The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-07-13

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DALLAS, TEXAS, July -, 1873.
TO the Editor OF The Dnlns Herald!
In your Issue Of the 9th, you refer to
an article published in the Waco EN-
anliucr charging me with beinga can
didutc for Governor, in the interest of
railroad rings, and say my friends de-
sire that | should express myself son
the railroad question, which seems to
be paramount to all others now before
the people of this Statc,o &c. ! had
hoped, aud still desire not to he drawn
into the discussion of any political
questions whatever in the coming cam
paien
It unnecessary for me to deny that
| am the candidate Of any railroad
rings for Governor, or n candidate at
all, for you are aware that ! am IN no
wisc responsible for my name being
before the people Of this State for that
position, and must be permitted to
say that there are other names mem
toned, older and better qualified for
the place than myself, and represent
ing men whom | would gladly sup
port. The state Of Texas can
well afford to encourage internal
improvement Of every kind, that tend
develop her great resources. Rail-
ronds accomplish this result more rap
idly than anything else, and hence
this should meet with liberal cncOIr-
agemcnt aud treatment from the state.
am opposed to any further monied
subsidies to ailroad-. The last Legs
lature granted landed subsidies to II
sufficient number of roNds, which If
built, will absorb the whole ofthc pub
lie domain left INDICATED, and hence
this is no longer an open question, ana
the query Is how far The State shall
exercise control over such corporations,
and the spirit in which such authority
should be exercised, Capital invested
in railroads Is as sacred rs that invested
in merchandise, farming or anything
else, and should be SO considered
by the Legislature Of this state We
have n general railroad law
to which all railroad corporations are
subject, and good faith on the part of
the state demands that all other re-
strictions imposed, or TO be imposed,
upon such corporations, except such
a. are provided for by the general law
existing at the timc should, so far n
IL is practicable, be embraced in the
charters themselves, thus giving the
companies applying for such charters
(thcy being contracting parties with
the State an opportunity of accepting
or Rejecting the specified conditions, !
am opposed to the idea advanced BY
some ardent enthusiasts, to get rail-
roads the best way we can, on first
promises, aud lcgislatc for their govern
ment afterward, ! see no Immediate
danger to be apprchcndcd from rail-
road corporations, or that any further
legislation is needed to protect the pc0-
pie against. thGtnQt rWGsaHta" rs ltarGd |
by some, il will then be time, and ! |
the Legislature of this state |
viii act promptly and efficiently for the
proper protection Of the people and |
their rights on, this great question. |
For the present, | say, letthe railroads
alone, except to encourage their speedy |
What are known as the lntcrna-
tional railroad bonds have, perhaps,
more than anything else, given rise to
The discussion of this question.
think it exceedingly unfortunate that
the last Legislature saw fit to take any |
notice of this matter. Nothing in the
deliberations of that body has done
moro to iujurc the credit of the state,
md to check the rapid construction of
railroads, so auspiciously begun, when
no possible good can be expected from
it, unless it is an attempt on the part !
Of the legislative branch Of the govern
ment to influence the judiciary, which
would certainly be very dangerous
precedent. The question of the legal
Ity of the bonds claimed by the Inter
national road is now before the courts
Of the State There ii should rest, and
not he made an issue in the next can
yass. But should the courts decide
hem to be n valid and binding debt
lpon the state, then | unhesitatingly
,ay, pay them to refuse is reputation
If State obligation of the highest
character. lam very respectfully,
S. J. ADAMS.
MlcrEI IhMEftIS