New-York tribune., 1873-04-12

puts Judges on tho bench. makes and unmakes puh,
officers OF every degree from Aldermen 10 Congres,m.
and in word, governs tho State as absolutely ssH
principally given TO lts rule. The nceDs6
people have again and again sought 70 throw Oh 10,
yoke. They have sent men 20 the Legislature pisae,a
to resist its entertainments but tho Company has sv.v
| found means " get the votes Of these when A
wanted them. The representatives, would yoto "A u
Company dictated, and 20 home aud build h0o hoa,,.
and rest from their abors New men would take the,
places, only 10 follow In their footsteps. No general
| railroad law can be passed. Important distri,,.
| Of the State deprived OF railroad faenu,.
| because the Pennsylvania Company dOes M,
| wish 10 furnish them. and viii not let an,
| body else DO IL. No competing road can be built ..a
nearly all the local have been absorbed and .a.
feeders 20 the lines OF the great dominant eOrporaoa
In rates Of fare aud freight tariff unjust rmnaos
have always been made against the people OF the sta
Tho fare from Philadelphia to Altoona. for nstsnc,
bears just relation TO the fare from Phladelphlat "a
Chicago and 1t costs 10 send barrel ~ -four from
Huntington TO Philadelphia than from Cincinnati ..
Philadelphia. Tie citizens Of EevYork. Otio Ilino,
and other States travel their good over M
Pennsylvania road more cheaply than The people II
Pennsylvania who gave II its charter and prylIee,.
Another road the Philadelphia and Reading has maa,
itself vast coal-mDing monopoly by acquiring hOs
sands Of acres OF the anthracite coal fields and pAn<
all competing mine-owBers at disadvantage by lid
freehts 30 as TO compel them TO cell their properys
the Company. The other grievances Of the peop.
against the railroads need not be enumerated Tie,
are the same Of which complaint s made n every sas
high fares and fgts and want u regard for the csa
yenience OF the public
CoNsTITUTIoNAL RESTRICTIONS on RAILROAD-
What the Legislature has all along refused 10 d. W
Convention has about doing with earnesines aBdB
looks as II, by it, timely help the people would gin
last in their long battle with the railroads Today tie
Committee on Railroads and Canals reported 10 the Ca
n 4 81
sweeping in the reforms It proposes that IL shouds
adopted the chief evils complained Of would Do ibOsh..
at once, OF their further extension checked. bns
synopss of the article will show its main features az
Indicate ts general spirit The stockbooks ~ rsloas
are to be kept open for public inspection No r.iiD1
company shall consolidate with parallel or compeua
Ine or lease, operate in way control such line
gnder penalty OF forfeiture OF their charter 10 m
road company shall engage in mining manufactlnn,
for others or shall acquire lands except Tor their no.
sary transpOrers. The persons and goOds OfA
people OF tho state must be carried favorable ern
"A the persons and goods Of the people Of other sas
All freight and passenger tariffs must be uniform.
no higher prOpOrtiODate charges shall be made for hou
distances than for long distances. No road ,hI
discriminate against a connecting road. Oncsn
and stockholders OF railroad companies an
prohibited from being interested IN Transports
tiOn companies engaged IN transporting goet
over their lines No preference shall be shown e
any individuals companies shipping ffcght As
combination between railroad companies betves
any railroad and coal company, relative 70 ncreast
rates Of transportation raising the price Of coal hd
work forfeiture OF their charters. The waterng0
stock is forbidden b. a stringent section The issue
free passes by road, except to its employees 70 nd
gent persons who objects Of charity, Is forhdden
The Legislature is restrained from limiting the amOuE
that may be recovered for loss Of life personal urp
sustained by passengers passenger may step a bo
fore reaching his destination, and 20 BY dnoiba
train and Is be charged extra FOR doing
neyed in any way When all these requirements and
restrictions supplemented as they will be BY pro
vision amounting I'm effect TO free railroad law, tn
not easy what more remains to make the yctoy
of the people complete The railroads are not without
ablo advocates in the Convention who viii resist ths
adoption OF the artcle but the peculiar argumesa
that pass current in the Legislature at Harrisburg VI
not avail here to defeat the popular Will The arceh
az The Press says, the competest embodiment Of h
existing adverse sentiment TO railway corporations
that could have been drawn" Its adoption is almost
certain.
BOGUS CHARTER BROKERAGE TO BR sroPPEn
regular business exists Philadelphia Of ont fDAus
charters for bogus joint stock companies for the purp
OF selling them to genuine companies, who pay good
prce 70 themselves the trouble and expense o oo
bying bills through the Legislature. These charter
brokers 20 Harrisburg every Winter and get batch
of bills passed incorporating companies for great va
riety of purposes. They form fictitious organization
under these charters elect themselves officers pay
or $40 apiece as stock subscriptions and borrow back
again. and then look about for customers 20 buy them
out Hundreds of such charters are IN the marnt
Many confer dangerously indefinite powers. like ts
Credit Mober charter. which one OF this cas' IAs
Convention will undoubtedly remedy this abuse. M
Committee Private Corporations IS framing arties
which will declare void all existing charters under
which bona fde organization has not been made. pre-
hibit the Legislature from passing any moro special
laws, and provide that all corporations shall be formed
their charters changedor amended. and their prylcsa
aud powers defined, by uniform general laws
ELECTIONS AND The SUFFRAGE.
Ex-senator Buckalew is pressing his scheme Of minor
ty representation, and wishes applied 10 The eecs
of both branches Of the gisature I has been on us
for two three years elections for members OF th
councils Of incorporated boroughs and has worked YeT
well. The professional politicians do not Ike IT, bow
ever It ntrieres with the rule OF the caucus and dA
turbs the working Of party machinery. SO much OPP"
son is expressed the proposed extension Of the w
TEN that its adoption may be regarded as mprooade
The woman sufragsts have argued their cause belo"
the proper committee and is said have about 20 ldH
rents among the members Of the Convention they ha"
secured important concession in section In the artt
by the Committee of the Whole. making women OF ts
age OF 81 and over eligible 70 all offices OF conroi
management under tine school laws. The su.Ject
eS tSe Convention The fegsIatnr@ la, shows
itself unwilling provide any 10 prevent tN
repetition OF such wholesale and III mtlr,s cima
against the franchise perpetratrd In Pnl1ePe
last year, long these crimes are committed ia -
interest Of the dominant party, au accrue 10 rs t
tage. The Convention VIII undoubtedly take the main
IN hand Tie remedy most favored, and likely 70
adopted In the article elections Is requirement 1a
each shall write his name his ballot or causs
to written and the election officer rrceiy'ng
shall put number upon 1t and enter the name au na
upon the pO-bOOs BY this means every mans rV.s
could be identihed in case contest should arise ap
the validity Of election. BIllOt-OOX stuniIg T0ui
nearly impossible, because IN precincts cJutaAInE "a
than $50 voters, wLch NUMBER IL Is proposes 80
be the limit, il would bo unsafe 70 attempt 90 pul
ballots with fictitious names upon them; and ialS