The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-13
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION
shall the People or the Railroad. Run the
Governmentt

Fuutt tue teOptt OF tut hWts"e"r w." wv
tsovernmentf
To THE EDIToR OF The SUN-Str: Per-
hata one OF the most lmportant issues to be de
cided al the coming election Il. whether the
people or the railroads snail take charge OF the
machinery OF the q Dvernment. To to this time
the question has not been vital one, because
the railroads have contented themselves with
attemuts to control the Legislatures OF states
whore their lines are located an I, not having
PRIVILEGES to ask from the National Government,
they were not disposed to interfere where their
interests were not involved. Since the advent OF
the Republican party to power, the railroad sys-
tenn of tke United 81 ties has been greatly in
creased, and In its EXPANSION II became ne'es-
sary to Evoke the aid OF Don rress both In loans
OF money and In the acquisition OF LARGE tracts
OF territory. While tue Pacific railroads were
In process Of construction. tho attitude OF the
builders tn the people was necessarily tn It Of
supplicants, and Tor some time after their compile
ton there was no disposition ON the part Of the
benencisrIes to put themselves into anta2Onstn
to the interests Of the country. That they did
not do so was because 1t was necessary to acquire
business and capital before venturIng to assert
their right to 'xtraorIin nv privileees, aud
while the siuews OF war were licking II WIS
plain thnt thev were IN no cond ton TO trample
upon ne people FROM whom their charte and
the money to build their lines were obtained.
When no more money was needed for con-
etruotiOn and the corporations began, by reason
OF tue benefits Of their monopoly, to accumu-
late funds SUFFICIENT TO pay DIVIDENDS To thstr
Stockholders. the old policy OF submission to
tue or stine power was CHANGED, and the Pa
CHE cOrpOr atiOns exposed tueir real Intentions.
As they were created tv the Republican party,
"a their charters we're given nv ts
In Congress. as large amounts Of stock and / onds
were divided among Its legislators In Washing
ton. II was reasonable TO suppose that so long
as the corrupt organization rem ined In power
So long would the Pacinc railroads rero ain free
from Ddvment Of their OBLIGATIONS and co itinue
their sans t. their stockholders at tue expense
Of the people
So the contest began between the people and
the Railroads In national Iegsltion, AS for years
past II = teen gong n In various States. the
linton Pacific Railroad. wi h J ~ GouId IN con
trol. hrst iUrred the issue bv sn enormous ad-
vance In its passenger ana freight tariffs, and 10y
appealing To the courts TO decide that the cor
Dora ION need not reimburse the lr asury for its
advances fr period oI tnlrtv years.
Il ~ notice ole that m the most recent st-ug-
gle between the people and the railroad power
~ the Nur'hwestern states, the ,iroaos looked
10 the Re ubic u party to protect tneir monOp-
olies ana prevent the public from obtaining ts-
bel IL VII be remeuo ered, too, that the
IN Wisconsin, overthrow the railroad power.
viii h, 10y Is corrupt union with the Republl-
can parry. had ruled the State for sixteen wears
no To 1873. In other Sta es, well, the railroad
interes, has depe ndeu on toe Republican party to
sustain II IN Its exactions, aud the people nave
ONLY fnund protection 10 their Industry by look
ins to tue Democratic p,rty for relief.
J.y Gould well knows that bs hope In main
tanning an oppressive monopoly an in cheating
the Government ont Of the t77.OU0U0 that the
Union Pacific Railroad Will owe Il Ia 1925. lies 10
keeping the present party IN power. He knows
that the election Of Hayes and Wheeler woul
tie triumph Tor his corporation, aud that no
till uesigned to make II pay Its dues IN fuil to
the Government would stand any more cnance
OF becoming law than WITH the present Adj
niulsiratiun. He has not forgotten now zen r
ali, tie Credit Mobilier stock was di-tribuied
about In Washing on. and he argues, natur lly,
that u Dc, asional sop Of n ike Diture would
not be- di-tastei al To- "A pYrty wnerr IL had oeen
so ankfuliy received before. He remembers
the effect produced by the expenuiture Of $3.50
90 of the funds Of Pacific Mail In Washing Oh,
.nd, naturally, does not want to see the Repub.
lie party 40 out OF tower. He does not for
get the appointment OF william A. Wheeler
upon the RAilro d Committee of the House by
james g. Blame, Spe ker Of that body. and IL
would prooaob not eri We him 60 see the Vice
President OF the Senate. Knowing that the
Re, ubir rty can be relied on to help him
OUT OF any scrape Tor small percentage Of the
money involved, Gould has been making des-
perat- efforts - AID It's success and to plare
his willing tools Ia the most impOrtapt and
prominent positions.
James q. beine was his first choice. and the
g'eat strength OF this Candid tie at Cincinnati
proved how powerful W IS his Dackiny ana what
enormous interests were clqueu together for
nis support Toe success OF G rn. Hayes, while
IL was not go warmly applauded as that OF
Bi me would have been, was not nc ali dIst ate
ful g. Gou.d and the TrtJune the norniu alton
Oi Wheeler WAS conceded To- ne admirable
Since then We have seen now the PaciHc Rail
r"ao interest has been working In the iut crest
OF the Cinci.ndti nominees. The I,'Qune.
6ouids own paper, is 10 d IN procialiniDg their
virtues. Gould nd his friends talk Dolhine out
Republic n Cam Vaign Committee at Phi del |
phi, Wan. 7. FRYE and Eugene Hate Of MAine.
Two OF he Represen stives VINO worked h, ru, Al
Tor baine ana ssned the mino, itv report Of the |
Judiciary Committee recommending that the |
Uni' 4 cue Railroad be allowed to aettie with |
toe Government On its own terms, were appoint
ed 10 stumi Indiana for yes ana Wheeler
l.. n. Rollins OF New HdnlUshire ana James |
u. Same OF Maine. both Uuiun L ci6c To Inc |
oH'ko"ne snd IN sympathy with Gould, have |
Received appointments to the United States |
Senate.
IL IL evident that the Union Pacific RAILROAD.
~hicn T. nov ngDting to cneat tue peop,e out 81
the ull Ions wutcn thei nave loaned FOR IL. con
= ructoh and tue nominees OF the Republican |
parry are ~ complete accord, snd that a o. Ram |
has been made BY wnicu II toe one snail sue |
ceeu IN rethinips II, mold Of power the other
sn-n not be disturbed in It's monopoly ex
l"Itlons, nor ue co.rpeileu to pay tue i'm
uetsr sums II rightfuiiy owes. Tnat thu, ia
true VIII he inferred fr"m the fact tn Z t,oy
hayes lie ter OF acceptAn"e, wutle futly dill ting
az otner important questions. does not, even
ia the most cuiuuIy way, touch upon TINS m ,t,rr
wnch IL OF tue ui' st vital Interest TO the people
IL Is hkely, however, tn tue people Will IA II be
SLOW To Urng the o. issIun 10 no ice. and that
As la tne Northwestern States, the DeInocratIc
parry viii De rriied upon TO solve tno question
VI reform. Inc country Ia not "a Ell, SO com
plstey blinded To tue IRE L national Issues as IN
allow jaw Guulu ana the Paciuo RAJ. road inter
Bats To ell CT tnsir own candidate TO the iDost
Responsible positions In the Government.
STIRABoUT.