Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-04-24
Railroad

The State of New Jersey is notori-
ously ruled by the Camden & Amboy
Railroad. The Legislature of that
State adjourned last week, for the rea-
son. it was stated. that the above nam
ed corporation had no more work for
their legislative lackeys to do
Pennsylvania is but little, ifany bet
ter of. The people of two-thirds of
that State demanded the passage of a
free railroad law by their legislature
the past winter. Such a measure be-
ing inimical to the monopolizing in
terests of the Pennsylvania Central
railroad company, that wealthy, pow
erful and inscriptions corporation en-
tered the arena against the people and
succeeded in defeating the passage of
the free railroad bill. This condition
of things is one of the bitter fruits of
procrastinstion. Had the people of
the States of New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania, exercised prudent foresight, and
placed their railroad systems on broad
er and more liberal basis, as regards
competing privileges, those States
would not now be governed by railroad
directors, as they are in 3 great meas
ure.
Ohio should learn from the misfor-
tunes of the States just named, and
avoid their errors. 1t is true that eff
forts were made by a few Jealous oppo-
nents of railroad imposture, during the
sessions of the Legislature just ended,
to guard the people of Ohio from the
dangers into which they are needless
ly drifting. But nothing was done to
restrain the selfshness of this power
full interest. By the published pro-
ceedings We learn that its representa-
tives dared to enter the halls of legis-
lation of our State, as they did in 9TH
ers, and labored to influence the votes
and action of members. Near the close +:
of the Senate's session, the bill for the J
regulation of the railroads of the State !
came up for consideration. We quote !
from the proceedings as follows: 9
On motion of Mr.. BATEXkE, the re- 8
port of the committee of Conference 7
on s. B. was taken from the table. '
Nj. BATKMAx stated the character Of n
the compromise proposed by the Com I
mittee. :
hessrs. HoLLIsrER and BRowN also .
spoke on the subject, deprecating the :
outside influences which have been '
used to defeat the bill. /
Mr.. BATExAN spoke warmly of the /
means and influence which had been us 2
ed in the interests of railroads. 20 de- /
feat the measure which the bill v
was designed to accomplish. Mr.. B. :
stated that Senators had been impor- /
tuned by railroad officers toYote against 3
the bill, and urged to absent them :
selves, if they could not vote against it. 2
Mr. WALLNG-who? il
Mr.. BATEMAN-I speak advise dly Il
when [ make the declaration. y
Mr.. WEsT-I, for one, have been so il
importuned. g
Mr.. BATFMAN then proceeded with fc
-7 @CAoAA6s COASA0AAbS WIN -
preston of an opinion that the people =
would understand the influences which d
had been used to defeat this benef- y
cent measure, and hold the indiVid- e
uals concerned, ifnot the interests they n
represented, to account. "
Nj. BROWN called upon MI. West to al
expose those who had been guilty of = =
to suborn him in the discharge 70
q bis duty. g
Mr.. WEsr stated in reply, that the NJ
President of the Central Ohio Railroad be
had urged him to absent himself If he ooff
could NOT vote against the bill "a
The question was then taken on "
agreeing to the report Of the commit an
of conferenee-Mr. Knowles, when III
his name wal called, on leave, stating ~ q
his reasons for his vote. ez
The vote stood-yeas Is, nays s, as VI
follows: of
YEAs-Messrs. Bateman, Brown, Burt, at
Carlin, Cole, Doan, Hall, Hayden, Hol- ca
lister, Martyr, Saddler, Tibbals, War Of
ner, West, Williamson-l5 Oh
NAYs-Messrs. Berry, Brooks, God ~
frey, Kellogg, Knowles, Linn, May, u
Walker-8. te
So the Senate disagreed to the report 81 81
of the committee of conference--a con- Ii
stitutional majority not voting for it. =.
1t is doubtless high time the people of ".
Ohio were awake to the fact that there G,
is q power growing in the State which b
will soon be stronger than the State it e
self. A few years since We heard one Il
one of the ablest lawyers and judges in <
the State say that the rights and inter tr
ests of the people of Ohio, were more p 2
in danger Of encroachment and viola Ia
ton from the combined power of rail III
roads than from auy other source. We =
presume he still holds to the same u
opinion, as he has the regular Demo b
cratic aversion to monopolies, but it is ts
not probable that in his present situa- ~
ton, he will exert his influence to re- e
strain the growing evil. on