The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-22
A RAILROAD MAN

yourself, are you not, Mr.. Steward?'
L am the president of the Chicago,
Milliugton and Western railroad company.
and that is the extent of my correction
with railways. | never owned dollar iu
railroad stock until this company was Or
ganized. don't know that could express
myself better on the railroad question than
we did in little pamphlet, that We got
out then" 81
de had hunted up copy of the pamph-
let, and read from it as follows:
Recognizing the wisdom of the present general
demand for legislative control of railroads, and
the necess ty for reform in rates OF tion
prouuci & population of the west, we propose to
place This road squarey under state conroi and
In the hands of tue people.
ave believe there Is even yet a large amount Of
capita and energy available in this stae for the
building OF railways provided the people are con-
viuced that he benefit is be- really their own
They must know that the expense of construc ion
involves no ravagant contracts; thai the manage
ment is to be al home that the prime object OF the
road is to be tie accommCaa ion of the u. ople
al ng ne line Father than competition for through
traffic. nuc Gus Tor some bold of water
| ed STOCK
'..5ut NJ sach movement of public interest can go
forward without some ones akng the Initiative.
| and perfecting an organization around which tie
| popular impulses crys,a ize. The power OF
the people IL equal to any emergency when il can
be cohc Rtraiea and brought TO bear directly on
desired Object Its Influence, however, is often
wasted vague ana DIES Itory cxeriiuns, eff rt
Ieutraiiziug another and all failing from the wanI
| or persistent and well-dlrected effort By taking
advantage OF this fact the "ppressors of the people
| frequently accomplish tn II schemes of exsortion
'''In the organization of the hicago, Mi lington
/ and Western Railway, we propose TO open q
channel through ich the widespread opposition
To the present railroad monopoly can be made
| productive II practical results 1t Is undertaken
peoples rdilway-io be built by the people, fol
and tn tka1r
| and benefit. For ourselves pledge to 1t i
liberal support in money and energy. At the same
time We do n wish II 10 b. regarded as our road
rather than that of any otner half dozen CT izen,
along its line The law requiring The articles o
Incorporation 10 designate Certain per ons to b,
directors for the first year. have, the soliciia
ton Of other earnest supporters of the movement
allowed names TO be inserted, trusting that on
previous I'd viii inspire confidence hat we ar,
on the s de OF the people and will stand by them
At the years End other gentlemen will be associat
ed with MS in The management. take our place
should il appear that the confidence of the people
can be thereby better retained and SO on
i Then taking up
4 THE LAST PLANK:
/ Resotoed That we demand q reduction OF al
public expenditures to the END TINT taxation ma
be reduced to the lowest possible Limits.
4 ''Of course-of course.
The Times man remained in converse
ton with him until near midni hit. but thu
gist of his political opinions were express
ed in the remarks above given.
do you intend to stump the state dur
: ing the campaign" he was asked.
i No, sir, do not. Cab has been th
bane of politics long enough. We've ha,
too much CAB don't propose to Civ
the people any of it. 1t may be that IN
friends will compel me to speak SOM
time. but | shan't talk any more than
can help-in public People know wher
| stand. If they want to vote for me, a
right. Ii they don't, it wont break u
/, heart"
In the course of talk it appeared tia
Mr.. Steward is descendant of job
Rogers, '.the man who died with his fee
warm" on account of his being burned 8
the stake for his opinions. Further, tia
: he owns 10000 acres of land in Kenda
county, and rents it out in farms; that b
has tannery. cheese factory, a mill,
part of another mill, an interest 10 tn
Marsh reaper factory. and has sewers
other pieces of valuable property. II
= says he does not desire Office for profit. an
10 fact has not a very overwhelming desiI
for Office at all. And possibly be has no
|. He understands that the Democratic col
ven.ion will nominate him, and even thu
the Republicans have some idea of aoiu
the same thing, and says they may if the
lilo