The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-01
THE DIFFERENCE,


gathering of wire pullers at Princeton to
, lay plans to defeat Gen. Elliott. the indie
pendent candidate for congress The Her.
aid says:
AZ NJ Havrrstick, Waller johnson, W. II. Gest.
8 j T. Browning of Rock Island; W Dury, Dr.
stanton. of Putnam; and A. W; Albro; f ! ware, a
Leberknecht, E. c. Moderwell. Il. f, Steele, Mr..
Millchrist OF Henry. were here on Tuesday giving
attention 10 political matters"
They doubtless compared the points in
Gen Ellott's Independent Platform with
those advocated by Gen Henderson, as
the Union of this (Thursday) morning, in
an article evidently authorized by Hender-
son, announces that the only difference be-
tween the principles advocated by Elliott
and those advocated by Henderson, is Ito
quote from that paper, as follows;
Gen. Henderson favor. the National Government
building "a comprehensive freight railway from the
West to the Atlantic, Gen Elliott would conine
the relief afforded TO the people by government ex-
clusiyeIy 10 water ways,
, Gen, Henderson be icves in the National Govern.
ment controlling railways, while Gen. Elliott be-
leyes IN state control.
We are quite willing to go. before the
people on that issue Whenever the Ma
tional Government embarks in the bust
ness of building railroads it will have to
purchase every railroad in the United
States, and build, control and run all the
future railroads in the country, thus cen
tralizing all power over the business of
the whole country in the hands of a po-
litica ring at Washington, aiding its
friends in business and throwing obstacles
I in the path Of its opponents. National
Control would be Centralized Despotism
and taxation to the last limit of human en-
durance
The only safety for the people lies In
private enterprise, under State Authorize
ton and State Control The National
Government never yet embarked in the
business of building railroads, and it will
never be permitted to do so if the people
are awake to the dangers which would fol-
low such a course We are aware that
John Logan. Charley Farwell, and others,
have bill before congress for charter
for a railroad from nearly every place to
every other pace--a kind of elastic char
ter which can be stretched in all direc-
tons; and from this authorized announce
ment, in the Lnion of Gen Henderson po-
sition, it looks a though he was interested
it. How much stock is he to have for
advocating this scheme to bind the people
hand and foot to such a gigantic fraud
upon their best interests? How much is
the Union to have
We are thankful that Gen Henderson
has thus early announced himself upon
this outrageous scheme to enrich q few at
the expense Of the many, and to place the
dearest interests Of the West in the hands
of political ring at Washington, and un-
| der National Government Control, for the
scheme is SO monstrous that the people
will sink any man out of sight politically,
who advocates it.
This railroad scheme, and the Credit
Mobiier job inside of it, shows why the
tnion has opposed the Rock Island and
Honnepin canal. 1t shows why that pa
per, last winter, when Mr., Hawley intro
duced his bill for our canal, said that mil
lions are proposed for such Wi}d schemes
as the digging of a canal from Rock ISL
and to liennepin, the pet project of John
B. Iiawley." This is the way the Union
has helped the canal for year and a half,
and this is the way Henderson and the
taion throw off on it now by announcing
that Henderson is in favor of National
Government Railroad, and National Con
troll of all railroads. while Elliott tavors
open and free Water Routes and State
Control of railroads.
1t is hardly necessary to say to the pco-
pie that railroads are monopolies, and that
Henderson railroad would be the very
worst and most dangerous of all monopo-
lies, under the control of political par
~
Canals are not monopolies and cannot be
made such. Any farmer has right to
hitch up his team and haul his boat
through the canal to "a market, with his
freight. on paving toil-and run on his own
time table. No one can hitch up their 10
connective and haul their freight in their
own ears over any railroad to market
And now we say that, while Gen. Eli
oft has not yet published his ideas in detail
upon this subject, we are content to take
the statement Of Gen. Henderson as set
forth in the tni0a editorial, and 90 be
fore the people on that issue alone, bcliev- |
ing that Elliott would be triumphantly
sustained, and the Credit MobiIier Nation
al Railroad scheme of Logan, Henderson
Il Co. condemned.
Henderson advocates a scheme which .
would place the whole business Of the
country under the management and con
troll of a political party with headquarters
at Washington
Elliott is in favor of keeping business
Dut of politics and under the Immediate
control Of the people, through their own
0cal governments.
The Boston Bazaar received large ,
shipment of goods from the east yestcr
lay 4