Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-04-29
Railroad Extension and ConsoI-
datiOQ.

during the last six or eight mouths
she American railroad system sAs
been undergoing n vital and radical
change in both aim and management.
Heretofore the policy has been ap-
parently TO start as many new roads
W possible and make them tributary
TO local points. Each road seemed
TO care but little about its connec-
tons with great and through-Iiue
thoroughfares, solong as local wants
were supplied and the object for
which the road was specially built
vas being secured. The result of
this policy was that we had any
number of different roads, some
great, some small, some short and
some long, but there was little con-
cert Of action or even common friend
illness between them. Unsteadiuess
in rates, rivalrIes and jealousness,
lefty aud local feuds or more wide
spread hostilities, were the prevail
ing characteristics Of railroad at-
tivity. And as natural consequent
&c, only the larger roads were paying
anything in the shape of dividends
to stockholders, while the vast ma
joiity Of them, failing to pay ex-
peEses, became bankrupt. All this
was especially true during the pro-
longed period Of business depression
known as the "bard times era.
But within year prominent rail
road managers and heavy stock
holders have determined upon n new
and opposite system, and they are
carry ing their plans into effect with
bold vigor wsich arrests attention
and eXcites no little apprehension.
The two cardinal points OF this new
system are extension aud conso'ida-
ton. Ev erything is sacrificed to
Nominations of these two ideas
Local roads and short roads are be-
lug bought up and wheeled into line
as parts Of great, comprehensive
wholes. Through lines and central
government one mau IKE JAY
Gould, for example. rising to the
position Of COMMANDMENTS chief OF
thousands Of miles Of consolidated
transportation facilities Are now
the order of the day.
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., who
has made railroad matters a special
study for many years, contends that
the principle Of confederation, as
he calls II, or "pooling" III more
general phraseoogy is the only true
and safe one for the roads, and Tor
general public welfare as well. But
the mass Of thinking people do not
agree with him in this respect. A
large portion Of the present Con.
gress do not agree with him, and
earnest attempts have been made,
.s all know, to perfect some Con-
eressioual legislation which would
intcrpose q check upon the grasp ng
ambition Of the great railroad syn
dicates. Butup to the present time
such efforts have not been success
full. The question, therefore, re-
mains, whether the ultimate ten
dency and effect Of this unparalleled
extension and consolidation of rail
roads are, and will not he more and
more in the future, source OF pub
lie danger; whether such vas power
lodged in the hands of few selfish
and avaricioUs men, will not prove
detrimental to the commercial and
political interests Of the country at
large. One thing is certain, and
that is the business Of the country
cannot he carried on now without
railroads. They have become vi
tai necessity to trade, aud are des
tined TO he more and more ilnpor
tant. Unless, therefore, they are
managed with a view ef suhserving
the public interests, they can easily
he tanned Into powerful engines OF
hideous monopoly and destructive
political power. Aud this is pre-
cisely what is feared 10y IN NY. Cheap
and rapid transportation must he
had, or the business interests OF the
country are seriously endangered, If
net absolutely ruined. And the
ques ion is, viii the railroads under
this new system given the pubic
these needed facilities, or will they
become grinding and arbitrary mo-
ropoly, making themselves rich and
powerful at the expense of producer
aud the ira lesmau The correct
settlement of this question will de-