The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1873-08-14
orr rsslrley STATED.

VA Snc present. TAitTOou 9u~SbesS - sss'S
that some garrulous fellows think we are
too reticcnt. Loud words and continued
do not conviccs sensible people
of q PERSONS honesty and sonndness
upon the question he is discussing. We
are not blow-hards, and consequently
our editorial alton is quite likely to be
criticised hy those who are
carried away by many words and loud
talking. But to convince these follows
of our position, (if it is possible to con-
vince thcm) we will offer brief remarks
upon our past and present position upon
this issue. .-5
We have endeavored to be consistent
and moderate in our course, and We
have been. We have regretted the trou-
BILE, and have said as little about it as
possible, that it might not DO Published
abroad that Saline county has euch
number of babies We regret to have
it known at large that men to whom has
been entrusted this railroad enterprise
have shown themselves incompetent: to
manage the smallest business affairs, and
much less those Of railroad. The ridicu-
lous actions of some of our wouid-bc lead
ing men in the railroad management re-
fleets little character on Salinas business
men. Furthermore, this trouble has
been q severe blow upon the future rail-
road prospects of Saline county, the ef-
feet Of which will be felt in more ways
than one. Also, if the amount of the
bonds is not recoverable, the credit OF
the county will be impaired, and immi-
grafton will be headed off by the cry OF
F." taxes, taxes" All these matters do
not look well in print nor at this
juncturc does it seem good policy to
give them too much publicity. As we
have said before, we have endeavored to
be moderate and consistent. We have
not praised men to-day connected with
the construction of the road, but to de-
no2nce them tomorrow, and call them
rascals and thieves. We have sndeavor-
ed, as impartial journalists, to give a his
tory of the proceedings from week to
week, in connection with the construc-
ton of the road and have, at the same
time, condemned what we thought
wrong about Thorn and given credit for
what we considered right. We have at all
times given our views freely, as the &C.
casion demanded, without. disgusting
our readers by constant repetition. If
any one doubts all this, let him consult
our office files, which he is welcome to do
at any time. We were friendly to the
enterprise at first because we thought it
of the utmost imp ortance that Saline
county should have another railroad.
When, however, there were certain in
dications that the contractor for the To-
cal company, Mr.. Cutler, was not acting
in good faith, we demanded that some
security should be given that the road
would be built. There was general
cry against all who demanded this. We,
among the rest, were denounced as
" shysters," and working agains: the
best interests of tbs county. Such de.
nunciation, we cared nothing for, as we
considered that only by this means could
the county be Unidentified against the
non-performance of the contract on the
part of Mr.. Cutler. The commission
ors and local company refused to require
security. Then was the time TO save the
county harmless, and had tho local COM
pany then been so warmly in favor Of
protecting the county from danger, rs
they are now, all of this trouble would
hrvo been avoided. If Mr.. Cutler had
been acting in good faith, he would have
consented to give the required securi-
ty. But, the security was not required,
although another contract was made by
which no agreed to iron and tic the road
from Salina to the south line of the county
before he should receive the FIRST INSTALL
ment of bonds. supposed then, and
do SO now, that this supplemental con-
tract, in :he nature of security, would
be binding upon HIM to complete the
road % stated. We announced. on the
strength Of this new contract, that the
county was safe. We think the same
yet, provided our county officers have
not destroyed any deienses they had at
The time BY compromises with Cutler, or
his agents. When the bonds werc ille-
gally issued, We expressed our opinions
upon the subject in long editorial. We
considered the enterprise fraud and a
swindle, and supposed our readers were
fully acquainted with our opinion of it.
We would have done everything in our
power towards securing the road, had
this not 90 soon become apparent. We