Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-06
THE LOBBY OF RAILROAD PREsI.
DRNTS

We commend to the attention of the eiybt
railroad Presidents who are IN washineton
lobbying against the passage Of bills chartering
more railroads from this city, the example of
Russia These railroad magnates want As ia &c
additional railroads as possible, and they insist
especially that there shall be no more railroads
from the seat OF government. Russia on the
Contrary wants all the railroads she can get
Snd IL sending them out from Moscow i'm ali
oirec'I0Ls Ike spokes from the hub of wheel
We hatter ourselves that America leads the van
IL improvements, iyllization. and general ego
aheadiiiveness', hut backward Russia has
more enlarged ideas about railroad matters
certainly than We have. No dog-in-the-
ger. States rights doctrine is allowed there
80 interfere with the construction OF a general
'-.Ohai " stem OF always. There are no New
''eiseys or Marylands there to block up the
way 10 The National Capitol, or to send gangs
( railway monopoiists to the seat of govern
A-eA' 20 tOooy against increased railroad facIlI-
"eS- Every American tourist III Russia 1t Is
stated, Is struck with the magnificent railway
system pervading that country. The sys
tmauc gauge. steel rails, firm sleepers sub
stantIal bridges, comfortable cars gentIemanly
Chc!als- speedy time. freedom from accident.
ana successful management generally may
with good reason be pointed to by the Russian
-EeIr Government. Travellers pronounce the
cad between ST. Petersburgh and Moscow the
.'nest in the worlds thousand times ahead
# the road between Washington and New
a rk, the political and commercial capitals
Of our country. But the Gar by no means
rests SATISFIED with what has been accom-
plished. Having emancipated the serfs, and
endeaS ored 10 place all his subjects on q COM
mon level OF civil and religious freedom, he
now aims TO make them acquainted with one
another, to harmonic Homogeneous elements,
and bind together the different countries of his
vast domain by means of a net work of rail-
ways.
No less than five different new lines are in
process of construction which will terminate
on the Nolga alone. Its estimated that within
i've years Samara, Saratov. and Kamyschln
will BE- placed In direct commune alton with
Moscow. By means of these and other routes
all the great centres Of Russian power will be
brought in direct and speedy communication
with the Volga river. Nor is this ALL Plans
are now being projected Tor bringing by rail
40 the NOlga the resources of Siberia and the
western part of the kirghIz Stsppe. The
scheme Is to JON the Kama, which is navigable
afiiuent of the Volga, with Tiumen IN Siberia
from which there is almost unbroken commu-
EIcatIOn by water TO the verge of China The
distance is apparently inconsIderable, and as
the road will be built through a rich manufac-
turing district of the Ural, its Immediate execu-
lion Is all the more probable
30 much for Russia. France has established
n national system of railroads, interlacing her
whole territory, and calculated to give railroad
facilities TO every square mile within her Dor.
ders- Great Britain has no hesitation whatever
IL applying the rod OF legislation to compel
railroad corporations TO meet the wants Of the
people. BY act of Parliament the companies
are compelled to run trains carrying passen-
gers for penny a mile.
Inc progress IN every civilized country ON
tne face of the globe is the same. And vet in
America, "the freest and most enlightened
country under the SUM-" as our Pograms say,
We hnd eight railroad presidents cheeky
enough 10 ask Congress TO forbid the construc.
lion OF any more railroads to Washington, be-
cause their ''interests'' may be anected, This
would be good argument, perhaps, to address
10 a New Jersey Legislature, but is not likely
10 have great weight with the National Con-
gTess, acting in behalf of the people.