The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-11-02
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAND.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1871.
PORTLAND.
ssw..,er. or subiectss,

Year by year the railroad interests of Maine
become more and more important to all its
people. Twenty years ago this was not the
case. but now it is hard to conceive of an in-
habitant so remote or SO isolated from the
myriad and complicated interests that make
up the structure of society, or so Independent
of his fellows, that his welfare aid happiness
even, are not affected by this modern wonuer
of inter-communication. The ranr'au na'
the power radically to influence all 'he cohui'
.ions of commercial intercourse, 10 overcome
,,rov;nc;aI and national preJudlces, to bring
mon into more intimate and better relations,
to diffnse general intelligence by its rapidity
and possible cheapness, to afford to the citi-
zens of Jour cline all the bounties of every
other, TINS multiplying his sources of comfort
and pleasure. 1t is not too much to say that
upon the proper regulation of the railroad
system, more than any other physical agency,
the welfare of the people depends.
In view of these facts that are already AK
IONS, it is of the first importance that the
state government keep constantly in view the
greatets good that can come to the greatest
number from SO important an interest. lna'
this has not been the case is evident ironi 'ne
workings of the system in our own stare put
more notably in others. The great object OF
railroads has been lost sight of, and great
lines. that should be made mutual benefit 10
the people and the owners, have been seizeu
nv upscrupulous parties and transformed into
chartered monopolies and tven organized
outrases. Monied men have ever seized and
ard controlled legislatures to the great detri-
ment of the people whose servants they
should be. sa
1t is not our purpose to moralze on this
topic,-for such congratulations have no eff
feet,-but to notice a few matters of practical
Importance to Maine people and their SER
wants the Legislature-matters over which
it seems necessary that they should very soon
exercise their sovereign power.
In general terms, ii is conceded that all bod
les that exist by the legislative sanction OF
the State are the creatures and not the rulers
Of the people. 1t is granted in the same gen.
eral way that the people of the State are SUI
perior to any corporation, and have the pow.
er to compel it so to manage its affairs as re
CARDS the public as to render the greatest
good to the greatest number. To admit tina
trolled so as to subservc the interests of tn,
people who created it is to admit that tn
creature is superior to the creator.
1t may not have come to such a pass il
Maine, but we must remember that it ha
only been few years that this matter ha
been of great importance in this State. Th
magnitude that the leading railroad corpora
lions have attained in this State the past fey
years, is matter of sufficient importance t,
awaken the public to sense OF what may b,
necessary to secure its own interests, in time
If not at present.
But there is one wrong in the management
of Maine railroads that seems to demand i'm
mediate attention and prompt remedy
We refer To the local fares. The people O
Maine have right to demand that the rail
roads chartered by its Legislature should al
ford them the same advantages within tn
State that it does outside. They have RICH
to require that 90 lines or combination Q
lines shall adjust their tariffs and fares to op
crate to the disadvantage of any section Q
the State and in the interest of an other State
They have right to insist that the price fol
transportation, whether of person or goods
shall be uniformly proportionate to the dis.
lance. The local fares most concern our OWL
people, yet they are the highest, and in many
cases little lower than the old stage fares.
To show the injustice of this system, the fol-
lowing table of fares on the lines between
Boston and st. John, over roads built under
charters granted by the Maine Legislature
and nartlv hQ State grants is snhnined: