The Portland daily press., 1873-03-27
How to Settle Railroad Quarrels

The telegraph announces that two railroad
companies in the State of Ohio have institute
ed new method Of making war upon each
other. One rival company with its adherents
seizes road that it claims, tears up the track,
cuts the telegraph wires and stops the trains
and there waits the result. At last accounts
the other party was approaching with its
armed bands of men.
Viewed from the ideal stand point of 10th
century civilization and the advanced prece-
dent OF the Treaty of Washington, this method
Of settling railroad broi isn't quite the thing.
Nevertheless there are valid reasons why an
adjustment OF such troubles by an appeal to
the arbitrament of revolvers and Henry's
rifles, should be generally adopted. Rumor
hath it that e,ery Legislature in the land is
scandalized by their outrageous enactments
in the interest of railroad corporations. The
State of New Jersey is often called New
Scotland because of the power of Tom Scott
over its legislation. The New York legisla.
ture has been SO demoralzed by fifteen years
Of railroad lobbyism that two of those bodies
elected as retormers have agonized in vain to
get out of the bad old ways. The legislature
OF pennsylvania has its money valuation as
accurately fixed by experienced railroad kings
as is that of other property in the State. In
Maine where all men possess such rare vir-
tue that they cannot be purchased oy annual
passes, the legislature does very strange things
for railroads, and neglects the business of the
people. In short, from all we can gather
from the papers, despite such rare and shin
ing examples as Cakes Ames, Daniel Drew,
Jay Gould, Commodore Vanderbilt and Tom
Scott, the railroad rulers of the land are class
that the country would be more happy and
virtuous we're il rid of them. Now suppose
they change their mode of warfare so that
instead of buying legislatures, bribing courts
Of justice and harrassing the people general
~, the magnat IS be allowed to enlist theil
several bands IF retainers, place themselves
In the fore front RANK of their armed cohorts,
and in every case where dispute arises, set
tie it by vigorous appeal to arms in an open
field where there can be no subterfuge.
If this new system of adjusting troubles is
adopted and the great leaders are as valient
on this arena as they have proved themselves
persistent in demoralizing legislatures and
good but weak men, we may not only expect
speedy adjustment, but that the railroads of
the nation will be left without kings andown-
ers. Then we shall be prepared to adopt the
plan of Mr.. Charles Francis Adams, Jr.,
which is that the State own the railroads and
run them for the benefit of the people; for
the mighty magnates and the corrupt corpor-
ations having committed mutual hari-kari,
the roads will naturally fall to the State.
The more we think of this plan the more
strongly impressed are we with its great value
for it viii hurry up the millennial period al
least thousand years. Doubtless the Amer
lean Peace Society and Mr.. Bergh will pro
test against this method, but let us remind
them that peace must come by the sword.
The pending fight between the Boston &
Maine and Maine Central affords an excel.
lent opportunity to try the experiment. We
don't positively insist upon it; but if they
conclude to fight it out on the line we pro-
p,se, let them give US non-combatants timely
notice that W. may get to the rear.