Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-01
St. JOhnsburv. vt, August /, 1879.
ABOUT RAILROADS. &c.

1--WE cannot see how the Vermont Farm
er can reconcile its professions of hostility
TO monopoly with its persistent attempts to
give material aid and comfort TO monopo-
lists" remarks the 50. Adams Messenger,
the gist Of the insinuation being, no doubt,
the fact that the FARMER has said that, so
far as its editor can learn there is no feeling
Of hostility on the part Of the oranges, or Of
the farmers Of the state generally, towards
the Central Railroad We have travelled
over the state good deal, lately, taking
pains to ascertain the popular feeling on this
subject, and il seems to us that We very ac-
curately express il when we say that what
ever complaints the creditors of the Central
may have against the Trustees, aud however
just those complaints may be, the people,
the travelling and freighting public, are tol.
erably well satisfied with the management Of
the road, and do not regard it in the light Of
an aggressive monopoly. Farther than this,
if we have learned the general sentiment
rightly, there is very strong disiucliuation
to see the principal railroad of the state fall
into the possession of the aggressive foreign
capitalists whose hands have been so visible in
the attacks made upon it during the past
year. The people feel that it would proba-
bly, be an exchange of King Log for King
Stork, and they would I" rather bear the ills
they have, than fly to others that they know
not Of"
We are the more strengthened in the
above views by the fact that they seem to be
substantially those of nearly every newspa-
per conductor in the state. We scout the
charge that free pass, which all railroads
extend to editors, muzzles the entire press Of
this or any other state against the msdoings
of railroad men. We know it has never
weighed grain with us, and we do not be-
lieve it weighs more with such able and
well established journals as the Burlington
and Rutland dailies, or with weeklies like
the Brattleboro Phgnix, and the Montpelier
papers. As for ourself, we have never hes.
itated to speak sharply of the errors of rail-
read men over whose roads we ride much
oftener than we do over the Central. 1t
would not pay u.s. pecuniarily, to sacrifice
the interests of our patrons by covering
wrong in this way, even if we had no other
motive, nor any pride in the independence of
our paper. But we have not only the indie
pendence to condemn a road when it deserves
it, we have also independence enough to
stand up for one when we believe the inter-
ests of our people and state can so be best
served. In doing this We by no means justi-
fly any wrongs its managers may be guilty
of, and our columns are open to all complaints
from the people against the Central or any
other railroad in the state.
In regard to passes and " dead-heading 4"
over railroads, at hotels, to shows, books,
magazines, &C., we shall rejoice when such
things are put an end to, and the relations
between the papers and all who want to ad-
vertise put upon a square cash basis. But
we cannot break down the present arrange.
ment single-handed. We should be glad to
back the proprietor of the Messenger, in the
Editors and Publishers Association, in such
move. Will he make it?
The dilemma in regard to the Central is
this Either the courts, legislature, press
and people Of Vermont are utterly corrupt,
as the Massachusetts papers writing in the
interest of the capitalists of that state are
virtually charging, or they are simply act
ing on the defensive, to keep in their own
control the railroads that run through their
own territory. We believe the latter to be
nearest the true state OF the case The fol-
lowing extract from the Springfield Repab.
lican of July 30 reveals something of the
animus OF Massachusetts, journals and their
few allies in Vermont -
Moreover the disclosures of the investigating com
ntteo the spread Of the farmers oranges, the reck
less ambition Of Trenor W. Park, who means to be
who to get into power by popular cutlery, are
fast working revolution in the public sentiment OF
Vermont. If Park runs for governor in 1874, and the
Smiths who in league with him, continue to be so
they will find themselves confronted by strong anti
monopoly party, which includes Bradley Barlow, Of
st. Adams, an able who knows all Gov. Smiths
secrets, and who detests him most cordially One
of the most capable editors In Vermont, Albert Clark
of the 81 Adams Messenger sides with Barlow in hli
warfare on the Smiths, and makes his newspaper a
valuable ally in tho struggle. The true
course for the first mortgage bondhoders to take Is Ia
hold their securities and bring suit In the United States
court for the recovery Of their properyi and If this
were done at and vigorously followed I'D the ring
would probably be driven away from their now plum
der, compelled TO give up their unconstitutional char
ter and either turned out OF the management OF the
road altogether or obliged to pay first their indebted
ness to the first mortgage bond-holders and the Yer
mont and Canada interest. These creditors live almos
wholly in Massachusetts and Philadephia-and Boston
probably the heaviest loser by the fraud Of the st
Adams ring If Boston chooses TO lose everything Hh
now has the opportunity,-if she will courageousll
and promptly make push against the men who hay
cheated her, she probably recover much that
seems TO be lost. Which course will she take'
There is large colOred population in tina
wood pile, and we believe the people Of Yer
mont whose money was sunk under thos'
mortgages will not cry much if the money
of those mortgages goes to the bottom o
the same sea- Mr.. Barlow and Mr.. Clarl
may be patriotic in trying to wreak venge
ance for private quarrels by throwing thu
Central into the hands of its enemies, bu
we doubt if Vermonters generally will se'
it in that light
S-s--
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE.