Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-14

The Baltimore Sun would show discretion il
II betrayed less ill.temper in its opposition to
the demands OF Washington for more railroad
facilities. Those who do not agree with it are
knaves fools ignoramuses, Eagins. and Artful
dodgers. We shall not handy epithets with 1t.
That paper Is quite welcome 10 its field-or
rather. gutter-of scurrility. Whether the
laundering misrepresentation of the Sun on
our railroad matters proceeds from ignorance,
or something worse, is a question upon which
its readers can pay their money and take their
choice. In view, however, OF the stupid figure
IL makes IN its railroad controversies, the San,
with all its clumsy Willingness to be .shif.y,"
can hardly be reckoned equal 10 the part of
.'Dodger" for the railroad Fagins but shows
rather as the scape- goat Bertrand for tina
monopoly Maeaire,-the dull rogue who comes
IN for all the cuffs, kicks and indiguities du-
his tricky master. The Sun is at last Compelled
TO abandon its favorite mIsrepre sent.tion thar
the roads asked for are 10 be built at the Gov
eminent expense. NOlc it says that Washing
ton city Is 10 be oled 10 build them: but that the
people here can spend their money for rail-
roads if they want 70. Well they do want
to- They have said repeatedly in public
meetings and through the press, and with or
without the Suns permission they will take
the first opportunity to invest all they can raise
in Just that direction. They are willing to be
'ruined" by railroads in the way Baltimore
has been ruined by them. They have noticed
that other cities one-tenth the size of Washing.
ton have built railroads, and have prospereG
thereby. and they have great notion of dab.
bling little in railroads on their own hook
always supposing that the Suns masterIy logic
does not con vince Congress that We don't need
any more railroads, or that if we do we have
only TO say 90 to MIR. CARROTS "MyNaryland,"
and they will be promptly forthcoming
The NuH is in the habit of parading the
charters Tor the Metropolitan road and Potomac
road. as evidences of the readiness of the STATE
OF Mary land TO grant charters for through roads
from Washington: but the Baltimore American
more candid, frankly comedies, what svery-
body In Washington knows TO be truth. shat
II Congress does not grant charters, the Sate Of
Maryland Is not likely to; that every attempt
TO get a charter for a railroad that would come
IN the most remote competition with existing
roads would be resisted. and probably post.
poned for years. In other words, that it would
cost almost as much money to get a charter
from our Legislature as ii would reouire In
build the road The truth is that NOBODY in
Maryland ever supposed that the Old charter
Tor the Potomac road ever held the right 10
construct road from Baltimore to Was hing
ton.
BY act OF the Maryland legislature of Nav
g. l-53, the Baltimore and Potomac RtiIroad
Company were authorized to build a railroad
"from some suitable point in or near the city
OF Baltimore, and thence within one mile of the
tOvn OF Upper Marlboro, IN Prince GEORGES
county. ana as near 10 said town within the
limits of that distance as may be practicable.
and by or near the town OF Port Tobacco, In
A 80.
rIver. TO be selected by the President and
Directors Of the said company hereby IN
cCrpCrated, not higher up than Liverpool
Point, and not lower down than the
mouth of Saint Mary's river with sueh
branches al any point OF said railroad
not exceeding twenty miles In length
as the said President and Directors nav de.
;eTInIne." This charter. as We say, was not
supposed by anybody TO convey the right 70
build A road to Washington. and IL was held oF
so little value that the proposal was absolutely
made 10 Mr.. Garrett TO give II 10 him 4, n.
would guarantee TO build a short branch from
tie Annapolis Junction to Marlboro. EyI-
IDENTITY ne did not suspect the power that lay
dormant In that instrument, for the offer was
not accepted. And II was only by ACCT
dent, and AZ time when every open-
ing for a chance TO break down the
monopoly railroad restrictions OF Maryland
was being eagerly scanned, that il was dis
covered that the right 10 ouIld branches TWEEN
" miles IN length would by q tight sqneeze.
ard the aid OF some supplementary legs iation
from Congress, allow the construction of n
road from Baltimore 70 Washington. We all
remember the hot haste with which the Sans
railroad monopolIsts hurried u Annapolis u
get legislation multiplying this provision of
the charter, on this discovery being broacaed.
and how by one OF the most adroit dodge,
ever practiced by any LOBBY they come
very near getting 4 repeating clause through
tie Legislature, right under the noses Of their
opponents. And We all know the desperata
and almost successful efforts made by The sama
railroad monOpolIsts 10 defeat the passag- OF
tie bill through Congress allowing the road In
enter the District anu city. There is a piauant
eaapter in the history of the attempt of the
monopoly lobby to smother this bill in C,n
gTessional Committee thst may one day be told.
But the whole affair illustrates the uttar
worthlessness Of the san. a surances in regard
TO he disposition in that State 10 grant railroad
charters for Washington.