The national Republican., 1869-02-15
REFoRH IN THE CONSTRUCTION
ASDMANAeEMENT OF THE RAIL

REFoRH IN THE CoNsrnUcTIoa
ASDMANAeEMEST OF THE RAIL
WAY. -r.fv-', ..'rrrr
A very able writer on English railways
states the average cost Of their con-
struction at forty-two thousand pounds
(s2l0,0O0) per mile. The same writer scts
down one half of this amount 10 fraud,
peculation and mismanagement In construc-
ton, and assumes that the roads In Grcat
Britain, 14,247 miles, costing E502, ,262, ,ss7
or s2,5ll, ,3l4, ,435, could be duplicated at the
present day for one half tho cost. The
president Of the ''National Cheap Freight
Railway League" Mr.. Sherwood, maintains
that about one half Of tho assumed cost
of railways In the United States Is virtually
fiction; In other words, had they been con-
structcd for cash, economically expended,
they would not have cost 90 per cent. Of
what they now stand at. Tho New York
Tribune, in very able editorial, pungently
rcmarksi b.
'In our deliberate judgment, founded on
extensive observation and inquiry, full
quarter OF the money hitherto subscribed
and paid by confding stockholders In this
country TO build and equip railroads has been
stolen by directors, engineers, fnanciers,
&C., while fourth Of their gross earnings
since construction have In like manner beer
stolen by directors, agents, superintendent
conductors" &c.
The president Of the National League, In
one Of his memorials to Congress, speaking
of State railway legislation, saysi
"Nearly all the scheming connected will
modern railway legislation has had an eye I,
false capitalization and dividends on fiction
This Is the great modern plan for cheating
the people, and Legislators who knowingly
encourage 1t, instead Of participating in tn
spolls, ought TO have . snug place In tn
penitentiary."
The American Railroad Journal, In allu
sion to the plan of the "National CheaI
Freight Railway League" remarks;
"'we have heretofore explained and az
vocated through the columns Of our joumi
the equal speed equal rights plan for
freight railway. II rejoices us to see OF
contemporary OF the London Raiieay Ne,
falling into line and approving, as measu
OF necessity, the domocratizing Of the ra
way. II has been demonstrated TO the wor
that the strongest form OF government (
earth must have Its foundation on equ
rights, and we shall soon demonstrate tn
equal rights in the management Of the ral
way will not only secure manifold degr'
OF efficiency and cheapness In performin
the business Of the country, but In all probi
bility add one halfto the actual deyelopmei
OF our vast resources.
"The subject Of democratizing the raj
way, which Is now fairly before the people
this country and Europe, is the most Ii
portant subject of material economy ev
presented to the world. 1t grows upon u
mind by Investigation. Il increases In ma
nitude rs Its co-relative results are trac
through the ramlhcations OF business al
again centered In combinations Of result
vastly increased production"
In n letter addressed TO the auxilia
league Of Texas, signed by 30 Senators, L
members and ex-members Of Congres
numerous Governors and cx-Goyernors, al
many others, the subscribers say:
"Gentlemen: We are In receipt Of noti
for q mass meeting to be held at the city
Houston on the 10th Of next month und
the auspices of your Cheap Freight Railwi
League the object of which Is to take effe
tive measures to assist the great moveme
heretofore inaugurated TO improve the ma
agement Of the railway, and to lessen I
cost Of transportation. In this movemt
you not only command our individual sy
SIN this proposed policy inaugurating
national system Of cheap freight railways
the improved plan Of management, II
joices us to sec the State of Texas throwl
herself into the foreground, and even TAXI
tho lead In the movement. We trust that
the other States will quickly follow.
hope you will inculcate at your meeting
wholesome sentiment, now seemingly
much forgotten, that all parties must live
production, instead of office, and that
great family OF the nation must be made
thrive on Increased production. We reg
the proposed cheap freight railway syst
the most effective agency that can
adopted to secure the material prosperity
the people. ,,,-,s.., ..n
and earnest sympathy In your moyemc
we are, cordially and truly, -,
'sYouR Co-0PERAToRs.' u
''sir Rowland Hill, who passed throu
eleven years Of what was called insanity,
laborlng to establish the cheap postage s,
TEN In England, Is now declared by the BI
ish press, Tin spirit OF pleasant irony
doubt to have a return Of his old malat
He Is engaged with others, equally emine
and equally insane, in an effort to reduce
system OF reform, the expense Of freigl
by rail, one half Of what 1t now Is, q
which, when reduced, would be but foui
Of what 1t averages in the United States
Il Is now maintained that seven tenths
the capacity Of the railway, as q Develop
agency, Is lost to the great interests OF p
duction. Whether ii be more or less,
condition Of things in this country dema
that It's mismanagement should not be furtl
tolerated. The load now placed on
shoulders of producing capital and labol
such that the people will be obliged to rel
diatc all false systems of public econon
1t will be much easier for Government
grapple with railway turpitude, with the p
pie on Its side, than to uphold the turpitu
with the people against tho Governme
We must have reform. The people cam
be made to submit to perpetuity of lmpo
ton,
New Publications.
Glove me Little, Love me Long," a nov