Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-03-29
Railroad 'r2rIG Bill.
tnr NJ Nha Harald,

AZ you cay, the papers throughout
the State are abusing Governor Stone
for not having signed the Railroad
Tariff Bill. Everything considered, il
is highly proper that the action of our
Governor should be censured, but II IL
not for me, neither 10 it for any one, to
say that bis Excellency, in falling to
give the bill the stamp Of law, was in.
duced by any motive other than what
10 honorable. Certainly railroad tree
pass he'd nethiug to do with his action.
Admit the old saying, that every man
has hIs price, yet know that railroad
pass would have no weight In deter.
mining bis action. He deserves the
severe censure of the people for
what he has done, but the explsn-
alton Of hlS conduct lies not In
the free pass idea. Probably we 1ind
an explanation OF his action when
We suggest that Notwithstanding
the passage of the bill by both houses
of our Legislature, he yielded his en-
dOrsement 70 that great railroad in.
huence 10 the two houses, and TO the
still greater influence OF our State rail
roads combined. The progress Of the
bill al every step In both branches ot
The Legislature was confronted BY
these two oppositions yet, after hare
struggle, they submitted and by largt
majority vote the bill passed. Afte
its passage these influences put them
selves between lite passage aud ih'
Governors sanction, and the bill wa
killed.
For this the Governor must aDswe
to The people of the State, and so mus
hose men In both houses who tough
In the interest of railroads, totally un
mindful of the fact that IN so dOinl
they were striking q fatal blow at tn
interests Of all classes Of our people
The ain, you may say the sole intent o
the bill, was TO prevent the discrim
iualiOn OF railroads against loca
freights. The rate Of through freight
was increased, but competition alon
would prevent this rate becoming K
cessive. As TO Local ireights, there !
no competition, therefore the railroad
impose double the rates OF thrOugI
freighls. In other words, they Charg
more TO carry q bale Of cotton twent
miles than one hundred aud fifty
Yes, this charge is double ana treble
The same discrimination Is imposes
upon all other kinds OF local frelghts
The merchants and the farmers AM
the shippers all bear the brunt OF thi
unjust discrimination, aud 1t was TO
their relief that this bill was passe,
prOhibitingit L. Again, the Democrat
platform Of 1877 expressly reserves {
the Legislature the right to legis at
upon this subject, and the same is mad
a broad plank Ia the platform
And again, the voters of ihis STATE
while and colored, unanimously de
manded oil the Legislature OF 1873, tn
enactment of this law, and they de
manded OF Gov. Stone his approval 9
il. The highest judicial tribunals ha
passed upon It's cOnstitutiOnalitY; an
sl' things combined, together with th
fearful exto lion OF railroads. agains
which he people were crying, induce
the adoption OF this measure, and u
our Governor has had the temerity I
. Withstand all this and kill the bill
/. Aud for whal2 For the proleGtion q
railroads, aud for strengthening ther
IN their claim TO gOuge all men VIII
n may bu 80 unfortunate as TO be shiE
. pers { r cOnsiguees Of local freights
' his Stale
4 A Governor, does he represent ih
T.. people and their will as expressed b
L. gi-lsliVe enactment and party pls
urIn, or does he represent the interes
8 of railrOads2 y the first, then !
: -bOuld have approved the bill; If Ii
second, then he should resign aud b
D come the President OF railroad, or I
oil the railroads In our State. p.