The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-18
TIE RAILROAD QUESTION.

THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
We publish, this morning, fourth letter
in reference to the Farmers War" etc,
in reply to communication from "tgri-
cola" published few days since. We
judge from the character of the letter, or,
rather, from incidental expressions therein
that the writer Is about to close the discus
sion on his part. We regret this very
much, IL such should prove TO he the case,
because we consider this one OF the most
important questions now before the coun-
try, or which will be presented for con-
sideration for some time to come. We re-
greet, also, that we arc compelled to dissent
from some of the conclusions or implca-
tons of the letter to which we shall briefly
allude, 80 that il we are wrong we may be
set right. If we understand the whole
case there is and can be no war against
railroads, the fault. If any, being with
their management. Indeed, both cores
pondcnts concedc this On our part. we
are willing to concedc, for such is our hon
est belicf,--w would not concedc it other
wisc-tuat the management OF railroads in
Vermont has not always been what it
should have been. This management has
been, from time to time, exposed and Is
well understood by the people. We shall
always be ready, hereafter as heretofore,
to expose and condemn such msmanage
ment as, also, fraud and corruption every
where, as well as to comment on and criti-
else the actions and utterances of public
men which meet our disapproval, no mat
ter where it may hit. We hope that we
shall never be betrayed into "whtewash-
ing or into cowardly Withholding of cur
sentiments because, perchancc, they may
not suit this, that or the other man, OF set
of men. We believe railroads to be great
public benefit, and, being such they must
be managed honestly economically, and
without any interference, or attempted in
reference, with the course of politics,
legislation or justice. 1t is here where we
dissent from our correspondent. We do
not think that he considered what he was
writing. We are talking about Vermont,
and we presume he was. Does he, or any
other person, believe that our courts have
been tempered with that legislation has
been bought and sold by railroad manag-
crsr Does he, or any one, believe that
! judicial decisions or legislative cnactmcnts
have been unduly influenced thereby: To
go further. How many caucuscs or nomi-
mating conventions have been controlled by
such influences? Can single state officer
member Of Congress, judge or county
officer be pointed out, who has been foisted
upon the people by these means? We
don't believe such casc can he found In
Vermont
II these alleged facts are true, if they arc
facts, we trust that our eyes may be specdi-
! ly opened thereto, because we cannot con-
| ceivc OF a greater danger 10 the state than
would arise from such n malign influence.
If they are facts, the people cannot too
| speedily be informed thereof and meet the
danger. 1t seems to us that there is intcg-
rity and intelligence enough in the people
OF Vermont to ward off the danger, if dan
ger there be. We know tina, other states
have suffered from this cause, and there
may be danger here if so. let us guard
against it. Not, however, by war against
railroads, not by assuming that a railroad
man is, necessarily, corrupt, not by ostra-
cising every one connected with railroads.
Railroads have been II benefit 10 the state,
they have developed our resources and,
thereby, enriched us past all the concep-
tions Of those who inauguratcd these enter
prises some quarter of century or more
ago. Railroads must be managed by some
one, and 1t is for our interest, as a state and
rs individuals that they shall he in the
control OF men Of integrity, honor, business
capacity and uprightncss. Can this end be
attained by the demand that every railroad
man shall be debarrcd from the halls of
legislation and from all other civil and
public stationsy While we all know that
bad, corrupt men have been engaged in
these enterprises, have enriched themselves
at the expense of stockholders and bond
owners, have. attempted to-and, perhaps,
succeeded in the attempt-dobauch lcgisla-
ton and corrupt courts and jurlcs, is there
not danger that we shall 60 too far2 Let
us resist, at any and all hazards, every at
tempt of this kind. Let us see to it that
caucuses and conventions shall be con.
trolled by no one interest. Let us set our
| selves firmly to the task of stamping out
the first appearance of wrong-doing, whe-
Their on the part of railroad men or others.
II there 10 danger, If IN times past it has