The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-08

Inc matter Vi lceluS iAWyciS " uCuatc
railroad questions has elected comment
from two Of our contemporaries the past
week. Lawyers are practiced debaters,
and where there is much augmentation
to be gone through they ore almost sure
to be employed. One side is very often
favored by having lawyer directly inte-
rested. His skill in conducting the
controversy must be offsetted by at least
one gentleman of the same profession,
and when the introduction Of the wran-
glers begins it seldom stops with less than
two on side. But then everybody un-
derstands how it is and nobody ought to
be deceived. The custom has 80 long
prevailed that whether it be proper or not
it has come to be established, and can
not be readily abolished. The fact is,
lawyers themselves are necessary evil
in the fallen state of society, with its
never-ending still-beginning feuds and
strifes. They are as necessary as laws,
and judges, and courts.
The employment Of lawyers in the dis
putes Of railroad corporations are as natu-
raj as their employment in the scientific
cases growing out Of contests about patent
rights, of which it might be assumed that a
practical machinist or engineer would be
much better informed and more able to
throw light upon.
But there is point in the relations of
railroad corporations to the State and COM
munity much moro deserving attention
. than this plain and well-understood matter
Of retaining LAWYERS to argue railroad quar-
rolls; that is, the plans and schemes for
mOnopolies and for speculations in railroad
stocks and bonds. In the simpler days Of
the Republic men knew nothing Of this
kind Of strategy and cunning in the world
of finance and State policy. Corporate
companies were few, and bonds of such
companies hardly known. But now Vir-
ginia is flooded with them, and they have
become means Of speculation and Of mo-
nopoly.
II Is not assuming too much to say that
tho dealing Of this sort is neither encou-
raging to fair dealing nor public virtue. 1t
is easy to see how . particular railroad
policy may elevate or depress the value Of
certain stocks, and how spectators may
be benefited by either rise or fall--a
fall when to buy, and rise when to sell.
The great outside public meanwhile Is ig-
:ncrant, and il the goose that is in the long
run to DO picked. These things are indeed
ipseparable from the modern system of
public works on the immense scale Of these
times. Men are entrusted with the man.
agemcnt Of imWense sums not their own !;
and in that management, beyond question,
there 10 o tempting opportunity TO use their
positions 10 speculate upon their knowledge
Of matters unknown to the world, and by
combinations with adroit financiers TO grow
rich and become pampered and fat by
schemes to produce sudden changes h the
ualas Of Other peoples property.
The intsrests ofwhole communities are Of
ten jeopardised IN this manner. Itisneed-
less 10 ray that patyio.ism is entirely incom-
patible with tho sordid nature induced by
this modern occupation. The fstes of 10
oalitiss or Of innocent persons heirs, IN.
fants, and helpless classes never enter the
minds Of bullstnd bears, and the monopo-
lists think no more Of crushing out the
entsrpsising and thrifty community, by
drying up Al Its sources or life and pros
perity, than does . man Of the ants he de-
stroys under bis hselin The path. -, I :, ~ 4.
No community can b fully aware or
fully prepared Il III times for the schemes
that affect Is inteFests, But no eommuni-
~ should drop behind others in enterprise
" that far-sccine sagacity that enables II
70 take sdyantsee &C it situation. n
should he smbittcus Of keeping open its
communicates and making them g direct
and rapid - pcsslbls. Il sheaiA s. con
tent With nothing IN. II thn1 go. q
its own safety ana sscurify mr. eonrsAi.
Won, ga a~sssssns itssr - - 1900,
q Mast 70 sAsrs n ~ $780, ~ 4
fin defend Itself IN The oply - 49, 80. ].
M. oniY against open rivalry, but ara;n.,
tho arts and schemes Of the designing. II
short, lot communities DO trao 10 them.
selves and they cAaasbe false to mono. No.
thing less n this day viii save cities nom
decay and ruiz. No community needle
more to isy down this maxim sor is guide
tI,an the city of Richmond.
VS. te|l tho people Of Idchsbead 70 ~
IS fs,s -
s&ss sf " 81 ~ ~