The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-01-27


IF an indignant public single out
one, to run it down; all the rest join
in the chase. This is a part of the
game While n is being pursued,
all the rest steal unnoticed. And the
game just now is to run down the
railroad ring. All over Washington
you hear these hounds--each standing
over the plumber he hides-howling In
wrath at the railroad ring.
And, in our blind zeal, we are juet
as apt to. do q wrong as to accomplish
any good. This Is the danger now.
In this railroad business we do two
bad things-we sdnander the public
domain, and we create. a huge monop.
ly. As / said before, ne get some
good in return, by having the lands
sold and settled. Now, in the one
line Of railroad to the Pacific, we have
dcle all that we could to create q
huge monopoly. The next best thing
is to break it down-and if, in 20 do
ing, we waste more domain, We only
pay the price exacted for our own
folly. Let us pause for a moment in
the midst of our virtuous indignation
and calmly about it.
/ in creating a. competing line OF
road lover confessedly the best route,
We break up the monopoly now SO
Justly feared, would we not be giving
the land for something Ike a fair re-
turn ? And. what makes me a little
suspicious, is that the gentlemen who
are now go vociferous in denouncing
these railroad schemes, were either 81
lent when the grand monopoly was
being built, or as vociferous in its IA.
vor. Of course, the most blatant are
the friends, retainers and owners OF
the present line. The most charm
ingly virtuons of all, are the gentle.
men from Illinois, who are interested
in the welfare of Chicago. Chicago
at the present writing, is so far as rail
road grants go, the most virtuoui
place on the continent.
Let US make haste slowly in this
direction. The hair of the dog may
be good for the bite. We may be
selling the public land at the best rate
if We give them so as to break up Q
m onopoly that may some day join is
sue with the Government, and openly
jeopardise our liberty.
We all look forward to the incoming
administration to remedy the evils
that now aflict us, precisely Us girls
look forward to their day of marriage,
q, the beginning of happiness, and
with about as much reason. The tact
is, the service is rotten, because the
people are corrupt. The ring master
who retires on his i'll gotten gains
the Office holder who goes in poor,
and comes ont rich /; the foul contrac'
tor who fattens on frauds, all float
into social recognition on their money
The slow unmoving finger of public
corn Is fixed only on the rogue when
the rogue-is poor. We yet believe
that our mothers are chaste and oul
fathers honest. We fondly hope foI
some legislation that will amend the
evil. We look for one man to come.
IN the modern Hercules, and sweep
out the filth. And therein we will
snd the place to stand on, and move
the .world.
The late Nathaniel Hawthcsnete!ls,
somewhere, of the young man who
stole away to attend the witches fes-
tival. He hid in a wood until the
sun went down, that he might crafty
his wicked curiosity without the knowl-
edge of bis friends and kinfolk, who
we're pious people. And after the
night came on, he started on his evil
way, and was startled by a noise in
he mir above him. 1t came from the
witch ss flying yer head, on their way
to lie feast. He heard their voices
Is they sailed along; and first, he
leard the voice Of his elder brother,
md then his sister; then his father,
.ollowed by that OF of his mother ; and
It last he sunk exhausted, for down
20 him came, in ribald laughter and
hameless talk, the voice of his best
;eloved, into whose hands he given
lis earthly happiness. Hawthorne
caves US to draw our own moral, anu
[ do the same But I think of it ev-
.ry d.y when 1 pick up a Journal and
ind some one, like myself, denollnc-
ng corruption, or while in the Senate
chamber or the House, l hear some
member crying aloud against fraud
aud extravaganza, and all the while
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