The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-11
NOW CAN WE SETTLE ITl

NOW CAN WE SETTLE TT
Railroads, from the very nature of their
business, must OCCUPY more or less of pub
nc Intention, aside from MI questions of
public policy or individual interests con-
nected Herewith This was illustrated in
our columns yesterday morning, wherein
were recorded diabolcal attempt to throw
a train from the rails, in New Hampshire
a collision in Indiana locomotive thrown
from the track, in the same State, the en-
gineer and fireman meeting their death a
half mile of track sinking into the Missou-
ri river, suddenly and without warning
elections of railroad directors, and suits
against railroad companies in California
and elsewhere; and the opening of the
New York, Oswego and Midland railroad,
between New York and Oswego. This is,
perhaps an exceptional record for single
day; yet not day passes, but that public
attention is called to railroads and railroad
management, by the occurrence of similar
events. So far as the accidents are con-
cerned, they may, generally, be set down
to carelessness and mismanagemcnt, and
for this there is and ought to be a speedy
remedy. There is no necessity for an ac-
cident in ninety-nne cases out of every
hundred, and they can only result from
criminal neglect on the part of their Off
GERS and servants, for which they are liable
both to civil and criminal prosecution. The
cause of this negligence, we shall presently
see, but we desire, in the first place, to call
attention to other facts, also, appearing in
our Thursdays kilograms.
The wonder is when we come to con-
slider the vastness of the interests involved,
that they have not, heretofore, commanded
more of public attention, rather than that
they are now brought so prominently in
view, and that they are destined to attract,
hereafter, somuch of the time and thoughts
of the American people. We talk of the
magnitude of our national debt, the bur-
dcns to which we have been. and will con-
tinue to be, subjected in order to pay it,
scores of years being consumed before it will
be finally extinguished Some well mean
ing men, even, went so far as to advocate
its reputation, on account of its enormous
aggregate, urging that it could not be paid
without bankruptcy. Such counsels, how
ever, did not, and could not, prevail the
advantages reaped by its expenditure being
FULLY commensurate Herewith. Bearing
in mind the idea that we have always en-
tertalned, and justly entertained, of the
magnitude of the national debt, the vast
ness of the railroad interest of the United
States can be taken in, at a glance, by the
mere statement that they have cost bill
lion of dollars more than the whole amount
of the national Indebtedness. The incep-
ton of the railroad enterprise, in this coun-
try, is within the memory of the most of
us, and yet all this money has been raised
and expended, during that period, mainly
by individual effort, without exciting hard
ly comment. The burden of national
taxation is, necessarily, great, because, in
addition to ordinary expenditures, the in
terest upon the public debt, and a portion
of the principal, has to be constantly pro-
vided for. Yet the people-the producers,
consumers and trayelers-annually pay to
these railroad corporations ten million dol
lars more than the whole receipts of the
United States, and forty-eight million dol
lars more than the interest upon the public
debt. This, be it remembered, is the state
ment for the past year, and its magnitude
is being constantly increased, year by year,
as witness the fact of nearly thirty three
thousand miles of road completed in the
last ten years, and the enterprises just com
pleted, and others in the process of COM
pletion.
II is this very vastness that has forced
railroad affairs upon the public attention.
One must be sorry reader of the signs of
the times, if he does not see that the whole
matter must be considered, whether we will
or no. 1t is true, too, that there is'danger
in the air, at time when there should be
none. Conceal or disguise it as we may,
there is more or less of monopoly in the
present railroad system of the United
State All such corporations, however.
are not monopolies and in our future
dealing with this question, this must con-
stantly be borne in mind Monopolies must
cease. If they cease, rings" as they
have come to be known, 90 down with
them. How this railroad question is 10
come, andhow it is to be met, it is impossible
now to predict. The interest of the rail.
road and the interest of the people are one
and the same, and if this fact could be an.
preciated and understood upon all sides.
the danger would pass. 1t is but utterine
a truism to say that railroad can not exist
without the support of the people, any more
than a speedy transit can be obtained with
out the use of locomotives and cars. The
exact relation of these corporations to the
state, as a sovereign, and to the people, has
never, as yet, been determined. We doubt
whether, practically, they could be operated
as "public highways" and used as we us,
highways, or as canals are operated. II
they could be so treated, and reasonabl,
profit assured to those who had invested
their means in the construction thereof
reasonable speed of transit secured delay
in loading, unloading and moving avoided
and the safety of passengers assured tn,
whole difficulty would be solyed til,
interests of all be placed on the sam,
footing and monopolies, extortions, ant
rings cease. The question of vested rights
in any such attempted solution, would leao
TO extended and almost interminable litiga
ton, and II would be years upon years be
fore the practicabilty of the plan could b,
tested.
! A healthy, continued competition might