Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-02
WASHING TON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


accumulated upon US direct from Kansas with
reason to fear that the Law and Order party of
the Territory may be defeated in the election OF
a delegate in the House of Representatives OF
the United States soon to come off.
The truth is, the nominee of the Democratic
Territorial Convention proves to be unaccepta-
bic to a large portion Of the Democracy of the
Territory for various reasons, principally, we
presume, on account of flaws that have been
picked in his record as the former Governor of
Michigan. The conservative Northern Demo
crats-those from the North opposed to the plots
and schemes of Lane and his brother abolition
ists-according to latest accounts were about to
place on the track Mr.. Stephens, formerly of
New York, against him, while few of the South
ern Democrats seemed willing to support him.
Under such circumstances, unless their inter-
party difficulties can be adjusted, we can see
little hope that the Democracy of the Territory
will do their whole duty in the coming contest
there. Surely, these are not times wherein
they can afford to squabble among themselves,
when so much depends on the stern and har-
monious front they oppose to their common
enemy-the Topeka Constitution party of the
Territory.
The RAILROAD SrocK IMBRoGLIo AT THE
NORTn.-The New York Courier and Enquir-
er, commenting upon an article in the London
Times describing the difficulty in which honest
shareholders in some Of the non-paying Eng
lish railroads are, in the matter Of comprehend
ing for what good purposes they were ever
built, takes occasion to describe the condition
of American railroad affairs i'm Wall street, and
in so doing bears out what we have more than
once said, of late, in the Star, with reference to
the condition of northern railroad affairs Its
remarks, which convey sound lessons, indeed,
are as follows:
"Let the old English shareholder be trans
formed into an American one, standing on this
side OF the water. in almost any part of Wall
street, with his hands playing around at leisure
IN the sudden roominess of his pockets, and we
think the American will say that il is not neces-
sary for him to wait for some day to arrive in
der fully to understand the present philosophy of
railways, for what they seem to be made Oh
what theory and design, and that not the slight
est puzzle In reference TO them clouds the fery
and not the soft sunset of his mind. He will
say that the apparent philosophy of railways is to
form stock list of 'fancies' for the Wall street
Board of Brokers to exhibit each day. in state
OF huctuation, pleasant to some and not so pleas
ant to Others that they seem made for the play
Wall street can gamble to an extent more ruinous
than by regular gambling at a faro table that as
such playing cards they seem made to tempt
Bank and Trust Companies to leave their le1iti-
mate business and stake their funds on the turn
OF the Wall street Railroad stock die; and that
being thus the gambling tools of Wall street
Bulls and Bears, and the tempters of Banks ard
Trust Companies, they seem made to bring about
every now and then financial smash lust the
financial smash that has occurred in Wall street
the last Few days-a financial smash which has
tn al tlanr
and prosperity of great country, but solely with
the stock gambling of Wall street.
rms is the present apparent philosophy of rail-
roads, their present apparent theory and design
and the present apparent solution of the Question,
what railroads Were made for. Such is the ap-
parent philosophy Of railways, in view of the lis
arranged state OF financial affairs of the last week
out such is not their real philosophy in view of
the wants. the resources, and the energies of this
country, at any time. Railways are chief among
our great financial interests and there is no reason
and paying interests. Why should railroad
stocks be made the footballs of the stock-gambers
In Wall street, and not the stocks of the solid
banks Of that locality Yet the stock of the solid
banks of Wall street, we are happy to saw. form
very small capital with a narrow margin for
Bulls and Bears TO play with. while the air has
been fairly daTkened with the railroad paper
which the Bulls and Bears have kept playing,
until their contrary grabs at il have torn it into
pieces, which have fallen on the street in beans
over over which tn the grabbeTs are limPing now in
Why should Banks be better managed for solid
investments han railroads Why should the one
pay and the other not? Commerce needs Banks
and Banks pay for investments in them because
commerce does need them Commerce and I,
hundred other Investments need must have rail-
roads, and why should not railroad stock nav
lor investment: as regular, large, and healthy
dividends as banks ? There is no reason why
We are fast people, We must 20 ahead must
bind, Tor our convenience and profit. the extrem-
tiles OF the country to each other as near as speed
r. liSh and no -,,
connective, are the great means to do it, Does any
one suppose that the people of this country are
not wiling to pay for this accommodation, to pay
for the track the locomotive and tho car that en-
ables them to go ahead according TO their hearts
desire, and according to the very instructive
nature Of Yankee, They are willing TO nav for
IL, and II Is only for railroad mana cement to say
that II shall be done, and they Will do it,
"f, however, railroad management takes
them over certain space of track for fifty cents
II Is not likely that they will spontaneously and
In the subllmity OF generosity offer to remedy
railroad Encouragement by paving a dollar
This would be violating the true American prin-
cipie OF getting everything as cheap as YOU can
and if railroad management gives the thinJ too
cheap, it is the fault OF the railroad and moi that
OF the rule OF cheapness, which is never to be yo
lated. Let, then, American railroad manapement
redeem It's past shortcomings, and ask paying
tariff, and II will be given. Then, if the surface
OF the couHtry were twice as black with railroad
tracks as II is at present, the cars upon them
would be as full as they are now, and the stocks
"Ouiu living. SOlld, and
healthy profit. There is not the lightest doubt
about II. We must 20 ahead and we are daily
growing more numerous and asking for greater
means for our onward march. Let, then, railroad
management give mp scnseless competition
which results but In destroying cheapness and
let that management make those who use rail-
roads pay fairly for the convenience and the adj
vantdges they afford. In other words let railroad
stocks he made, as they can be by right manage
ment, to pdy-be made, as they can be- solid in
vestnlents-and then they shall lie redeemed from
the slough of despond, into which stock gam
bling has now cast them. Ii the experience of
the last two weeks shall bring about such a result
the present railroad crash will not have been in
vain, and even the iniquity Of Wall-street stock
gambling will unwittingly have played a losing
card, for the benefit OF the community and Tie
great interests Of the country"
FROM THE SPRIyGS.-A jaunting Washing
tonian writes us the following letter:
RocKBRIDGE, ALUM SPRINGS
hockbridge county, Va, Aug. 20, 1857
EditoT Of the Star: Leaving Washington at G
O'Clock n m, we proceeded 10 Alexandria and
thence by the Orange aud Alexand ria and Central