Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-09-23

this or any period to deal with the railroad
problem. 1t is more thln one sided
more than two ~idcl. 1t is n,t wholly Il
question of unequal or excessive freight
charges. 1t is not wholly Il question hon
e't railroad mana cement. 1t is no, wholly
:, question of rights OF property. Behind
all these questions are some of the PROPOSE
tions of political economy, an | a right un-
IerStandinT of III: functions of govern
ment; and. perlia;'S. included in these are
the laws of business and trade which can
never be protitablv violated.
That IL state which created Il railroad
ought to lave the right t. control it. there
can be no donit. Vet railways W ith the
exception of til" land taken by right of
eminent domain. .-;irr rs much private
propcrtyaS Your farms are private proper
ty. The state can take either by giving
IN equivalent in money. Il ha-. where
it has not parted with it. the power ana
the right to fix tariffs for the carriage of
freight and pa>>t'n ter-; Yet 1t is tmo~t
delicate power to use: next in ic:icacV To
the exercise of power in fixing hy law the
price of corn. OF of wages. and should
never he used arbitrarily or in fraud of
any one right of property. The railroad
power ha~ grown strong both by snt-
ttrancc and by right it has gained great in
tluenc': 1t l> IN possession OF an agency
vital to the industries of the country: the
evils incident 10 it ar. in Il great meas
urr. y result either OF the action or the
neglect. or the Indifference of the people.
Yet now the devil thai i in it cannot b"
east out without 4 wrench which every in
du~try must feel, and it i>. in fact, 4 serious
uup>,inn Nl,.fht-T i'm th,. y-ly- some. lt.r
tors would east 1t out, It i not Likely that
seven devils worse than ia" present one
would come III and take possession ol
the swept and =Arni.i!"d h'h!tation Al.
tins does not ar@de that nothing shonid be
done should be thoU@httt'llv. patiently
ri@htiully. wisely dom: :m it shows be-
sides, tillt when di~et~n b .-om = chronic
not likely t" be restored in 4 day OF yeIr.
If reforms III government or IN admins
tration come slowly. they may come more
surely. lla>iv action i often rash and
hurttul: lmpttirnrc i~ not always real
ally of reform. Pretended. >hlm reforms.
cannot he too rtmnr>cl"~~IN exposed ana
>p.rnrd: bat Ii l. the part OF wisdom t"
rcmcmher that when d"ErnrrIti"n has
N'iII' ~ H's'tN "a III ~ 'Aii'' 'N'A7 ''+'''
wrong. regeneration canmo, be instant and
perfect. Those VIII" work t"r a better order
of things will need great faith, great
patience. great wisdom an 4 far a. the
iitrmer> movement looks I" real reform IN
government and administration. 1t ha> IN
dcrtahrn III" grrntc~t W"rh III which Ihr
citizen can cn-agr The task * a difficult
one. but every honest m N Will wish for IL
successful accomplishments
But. my friends. l have alrra1y exceed
ed the limits pr"p'- t i myself.
and have scarcely begun t. >ay what |
wanted to. The TURNER'S of Vermont are
4 grr:tt majority ut the people If Vermont.
\ on can AMI 10 hu,d in voUr hands the
political power Of Vermont III the state
and in the nation. A. a cl~~ dn no.
urgc You to ,i>. it.-for cla-~ politics and
class legislation never bring t. t!it p"upl,
thu best result # Government. EIt /,
-. Ia ..sf f.-.,