Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-03-30
OUR RLEGESLATOEsS AND THAE SOUTH.
ERN PENNSYLVANIA AND CON.
NELEsFILLE RAILROAD BILL.

The structures which we were compelled
to make, as the earnest advocates ofthe best
interest of the community in which we pub
lish an independent paper. have brought to
the stand the member from Bedford. In
another column will be found lengthy com
munication from Mr. Armstrong justfying
his course on the passage Of the bin through
his branch of the Legislature. To this COM
munication we desire to reply as briefly as
possible. Before entering upon the details
we desire to disabuse Mr.. Armstrong mind
in regard to the relations, which we infer, he
anticipates we hold to Mr.. Householder.
To be pointed aee are not III The interest of
Mr. Householder 1t is our duty to take
care of the interests of the citizens of this
county, and tits our business to criticise the
actions of those who are elected to attend to
those interests without regard to party.
We've led TO believe, when we were in
Harrisburg, that Mr. Householder intended
to fight the monopoly which was making an
effort to break its plghted faith, and We
said so, had we known that Mr. Householder
intended to vote for the bill after the failure
of his amendments, we could have done
nothing more than give him credit for his
efforts and condemned him, as we do now,
for his vote. We have regarded the bill as
a swindle from thefrst, we have not changed
our convictions, and we could not commend
the action ofany one who voted for the bill
in any form, unless it insured as a road to
this point. Whether this concession would
be Of sufficient weight to cause us to adro-
cate the measure is extremely questionable,
but situated as we are, we want the road,
this is every thing to Us, nor does it make
any material difference to us who buildsit,
any body who is willing and ready, will re-
ceiye our earnest cooperation, but this thing
of being placed between Marius and Sylla
is intolerable, and we viii hold all those re-
sponsible who do not endeavor, by virtue of
their position, to relieve US of this disagreea-
bic condition
Mr.. Armstrong says that the bill, as it
passed the House, fixed three years for the
commencement of the road, and adds that
"at the time the bill passed those were the
best terms that could possibly have been Sc
cured. How he knew this he is not kind
enough to tell US, and not having reduced
the matter to the record we are not able to
divine. fhe felt dissatisfied, as he asserts,
why did he not call out the friends of the
bill and place not only them but himself up
on the record? Why not make an effort to
make the bill acceptable to his constituents
and thereby satisfy them that he was attend
ing TO their interest? Could any one for
a single instant suppose that Legislator,
who allowed bill in which millions were
at stake, interesting every man woman and
child In his district, togo by ultthrough
his House without any open opposition, was
doing his whole duty? We thought not and
we cannot for the present cast off the i'm
preston. Suppose every Member or Sen
ator in the two Houses, who found himself
In the minority were to do likewise, what
would be the result? 1t is ridiculous to
pursue this point further. Mr.. Armstrong
asserts that he found ''prior to the passage
of the bill that it would have been useless to
have asked any thing better" we would like
very much to know the arguments that were
used to satisfy him that nothing could be
done.
My action on the bill in question pro-
ceeded altogether from sincere desire to
favor, as best I could, the interest of my con
stituents How is this, do nothing and
favor your constituents when their all is at
stalker This may satisfy Mr.. Armstrong
but it does not satisfy us, nor the citizens of
this district He may have been very sin
cere in saying and doing nothing, but we
have heard very little sympathy for his sin
cerity. The whole defence, that it was i'm
possible to accomplish anything and that
Mr. Householder did no better, is too thin a
piece of sophistry to carry conviction even
among the hills of Bedford county.
We here assure Mr.. Armstrong that we
made the complaints that we did without
the intention eff furthering the claims of any
individual. We are free and Independent
journalists, not controlled by any corpora
ton, individual or individuals, and while
we WELD pen and can shape an idea we in
tend to remain so, battling for the best
interests of Bedford county.
And now, in conclusion, we hope that the
people Of this district viii see the necessity
of sending men to the Legislature who will
represent the district, even if it should be
in opposition to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
That company has had the time for tNe
commencement Of our road extended for
one year, they viii be before the next Leg
islature asking for an extension of another
year, and SO on until the present genera
ton has passed away. Let the whole OPP
position to the Pennsylvania Central be
aroused before the October election, and see
that no man goes to the Legislature unless
he stands pledged to make it fulfil its con
tracts. Whenever it shows a disposition to
do right wewill stand by it, but we want no
more slight Of hand performances. We
have had quite enough of them.