National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-17
THE People Us. THE RAILROADS.

l
An observant correspondent of the Fort
Dodge Qows) Messenger, writing from this
city, remarks, in abiding to the McCrary
transportation bill, that many of the promi-
nent Journals of the East "and all of the
"dailies, great and small, in this District.
Except THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,
care openly or secretly at work to perpetu-
cate the power of the railroad monopoly
"and to defeat it in the Senate" We
quote the remark not for the purpose of
making an invidious distinction or of at
tracing attention to our course. That
speaks for itself; but the general statement
that many of the journals of the East are
opposed to the bill is truth as significant
as any political truth possibly can be. 1t
shows that, regardless of party fealty, re-
gardless of party success, and regardless of
the plain-spoken demands of an over
whelming majority of the people,
the influence of aggregated capital
in the East is making itself
felt in manner which forebodes no good
to the Republican party or to the interests
of the people. 1t may seem to be vain
and extravagant remark, but we honestly
believe that the evils with which both the
country and the dominant party arc effected
have their origin solely in the East. The
reforms in public affairs, the progressive
spirit which would develop the industries
of the South, and the cheap transportation
movements, all invariably meet with oppo-
sition from the moneyed centres Of the more
thickly populated States on our North
Atlantic coast. Boston and New York
combine in this opposition as naturally
as they did in favor of contraction
of the currency, and as naturally as thieves
would do when seeking plumber. One result
is sectional antagonism, but another is
party dissension and ominous dissatisfaction.
Every indication of the presence of
railroad lobby in the Capitol is noted with
angry jealousy, the bent of the policy of
Congress is closely criticised, and spirit
of captious fault-fnding is aroused which
visits itself upon the responsible majority
in both Houses, not in an individual and
plrticularizing way, but. in way which
threatens revolution in partisan affairs
In short, whether it is true or not the peo-
pie of the West and South are now in
clined to believe that Congress more readily
Obeys the capitalists of the East than it
represents their suffering and interests, and
i lis among the positive assurances of the
future that this inclination will become
conviction unless Congress does something
to disabuse the people of their error.
We have repeatedly alluded to this mat
ter, because we consider it of paramount
importance. The arguments to be advanced
in support Of the cause of the people are in
vincible and inexhaustible. The passage of
Mr. McCrary's bill by the House showed
a party division which proved the treachery
of the Democrats, at the same time proving
that the Republicans did everything in their
power to put an end to the extortions of the
monopolists. But the work is not complete
The arguments are to be repeated in the
Senate, the cause Of the people to be pleaded
over again, and the latter half of the battle
to be fought. Let us hope that no fnespun
theories of constitutional law will prevail to
undo what has already been dQne. The
question involved is simply this: If the
States have no jurisdiction over the imagi-
nary geographical lines which divide them,
what other authority has that Jurisdiction?
The answer is, Certainly not the railroads.