The Portland daily press., 1873-09-13
Suggestions.

Before the gentlemen who would delight to
serve the Legislature as presiding officers shave
written their properly couched notes to the
members rendering their services, even before
the more earnest aspirants for employment as
messengers, folders, etc., have despatched their
not over modest epistles demanding votes and
offices for party service under the doctrine of
rotation, the more eager agents of the rail-
roads have begun to work themselves into the
good graces OF the members elect. We are re-
liabiy informed that one Of the members liv-
ing in the country has already received pass
over one railroad and note kindly informing
him where the best clearinghouse in Au-
gusta can be found. OF course this indicates
q decisive and vigorous railroad war and the
introduction of new tactics for the manipula-
ton of our General Court" The season
ticket is suggestive enough in itself OF the kind
of solicitation that the corporation has fol- the
average member; for, outside of the fact that
his vote may be useful on some questions, there
is no reason why the law-maker should have
apass more than any other party that does
not or is not expected, to render guild pro
quo. Perhaps the corporation, realizing the
inadequacy of the salary of members, proposes
from pure benevolence to alleviate their recu-
MARY sufferings by affording them their double
mileage net, through the beneficent influence
of free pass, and then to secure them agree
able and economical lodgings and food from
the same kindly motive If this be really
true, henceforth let us hear no more about
''soulless corpol atiors." The sensitive men,
Der, however, will see in these early attempts
to put him under obligation to the railroad cor
porations, design upon his independence as
representative Of the people and will at once
suspect that the boarding houses recommend
ed by the kind hearted agents of the corpora
tons are simply corrals for the safe keeping
and easy control of such stock, as the COM
pany may hope to own in the Legislature
1t may be possible that the corporation
that has made its advances to the rural
representative mistakes Maine for Pennsyl-
vania or New York where legslat ares have
long been commercial commodity. 1t is to be
hoped that no member will justify the error
since there is an old-fashioned party
who really believes that the one hundred and
eighty-two gentlemen who go to Augusta
are his servants and in connection with
these railroads are to see that in their zeal
they do not interfere with the rights of the
public. The party aforesaid is six hundred
thousand strong and has an idea that the
railroads are made for him and not he for the
railroads.
This old party, the public, was never so
much interested in this subject of railroads as
at the fresent time. He is inclined to be not
little apprehensive that his rights have fire.
quently been overlooked at Augusta. He
would have the one hundred and eighty odd
men he has sent there, remember from whom
they derive their power, and for what purpose
it is to be exercised. He hasn't the least in
terest in the feuds of the contending corpora
tions; but all his interests demand cheaper
tariffs and better accommodations. He ex-
poets that his servants at Augusta will keep
this object in view and act constantly to effect
this purpose. He is exceedingly suspicious of
such members OF the Legislature as are called
s'Boston and Maine mea,' or "Maine Central
mel" or ''Eastern men,"