, 1872-11-27

the passenger, and elected him from the car.
The process OF election was unnecessarily
BRUTAL and A1r. Coleman suffered serious INJURIES
He brought suit against the Company for
SlouD0, passed through several trials, IN which
he always found the juries with him and the
Judges against him, and finally received YER
dict for $4,000, which was affirmed BY the su-
preme Court.
The most siguidcant incident Of the whole
affair was the persistent determination with
which the Railroad Company fought Mr. Cole
mans claim, fully reflected in the remark made
to him by one Of the prominent officials, that it
was not Mr. Coleman but the public they we're
lighting, and that fright or wrong, they would
make it 80 terrible for the public to fight the
road that they (the pubIc) would stop it.'' This
point sets forth the entire complaint which the
public has to make against the railroads; that
they invariably strain every resource to pro-
tect their employees in the exercise
Of any force which looks like zeal in their inter-
ests. This is, generally tho case, whether the
ma tier concerns the forcible election Of q pas
senger, or the individual responsibility Of con-
ductor or engineer for an accident. It is the
disposition Of the majority Of railroad manage
ments to place despotic construction upon the
rules and regulations which the law permits
them to establish. Railroad officials are author
1zed to put passengers of their trains when they
refuse to pay their fare; but such an authorizes
ton does not contemplate or Justify the exer-
else Of such force as to main or injure for life.
There are few railroad stations at which there is
not an officer Of the law who can be called upon
Tor such an emergency, which is extremely rare
after all, and whose official badge will serve to do
the work quietly and quickly. Had the New York
d New Haven Railroad deprecated the action
OF their employees, discharged them for their
brutality, and made settlement with Nr. Cole
man, it would have been lesson that would
certainly have precluded the recurrence Of
similar outrage, without depriVing them OF any
protection Of the Company'B interest. If all
railroads would rather assist in the prosecution
OF conductors, engineers, and other officials
guilty of criminal negligence, the result would
be beneficial for themselves, IN the end, as well
as for the public. II they would take as much
pains to enforce the observance Of common
po1iteness and common decency among their
subordinates, as they do to protect those SUBJ
ordinates in all their wars against the comfort
and rights Of passengers, they would gain more
in the goodwill of the public and in the decrease
Of suits for damages than they could possibly
lose in stolen rides or an increase Of accommo-
dations.
There are two practical remedies against
these fragrant and frequent railroad abuses,
each Of which is making its own way, and both
Of which will be materially aided by public opin-
ion that has long felt outraged. One OF these is
found in State legislation for the protection Of
the travelling and shipping public, which Is
undergoing improvements in several States Of
the Union. Mr.. Co1emans experience has sug-
gested four necessary provisions 1. Uniform
and reasonable rates. 2. a irst-class passage
for f1rst-claas fare, including q comfortable
car, polite treatment, and safety in limb
and body. 8. When q dollar is received
by railroad company. the equivalent Of
that dollar shall be returned, whether the pas-
senger be travelling east OF west. 4. That rail-
road companies shall confne themselves to the
game peaceful redress, and cause arrest only by
officers Of the law, except in cases Of gross out
rage upon public decency or threats upon 1ife
when, Of course, there will be q common pur-
pose to suppress the abuse summarily in rail-
road car as everywhere else. These provisions
seem to be reasonable enough. There is q hope
that the Railroad Law Of Illinois, enforced by the
Railroad Commissioners, will secure them for
this State as soon as the affirmation Of the Su-
preme Court can be obtained in Cases now pend
ing.