The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-04-04
The Government and the
RAILWAYS.

The conflict between the government
and the railroad companies, which have
been accustomed to control Congress at
will, excites infinite interest It seems
that the companies, for the present, have
yielded the point, and for time, at least
will continue to furnish postal cars. The
postmaster general has spoken very dis
tinetly on this subject. After saying that
the compensation for mail service by the
railroads was fixed by law, and that he
could not change the rates prescribed by
Congress; that all he could now do was
to prepare for any emergency; that if the
companies will not perform the service
and he had not sufficient power to control
them in the matter-he must wait and do
the best he can till Congress meets, and
then would ask for more power. When
asked what additional compensation the
railroads demand, he replied. "They
want to force US to pay for their postal
cars such extraordinary prices that we
cannot employ them" In answer to the
question if the government could compel
them to come to terms he remarked {:
"The extent of the powers of the govern
ment over the railroads has not yet been
clearly defined; but if the roads bring
about en- issue they will find what the
power of the government is. lift comes
to that Congress will probably decide that
railroads, being post routes, are under
the control Of the Government and may
be compelled to afford proper facilities at
such reasonable rates as may declare that
the Postmaster-general shall have the
power to forward the mails by his own
post-csrs and locomotives as often and
as rapidly as the public interest may re-
quire, and then the companies will be
admonished to clear the tracks, and, not
clearing them, the army will see that
/ they be cleared" Then, after express
ing the hope that there may be no such
occasion for exercising the power of the
federal government, he added: "But
these corporations, which have received
their franchises from the people, certain
ly owe in return certain duties to the
people. They not only owe the duty o
transporting freight and passengers, bu
the still greater duty of transporting thu
mails with facility and dispatch and tn
people will see to it that their rights ar
enforced" His concluding words indi
cate what may result from this conflict
and ought to be warning to the railroat
companies: "If," he says, "they persis
in this course, they'll get a scorchin
from Congress next December" A com
mittee Of the Senate that considers thi
subject, of which Mr. Window is Chair
man, sits during the recess to make in
vestigations, particularly on the subjeC
of the exclusion of the postal cars frOT
several of the leading railroad routes c
the country, and report at the next ses
sion. The appeal says this investiga
ton will open up the whole question
which is Just now of immense importane,
as to the duties aud obligations of q
companies and individuals engaged
the business of transportation anywheT
in tile country. 1t is apparent that sue
a report will engage the earnest cOnsid
Grafton of Congress, and all indication
point to the conclusion that considers
ton OF the subject cannot be much long,
delayed. The President has twice calie
the attention of Congress to the impor
ance of relieving the people, by props
legislation, Of the burdens now impose
by transporta ton companies, but his II
! concentrations have been of rather
visionary character, and are regards
with some apprehension.