, 1869-02-27
1HRLAH RoNr ELL,

hss struck snsg In the Senate. The
people of The. State arc beginning to see
that The city Of Chicago Is not 70 be the
chief sufere1 from the passage Of a
measure which shall place the eutrepot
OF al their products in the grasp OF
prigste, poEporahor, and give thst cor
pcsation the Hight to take toll from them
ior all time TO game. Every days delay
Of The measure Is tAtaltoIk The alliances
which ia agents and supporters, hare
made With the Peniteuusry and State
House rings have been source weakness
rather than of strength; and in turn it
has weakened rather than strengthened
them. The means employed to procure It's
passage have sent cold chill through the
length and breadth Of the State. It's
success II at least doubtful, and without
the approval Of the Governor, It is almost
certain 10 be de{ested.
The people OF Illinois are friendly to
the Illinois Central Railroad. It has
been Of grett service TO them. Il hiss
adted largely 10 the wealth Of the State.
II hiss paid three millions Of d ,llArs
into the public Treasury. The s:ste'h has
the largest proprietary interest ia 1t. A
wise business man wcu rather have
teven per cent Of the gross earnings OF
the road than 70 own il and take its
risks. II went through bankruptcy in
1867, get the States dividend
was paid regularly e,ch halt
yesr. True, the money paid into
the State Treasury comes ont OF the peo-
pie who trade and travel on 1t, yet the
road Is subjected to the powerful com?c-
tiuon Of the Mississippi River on the one
hand, sId a pArsllel road in neighhor-
ing State on the other, and the m5re
| powerful competition Of the east and vest
lines which cItss 1t at intervals Of fifty
miller and draw It's business away. 1t
must needB be managed with The grea:est
prudence In order 10 have enyth1ng left
after paying to the Safe the sum sapu.
lated in the contract The fsud grsnt
has carried 1t through. Without this
erap. It r ould have gone to everlasting
smash ten years ago.
We say the people Are no. upfiendiy
to the Illinois Central Railroad. We
b. lseve that they will cheerfully give tc
1t whatever room 1t needs for the trans
action Of Its own business in the water
appur.eIa ant to lis depot grounds. We
believe that q large majority Of the cit-
zens Of Chicago arc IN favo1. aud have al
The time been IN favor, Of selling to Il
the three blocks OF ground about which
there has been 30 much dispu.e-as 9
reasonable and not exorbl1ant price
But square mile Of territory, embracing
the fu ure harbor Of Illinois, yea OF the
Northwest, Is dlf1sren. thing. No suct
ex'tns Of territory, no such exclusiv,
privilege, Is necessary to the Transaction
OF its proper business. It Is indispensable
to The business OF the Nor Invest. Tn
property proposed 10 be ceded is tha
particular place wheie commerce mus
find It's outlet and It's Inlet. Here mus
be common and not exclusive right.
; Let not the Legislature take any diferen
: view OF it.
, LoukirE st the question from th
; standpptak OF Chicago merely, We ca
, see ma1y:nadvRntages from the esrl
, cons 1nction oil an outside narbor. II
!, work will enure Immediately to ii
commercial greatr css Of the city. More
over, the bill proposes 10 cede to Il
:, city tie lake basir, the title to which
: supposed TO be in the same categos
with the outside water. The prescl
: cash value OF this inside proper
! is probably equal to that Of Il
= outside. lit were put up at auction t
!. dsy it would bring mose money than Il
otht1.' Hence we say Chicago Is no; Il
! chief leser by this bii.-perhRps not
loser at all. But when We take into a
, count the illsmitab!e iu.u1e, when We II
. feet that this grant is for all time. 81
n that the present managers OF the Illlnc
II C.ntrai Railway, who are uneeuiao
- large ard liberal mfIdcd ne
- will, q lew years hence, be dead al
gene, and that their SUCCESSORS may
s. Dar1uw and crooked, We say that the ST,
i Of Illinois cannot afford to part with,s
:, title to her harbor as proposed In t
- pending bill.