The Portland daily press., 1873-09-30
stock breeding is not quite SO extensively nur-

stock breeding is not quite so extensively pur-
sued as few years ago.
Cattle show days are rare occasions for the
man who is curious to know the general drift
of public opinion on current topics, for there
YOU will find the most intelligent and practical
of what may with pride be termed our yeo-
many These men are keen observers and in
dependent 9hnkers They have invested in
patents until they are little shy of innova-
vatiens, and little distrustful of so called re-
forms, vet they will denounce the salary grab
and.kindred denominations, and just now are
keenly alive to the
RAILROAD QUESTION.
In the two or three days that 1 have been
about here nearly every intelligent man has
spoken of this subject, not as affecting the in
terests of any particular corporation, but that
more important question as to whether the
people were made for the railroads or the rail-
roads for the people. Nothing has so promi-
neptly brought this question before the nnblic
mind as the conflicts at Portland. The lively
frog that leaped into place, then out and back
again, has given rise to more questions for the
future than any batrachian that ever vet exist
ed. The great question that the people will
bring up for settlement is: What are railroads
for; to help develop the country, to be COM
mon carriers, and servants for pay, or to check
industry, to lay grevious burdens upon enter
prise and lord it over the people? 1t is very
nearly the old question of the divine right Of
kings like Tom Scott and Commodore Van
derblt and the rights of the people. We may
as well tell the average politician who shifts
dinner in the granger movement, that no play
acting no wearing of homespun shirts. thick
boots and straw hats. no toting about of an
OK goad, no hair dressing of hay seed, no clap
trap speakers at agricultural meetings will do
in I ole
he must choose whether he will wear the livery
of Tom Scott and take his money, or sta d by
the PEOPLE. If he concludes to do the former.
let him sell himself in the market for price
that will take care of him in the future, for he
eau never again come into favor. The people
care not for thcsMaine Central, Boston & Maine
or Eastern They are mere names. They do
want easy and quick means of transportation
With them this is the only question. The peo-
pie are putting to railroad managers questions
like tbs following: "Why should a lot of
freight, that cost Sc cents for transportation by
rail from Boston 10 Portland. distance of 10
miles, cost $2.35 from Portland to Skowhegan,
100 miles?' Now give it up, but it is ques-
tion that interests Portland very much, and
every resident of Maine 1t is question that
the people will have solved in some way.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The present week Messrs. Allen of Pennsyl-
vania, and Corthel of Calais have been holding
Teachers Institute here. The interest has
been very good but nothing ike that manifest
ed two years ago. Good judges report that
throughout the rural towns the rank of the pub
lie schools has fallen the last year and half.
The teachers are not so good and school officers
have fallen back into the old inattention When
teachers were examined by County Supervisors,
scores of inefficient teachers were practically
driven out of our schools. Now all this has been
done away and the old order of things prevails.
In our county towns there is a general system of
nepotism. The average school agent does not
look about for the best teachers, but enga ges
hls wife's sister, his nece, his own daug h ter,
his sister or even his own wife to teach the
school. Except that they are their relations
and the money is handy to have in the family
these persons wonld never have been thought
of as teachers. AS consequence the schools
are comparatively worthless, Next year an
other man pursues the same policy. The argu-
ment for this destructive policy is-we pay the
taxes and have a right to the money "What
shall be done to save the rural schools? will be
question for the next Legislature. S.