Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-08-08
.sB0UT RAILROADS.. ETC.

The Isl. Johnsbury) Vermont Farmer, OF
last week, in reply TO criticism from the
ST. Albaps Messenger, charging the Far
mer with persistent attempts TO give ma
terial aid and comfort to monopolists,"
makes the following just and sensible re-
marks:
We have travelled over the state good
DEAL lately, taking pains to ascertain the
popular feeling on this subject, and IL seems
TO us that we very accurately express 1t
when we say that whatever complaints the
creditors of the Central may have against
the trustees, and however Just those com
plants may be, the people, the travelling
and freighting public, are toleraby we'll
satisfied with the management of the road,
and do not regard ii in the light Of an ag-
gressive monopoly. Farther than this, If
we have learned the general sentiment
rightly, there is n very strong disinclina-
ton to see the principal railroad of the
state fall into he possession of the agrees
sivo foreign capitalists whose hands have
been so visible in the attacks made upon IL
during the year. The people feel that 1t
would probably be an exchange of King
LUZ lOi mug oloI thCg "Ouiu Ia
Their bear the ills they have, than fly 10 9TH
ers that they know not Of"
We are the more strengthened in the
above views by the fact that they seem 10
be substantially those Of nearly every news
paper conductor in the state. We scout The
charge that free pass, which all railroads
extend 10 editors, nluzzes the entire press
Of this or any other state against msdolngs
of railroad men. We know il has never
weighed grain with us, and we do not be-
lievc it weighs more with such able and
well established journals rs the Burlington
and Rutland dailies, or with weeklies like
the Bratileboro PHOENIX, and the Montpel-
Ter papers. As for ourself, we have never
hesilated to speak sharply Of the errors of
railroad men over whose roads we ride
much oftener than we do over the Central.
1t would not pay us, pecunarilys TO sacri-
flee the interests of our pat rCns by cover
ing wrong in this way, even If we had no
other motive, nor any pride in the independ-
ence of our paper. But we have not only
the independence TO condemn road when
it deserves it, we have also independence
enough to stand up for one vixen VIC be-
lieve the interests of our people AMI state
can so be best served. In doing this we by
no means justify any wrongs its managers
may be guilty Of, and our columns are
open to all complaints from the people
against the Central or any other railroad in
the state.
In regard to passes and "dcad-heading"
over railroads, at hotels, to shows, books,
magazines, &C., we shall rejoice when such
things are put an end to, and the relations
between the papers and all who want to ad
vcrtise put upon square cash basis. But
we cannot break down the present arrange
ment single handed. We should be glad
TO back the proprietor of The Messenger, in
the Editors and Publishers Association in
such move. viii he make it?
The dilemma in regard TO the Central is
this Either the courts, legislature, press
and people of Vermont al utterly corrupt,
as the Massachusetts papers writing in the
interest of the capitalists of that state are
virtually charging, or they are simply act
ing on the defensive, to keep in their own
control the railroads that run through their
own territory. We believe the latter to be
nearest the true state of the case. The fol-
lowing extract from the Springfield Repub-
lican Of July 90 reveals something of the
animus Of Massachusetts journals and their
few allies in Vermont
"Moreover, the disclosures of the investi-
eating committee, the spread of the farm
ers oranges, the reckless ambition of Tire
nor w. Park, who means to he governor
next year, and the political aspirations Of
men who mean to get into power by pop
ular outcry, are fast working a revolution
in the public sentiment Of Vermont. If
Park runs for governor in 1874, and the
Smiths who are in league with him, con-
| tinue TO bc so, they will find themselves
confronted by a strong anti-monopoly par
| ~, which includes Bradley BIrlow, of 81.
| Adams, an able man who knows all Gov.
| Smiths secrets aud who now detests him
most cordially. Ono of the most capable
| editors in Vermont, Albert Clark, of the
| st. Alblns Messenger, sides with Barlow
| in his warfare on the Smiths, and max IS
| his newspaper a valuable ally in the s;rug-
| gle. = The true course for the
| first mortgage bond holders to take is 10
| hold their securities and bring suit in the
| United States court for the recovery of their
| property and If this were done at once
| and vigorously followed up, the ring would
| probably he driven away from their new
| plumber, compelled 70 give up their uncon-
| stitutional character, and either turned out
of the management Of the road altogether
or obliged TO pay first their Indebtedness to
the first mortgage bond -holders and the
Vermont and Canada interest. These cred
itors live almost wholly in Massachusetts
and Philadel pha--and Boston is probably
the heaviest loser by the fraud of the st.
Adams ring"
| There is a large colored population in
that wood pile, and we believe the people
of Vermont whose money was sunk under
those mortgages will not cry much if the
money of those mortgages goes to the bot
| tom of the same sea. Mr.. Barlow and Mr..
Clark may be patriotic in trying to wreak
vengeance for private quarrels by throw
| ing the Central into the hands of its enc
miles, but we doubt if Vermonters gener-
ally will see 1t in that light.
-----------s-.---
Hon. Edwin b. Morgan has given 500,
900 to ondow Wells College, Aurora, N. Y.
Boston has just had another fire, which
destroyed property 10 the value of half a