The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-08-09

juice IRELAND, in a speech deliv
cred in Seguin, on the 18th ult., in re
gard to railroads, said:
II will be seen that most of the rail
road charters, especially those prepar
ing the way to ask for more than they
ought to get, are preceded by large pre-
amblcs and whereases; stump speecheS
about progress and civilization, etc.
and to listen to some OF the advocates
of these measures, one would suppose
that the one road to Heaven and tho
Elvsian fields, lay over some OF these
projects of civilization.
Sometimes, in answering these silly
outbursts, we were driven to pretty
severe criticisms of these large corpor'
ations, and grand monopolies.
No one denies that railroads may be
made useful and beneficial to the pub
lie. But there are many disadvantages
attending their construction. 1t Is the
disposition of each and all, without eX-
ception, to drag from the people every
dollar and immunity that they can get
No man, who reads anything but his
own county papers, will deny the 1acl
that these large corporations are con-
trolling the governments OF tins coiitl-
nent. Every effort made in the late
Legislature looking to riShtlul poiice
over these corporations, was instantly
denounced by their paid papers, ana
the authors of such efforts denounced
ms COX cart' men. On several occa-
sions | gave, in brief, my views ON
railroads, but they were invariably
sent to the country warped anu us
torted. =.
| want roads, and after it had been
settled that the lands should go, at
tempted to get a fair dlVlde 1or the
West in aid ofthe roads,.
If the State, however, is to hulld the
roads, let her build, own and operate
them. If the State has lands, the law
making power, if not restrained, may
give the lands to whomsoever ana tor
whatever she may think proper. rms
is power-it may not always be right.
If she has her Golfers full of money,
and is not restrained, she may give the
money to whom and for whatever pur-
nose She thinks proper, though it may
not always be right. In these eases,
there is no way by which n citiZen can
interfere and stop IL. But Sl4ei an
agent of the people, as law-maker,
undertakes to make promises that can
not be fulfilled without calling on the
people to respond to the demands OF
the tax-gather, he may say no, and III
woke the laws of the land, ana even
handed justice to stay the robbery.
Give all the charters asked for 10
build roads, rcserving all necessary
control over the corporations, SO us to
prevent them from expressing the peo'
pie; deal with them justly ana larry,
but as they are the creditors Of the
State, let them know that they can not
become the masters of the creator, 1
am met by tho remark that Texas has
not vet suffered any of the wrongs al
the hands of these corporations oi
which we spoke. These men DO not
know what is going on outside of Their
own town or city. They do not care to
know. / trust that we will proilt 10y
the experience of Others, and as these
corporations grow up, we will KEEP
pace with them, and not allow them
to bind lis head and foot, as they have
those of other States,
trust that the next convention tha'
assemblies TO frame q constitution iol
Texas will settle this money donation
matter forever.