Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-26

Leaving surplus of...................S456.36 1863 20
The words in this report in regard to the
petition of the western directors to the legis-
lature to have charter for new road be-
tween this city and Boston granted them, are
few and well chosen. 1t ''protests with the
utmost earnestness" against it. because it
would be an ''invasion of the rights" of its
stockholders. 1t refers to the western road
as having grown to be powerful, wealthy,
and controlling interest in the state, and can
not believe that Massachusetts will sacrifice
the interests they represent to an ''overpower-
ing rival" Nor can we.
But on the last page of the report we find
a proposition, sent to the managers of the
Western road Jan. y, 1868, and signed by
the directors of the Boston and Worcester. in
regard to a contract for ''fve or ten wears"
between the two roads. We ask the careful
attention of ur feaders, and especially of our
legislators, to the following extract from that
proposition =
owe propose further, that each corporation
shall select from all the numerous contracts
or awards under which they have acted. that
are ueeneu most favorable to IT'S own interest,
and dleade the difference; or finally, that we
should, as we have repeatedly urged. submit
to three competent and impartial men, to be
agreed upon or named by the supreme court
or gorernor Of the state, the terms of con-
tract for the same PERIOD"
We refer especially to its concluding sem
tence. This offer, let US repeat it, is ''to sub
matto three competent and impartial men, TO
BE AGREED UPON or NAMED BY THE SUPREME
COURT, or GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, the
terms of a contract for five or ten years
And we say that to all the representations
of the impracticablity of the managers of the
Boston road, of their persistent purpose to do
injustice to the Western, to the array of fig
ures which are so well calculated to confuse
and confound the honest inquirer, to any and
every plea for interference by the legislature
between these roads in the way proposed,
conclusive answer is given by this proposition.
For, was it ever known, that men who sought
to do wrong invoked an impartial tribunal to
decide between them and their adversary? ar
that just men failed to welcome such tri-
bunal? We think not. The people of the
state, and those who represent them at Bos-
ton, ought to ask and will ask why has not
this proposal been accepted? Why is it not
now accepted?
We know it has been intimated that lust
division Of 'joint earnings. e., earnings of
two roads-is impracticable. Of course
thorough knowledge OF the railway System
and an enlightened view of all the interests
to be affected, private and public, are requi-
site; but we say that men who have the
needed qualifications are to be found, and we
cannot be mistaken in thinking that some
such men have already considered it. We
confront the assertion further with the fact
that ever since railways we're built indepen-
dent lines have found satisfactory way of
dividing their joint earnings. We remind our
readers that tine Worcester and Western con-
sohuated would be but one of the small links
Ill 'ilat long chain which extends from tho
Atlantic to beyond the Mississippi. and which
will yet reach the far off Pacific Eon 4ho
needs OF traffic and travel these many lines
are one; and for all the exigencies of tho
public service they are as available and .ho
local interests of cities or of states arc -,
garded by them as carefully, to say the leas,
as if they were nsotdated into one mann,
moth corporation. In word, whenever =
line of railway, in Massachusetts or out of if.
has been made of two or more separate cor.
porations, an answer has been found to this
problem. And one will be in this case when
ever all legislative interference is put at rest
and broader equity rules.
But we hear it objected, again, that here
there have been awards, and permanent set