Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-24
The Railway Question as IL Now
Stands,


the transfer of the Pniladelphia, Whining
ton & Baltimore railroad 10 new owner.
ship. We have but little 90 add by way
OF comment on the facts set forth then, rs
they exhibit fully the folly of the opposi-
ton hitherto manifested toward the Della
ware Western bill, and make plain, not
only the good faith of the men who were
pushing it, but show that had
1t not been for unreasonable delay
in passing that bill the old combination
would, by this time, have been bound to go
on with the work. So far as any men can
be committed by verbal agreement these
men were committed TO the scheme, and
il was not in the nature of things to com
NIT them further, The only possible
binding contract was a subscription in
writing to an agreement to build the road
under the Delaware Western charter and
the free railroad laws of Pennsylvania and
Maryland. Until the Delaware Western
charter was granted such a subscription
could not be made, and the parties were
only bound in honor, which in the case Of
Mr.. Garrett does not seem to have been
sufficient bond in the presence Of great
temptation; for it must be recognized
that it was very great temptation to him
to secure immediate facilities instead of
waiting year during which be could have
been annoyed and embarrassed greatly by
the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore
railroad under hostile management.
OF course those interested in the new
scheme felt all the time the danger and
embarrassment which the action of the
Legislature in thrusting the Baltimore q
Ohio railroad forward was likely to bring
about. Their assurances that that corpor-
alton was interested were absolutely true,
but it never was declared that ii alone was
Interested, aud there were reasons which,
in the light of subsequent events, every
one can see for not laying bare the whole
scheme while it was still pending and
thus exposing it to attack in detail.
Had the charter been granted on
the simple and just ground that it was
right in itself, and could do no one any
harm, the Baltimore Ohio would moi
have been thrust forward, and in sl
probability would not have been subjected
to the powerful pressure of temptation
which caused it finally to desert the com
binstion. There never was aoy goot
reason why the bill, as introduced, shoulc
not be passed, and the unreasonable ant
unjust suspicion which was utilized ant
cultivated by the agents of the Phladel
delphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Com
psny, and which caused the delay ii
passing the charter, ia shown by the fna
upshot of the matter to have been abao
lutely unfounded and grossly unj Just.
Col. McComb comes out OF this who'll
business as fairly and houorably as an
man can, and stands before the people G
Delaware to-day as citizan Of the Stat
who had the will and the ability to form
very powerful combination TO promot
the interests of our people by securin
with absolute certainty the building of
new competing line of railway, but VIII
was defeated in his designs by the hes
taucy and SUSPICION Of our own Lseisl,
tors, who did not see that this suspicio
and distrust was the chosen weapon of ii
very men who have themselves sold o,
all the interest thew ever had in th
STATE and were intriouinq tn do IN 10 ayo
certain competition, at the tin
they we're danouncine Colon
McComb's bona fde probe
as the scheme Of mere speculate
Those who really know anything of Il
facts, know that EVERY EVENING and Cc
McComb have not been accustomed
looking at matters from the same stan
point, and hence it Is but the simple
justice which now causes us to say that
the light of the full facts in this case
has been not only honorable and straiRl
forward, but has made really chiyalro
sacrifice for maintaining not only the su
stance but the appearance of good fail
in refusing peremptorily to participate
the profits OF the new scheme, after it "
plain that he could no longer preyt
the breach of faith through which
was contaminated. He stood by Il
State nobly during the progress of
fight, and stood by it and his friends a
associates still more nobly. in his refu
to be taken care of after he had dc
his best to prevent what has happen
He conld hava obtained cbsrce n M,
moro than tho DaIaw.ra Wevterr !. MN
Inv n s;mn,a ..yas - and no, howe "a.
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na,aw,ra Iy.storn L. t,,;a AL. .na
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cbaracts,ivsd bis ,yhoIa oor,sa IN
motter
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