Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-02-17
THURSDAY, FEB. 18th. 1870.
Some things We can't Understand.

Some things We can't Understsnd.
We cannot understand why an open
and public investigation will hinder or
prevent thorough examination of the
alleged paper credit frauds. Why not
ask that court house trials be secret. or
private? The committee has not been
hampersd in its authority to command
persons ana papers. then what more!
Hereafter it will be judged by its fruits
rather than by its promises or profess
sions.
Another thing we cannot understand
Is, why consolidation will be dangerous
to the liberties of the people, inimical to
prospective roads or outside interests.
Ever since we got the early Democratic
false notion rooted ont of our Uranium.
that all corporations were Of necessity
dangerous to personal or public Freedom.
and to be Stunned as = plague, we have
taken the other position, that all associ-
atoms of capital for promoting the in
dustries Of the country, tend to promote
the happiness, the prosperity, directly
or indirectly Of all the people. We may
err in our judgments or be too credulous,
or fail to comprehend W hat the inevitable
influence would be over the rights oitke
masses, BY '.soulless' corporations. Or
course. of all this we NAV moi be suita-
bic Judge. But while seeing with our
own ewes and hearing with our own ears.
we must follow their guidance. There
fore we naturally come TO the conclusion
that, indirectly, every new mile of rail-
way helps every other mile now in
operation: and that il consolidation
takes place of all the roads now in opera
ton in Maine, that it will be fof their
interest 10 have just as many more miles
built in the state As the means can be
found TO construct. Roads are not close
corporations. they do not thrive by keep
ing the farmer, the mechanic. the mer-
chant or the mariner at home in the
chimney corner? They will not thrive
best when no more roads are thought Of
building. Not at all. Each new facility
addedto the present means oflocomotion,
each new development of our natural and
abundant resources. adds customers 10
old railways and dollars to their incomes.
SO therefore. these corporations, wheth-
er combined by statute enactments,
o., Ia hx. lbs
interested in the general welfare of the
people. Their interest Rms parallel
with me interest of the people. Why,
then afraid of them! If tvrants. or blood
suckers, or public monsters to be stran-
gled for the public good let al their necks
be tied together and make one job for the
hanginan. Guerrilla fighting and bush
whacking. is low order OF warfare and
unsatisfactory in its results.
SO radical have we become in our no
tons. perhaps we should say. reckless.
that we desire to see the state take hold
and inaugurate railroad system with
in its borders. loaning its credit TO all
such prospective roads as the business
wants of the state would seem TO de-
mand. We have no fears for state in
debtedness for such purposes. nor Of
leaving it for those that shall come af-
ter. who will be smarter and richer than
we are if we DO our duty. TO pay it.
Nor do we fear that any combination
Of men can or will rob the people of
Maine. or of this country, of all the
rights guaranteed to them by their
liberal and just constitutional charters.