay every cent.' The Union Pacific railroad would be worse than worthless, and a competing road could be built for twenty-five million less than it had cost.
Cline of Whatcom, Populist, said the government was merely getting its money back, or at least getting something for its money. Albertson thought the congressional delegation might be trusted to use good judgment. Eddy of Snohomish asked if the intention was to force the government to buy the roads no matter how much others might bid. South of Kitsap said nobody was fool enough to bid $30,000,000 or $40,000,000 more than the road could be built for. Coon of Snohomish was not in favor of the government running railroads any more than running a chicken ranch. Witt, Reynolds, Curties and Kader took part in the debate.
By a vote of 67 to 55 the house decided practically not to adopt the memorial.
“He was not worth a damn, but since you have been mean enough to kill him, I'll make you pay every cent.”
The 1894 debate over whether Washington should urge Congress to take over failing Pacific railroads echoes today's fights over public ownership, corporate bailouts, and who bears the cost of infrastructure. The House's refusal was not a vote against railroads but against a particular kind of rescue—a reminder that 'government ownership' has never been a simple partisan line.
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