New-York tribune., 1868-10-08
TIE RAILW1Y SYSTEM.
A1ErTrr FROM Mr.. JAMES m'urYEY.

brOuci, 90 It's assistance Tie association ci your name
and The support of your coauscs Into The causes "'
led to SIS buna,iHg position need not enter-'nc nS
shown they were radical On your accl|hocV Vi '"o
Presidency difficulties rapidly vanished ana lew
months have broasAt TO the beginning OF reho"eu
prosperity.
Railways. generally, in the United States nave sing"
iarly flisd IN r,zng the chief objects oi the!r con
structiau-ts haco failed in remnheraiIhs the oilSh
Shareholders ro as cias have ceased to exist as no
re nov, r.,0, Of subscribing for shares In new rail
vav: and they r.ve failed in providing what Lord Bacon
called oe ~ gec tliags which make nation great and
prosporous--'an easy and cheap conveyance for men
and commodities fsom ono place to another"
In thc Int,d states we have population enlightened,
active cutcrr.ur. producing more by many fold than
auy olcroi se'uo extent, and have country teom
lug with wealth through which great railways have
been constructed for exchange Of traffic between these
pcoTc-with what resultl
THO vast capital which by series OF labcrious imam
cial maleuves finally represents many millions OF dol
Lars allowed 10 remain lGo for 20 hours out OF "a from
want of cqnlpucnt keep the permanent way en-
ploycd. On 0y excessive charges on transportation
Twenty hours % q means 10 months in the year
during hica the railway closed against revenue Du
romans over 10 depreciation and expenditure-we Know
what would hoppen to The banker or merchant VINO
would go administer lis capital.
This t.ril management-to use q mild plrasc-is
chief cause 81 e wonderful nonsucces OF oHI rWayo
in rcinuueIsng tie shareholders and accommodating
the wants Of the community.
The whole through passenger traffic Of the four trunk
lines westward docs not much exceed the foreign imri
grafton and enc stleet railway in New-Ycrk carries
about as maug passengers IN day either OF these
companies carry through way in year! there are
dozons % CONNER i houses whose business eXceeGs IN
tuunase ;Ae whole through Western tralHc OF any oil
lhcm
Tie rcnt West las TO monopoly Of its great staples.
therefore irsts mus, be regulated that the producer
Will he aoo 70 compete in foreign markets with foreign
produce. The Seui-Darharous Inhabitants OF Eastern
Europe Az more tlnn match for the civilization Of
Western AMERICA in supplying Western Europe with
B,eadstrs. shall De able 30 prove that rate per rtm
Of oue cent lc viii give people the advantage IN
the competition and give great profits TO tie Railways
who vii have Che courage to inaugurate the system ana
pefnGcion,y sick 20 H. so that merchants may make eN-
tended CoutI n confidence that their plans W4ii not
be frs.iaf hy sudden jump in rates To increase the
profits OF size EsiaGyadd the value Of land and as
euro the prosperity Of the couutly-ratcs must be low
and fixed aud Ills system shall advocate with al my
might ua.u 0lir permanent way Is fully occupied.
You once. from your place in Congress startled the
county AY IrocLihliug that the United states could
raise thrce huLdred millions year in support of the
war-aul IA year found you had not stated hall the
truth Something OF the energetic spirit which had
the saeaciiy financial strength by the val
uation " onr dormant resources, is reqwled TO
arouse railway lTopiieOrs 10 the evils and dangers Of
their position.
We have 10 rsclass passenger traffic because those
who should pay for the best accommodation generally
manage travel frce tho only paying passengers are
those fow citizens who have acquaintance with Di
rcctOrs. Wto The working classes receive 10 suitable ac
coni.Dodaou The great mass Of the inhabitants Of the
Eastern CITES vino would become prosperous citizens in
the West are kept in the stenest competition FOR liyeli
hood from want Of means to travel believe that emi
grafton flem Eastern cities would vastly exceed tho I'M
migration Emopcn the rates we've adapted to the
means of sHo people.
The Governor OF Wisconsin lately writes:
"Tbere 10 rccd u ablebodicd men and women sut-
fcru- ne pucirSS Of hie long poverty while ~ all TIE
sold their geulUs soil and delightful location Offering
lUWes oN- fortunes IT, any Wh0 va COME ;io laht eh
among TIE of this fertile region Eaye
great toc Of grafton from Tie Eastern states aud
egH countries which has ior years been pouring IN upon
rs. Tie West is sn conpuatiyely eparsey settled auG
IN cyey branch Of industry there IS yet abundance oi
room"
The Governor right to the advantages Of moving
westward but If the published Ggmes Of through traffic
railways be correct, fail 70 see any particular
de" q emigration at present. though railways BY cheap
fares Ccu.0 create great flood.
Though have sh opinion Of the merits Of the Broad
Gauge yet matter OF policy, and 70 conncc
lions tie gau-c system I advocate putting
Town trId al upon the Atlantic and Great Western
hallway; hope tire Ohio and Mississippi with which
have had 10 be other su in friendly accord,
fhouSh connection has not been profitable to either
Iurty. which believe be iemedied) and
Ellie (which tas throughout existence, acted to-
vaI1 with the most consistent llDarality) VIII also
adop, tAs tii'd rail.
It's said Tat the broad gauge caunOt be worked with
the same economy as Tie ua.I0w gauge; but tho Great
Western OF acknowledgement feet eauce-WoTzs 40 Z less
percentage of than any Of the leading
gauges viz Il per cent and, may add when the trans
poratiou expenses ana maintenance Of way and works
Of any npOtanf railway n full work exceed 90 per cent
the accounts should be received With suspicion
writer ia 1te London Tines in reference 70 English rail
Says, has slid:
required little moral courage and sharp
knife Unnecessary expenses, things and persons should
De pared down or cutaWay. Let ans bewdered chair
Inau Of railway company, and puzzled director who
That 40 Pile i cft for lie earohollers nj ie end Of the
half yearlet him. say. pat himself u confidential
IuuncaOn with two three sensible, bur poor because
unGerad worklnei alo g the line, al The railway sta
yards LIT hu promise 60 shield these men FROM he SPITE
the petty tyranny Tie Opcu oppression at the hands O the
'cLief officials ad OvellOpEels which would lniaiDY
follow the revelations made. 1 undertake 10 say The
chairman or director would soon De et into some strange
secrets The Inystery .ua ard decreasing dividends
would vanish. JOhbcly ia The purchase Of timber
iobbcry i'm hc purchase OF iron unnecessary overlook
rant of tier business paid ior doing htuo or nothing
come Of the secrets which would be dlscO.cd Lot
that have not thrown out hint that viii make the
fortune Of many railway and revive the spirits of many
Shareholders
the of the several broadgaage
lines be made 10 hamonize more than heretofore.
But II other Companies tnue TO make through traffic
impractcablo should not be a panty 10 their policy.
Our road constructed for Western trafcBe do not
receive it-theTe is Why should not have IL
except hostility Of connecting lines ana until
sensible policy prevails the interests OF our LEGAL
ness should be looked TO- Considering the splendid
territory possessed by the Atlantic and Great Western
within Itself and the various which it abso
Iuely controls think shall be justified in altogether
abandoning the through traffic, which has been hitherto