Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-24


interests. One thing Is certain, however,
that the folly which has deprived our peo-
pie Of this opportunity for competition
lust lost will only be completed by refus-
ing still to pass the bill which can do no
possible harm and which will bea check on
the new monopoly. We have no feeling
for or against any company; all we have
ever asked Is that no company shall have
exclusive facilities in this State. We have
concluded to quit begging our Legislature
for the matter, however. and to
look to the people themselves to
give US the competition 10 essential
to our interests We repeat we do not
know what the parties Interested propose
doing, but the JOURNAL feels Inclined
to ask 10 more favors of body which has
worked the folly and injury 10 our State
which we set forth to-day.
Tuesday night we sought to obtain from
the partien immediately interested
their views upon the situation
and their plans for the future. It vas
found that Dol Whiteley was not in town,
but an EVERY EVENING reporter found
George H. Bates Esq, at his residence,
comfortably established by a blazing wood
fire, apparently rejecting ulon the uncer-
tuihtJ "a hbAbbs IL Enhttht hha VI S'Nhp
railroad combinations in particular MIR.
Bates oheerfully responded to the request
OF our reporter for the information de-
sired, reinatking; Certainly ; we have
not now, at we have not had heretofore
anything to conceal from the public and
particularly from the people of Wilming-
ton respecting our plans and purposes.
Twill the Delaware Western bill be
.uit ~ "a
by no means, sir" responded Mr.
Bates, lit must resi- with the Legislature
whether our people are TO sit down and
quietly submit 10 monopoly which is
only changed as respects the individuals
who are to stow away in their bottomless
pockets the profits which this absence of
fair and reasonable competition permits
them to levy upon Che people OF this
State. It would bs an afectation TO claim
that my clients have been or are setting
themselves up sa mere philanthropists
who wish to build railroad solely for the
public benefit. Col. McOomb and those who
until Monday afternoon were associated
with him projected this enterprise pri
marily b. cause they believed that il would
be good investment for their money.
Now that 1t is known who his associates
we're the public can estimate the value of
the Judgment of such men upon such a
subjsct At the same time we did and
still do believe that in the construction OF
such line is to be found the only remedy
for the evils connected with the railway
system of our State which have been SO
long and loudly complained of. Men who
were employed to represent The p, W. u
B. Company professed to have no interest
of their own to concern them in this
matter and they masqueraded beiore the
Legislature in the character of general
guardians of the people of the State, and
even of the Democratic party. The sue
| cession of utterly bsseless statements cir
culated day after day in Dover, only to be
refuted and followed by something new,
would, If collected, prove an interesting
addition to modern fiction. believe VT
had about reached the end when the
change of base on tho part of soile OF our
allies occurred, as announced yesterday.
"Whst course ia proposed to be taken
now by the friends of the present bill ~
suggested the reporter.
| I'VE intend to move on OF once, aud lei
the House of Representatives determine
where the responsibility Rhall rest for the
suppression Of all opportunity for a com.
petiDg line, or for the extension of The
requisite facilities to attract sufficient
capital to build one, under such conditions
as would make it rival competitor to the
old road. 1t is very certain that without
some legislative grant OF corporate power
we can get no new line, while, If the only
project now before the Legislature is
acted upon favorably and promptly, there
is ample opportunity and abundant hope
| that combination may be formed fuiy
able to cope with the undoubtedly power
full one which has acquired control of tht
p, w. x b. road AT the Same time VT
shall expect to find i'll the Legislature /
disposition to act upon this matter in the
light of common sense, and disinclina
ton to daily with measure which i,
practically uuopposed except by cor
poration which, naturally tnough, object,
to the creation OF rival to Share with Il
the business of transportation. This cor
poration has seemed to me very much ik,
an heir who has ASSUMED the disguise o.
an acc0Ucheur to prevent the birth of
possible sharer of the inheritance, even il
1t be necessary to destroy the life q
impair the health of the mother in tn,
attempt"
'Oan you give any idea whether tn
new line will certainly bs built II the bill
ls passed p
No / will rot undertake to make an,
prediction although l feel no doubt tha
the project which attracted such capitalist
as were concerned in this scheme vii
readily command the means to carry
through. The absuriity of any a,temp
on the part OF our Legislature to tie to III
coat tail of any particular corporation il
illustrated by the resolution passed las
Friday morning when read in the light o
subsequent events. Suppose AS was pro
posed in Dover ut one time our bill hl
been passed with q pfoviso IT uuiring tn
new road to be built i'll connection wit
the a. O.road, how ridiculous would tn
State appear to-day Indeed 1 am in
cined to think that the originators of tn
Cahall resolutions would not care now t,
have certified copy framed aud hung NJ
with their names subscribed to it. Ia
only thug to do is 10 grant the amend
ments asked for to the Delaware WoAteri
charter and then the l. gislature will hay
} done all that it can to accomplish TIL
desired object
~ believe" intersposed the reporter
THAT it was charged that this charter wa
asked for to enable Col. McComb 10 maxi
good sale OF the stock to the Delawar
Western Company"
Yes it was 80 charged and by those VII,
were representing these very people VIII
have sold out at good price utterly r.
CARELESS of the attitude of their agents q
Dover as self-appointed public guardians
AS the public now know, aud Ms i kney
last Saturday. Col. McComb rad an opp9r
tunity to throw up the chance of u cbgrit-
and go into she T., W ~ Il spt euG,to
, with c"rtninty Of prntit ~ many I; lie
his inves'nent W the Daia ware W steru
the re+ponal h. iu5taati, made to .hi
proposition j. Snawa to your aiar4 80,
IL splendid an'.@er to Jhc abl,u .i,,
eilumny which has hetn go nbrrit
J heaped upon him at Dover. hi h
would Ae ~illiae L#w - offer pEanl'ul
} for tho first man who vii! adult his. II
originated or circulated this the1ey
have mad tiliHtnt search i'll navtr fn
, any responsible man who would pua!c
/ URGE this objccllon to our bill and - , :.
without success"
Twill Col. Met omb assure the Lsg'sg
; tuto that this road will be- buiit if the tt
pascal
, ''Dui. McComb will doubtless spsak 70
/ himself il you choose 10 put your au~t
t lion 10 bim. iiut think may say to w,
| that neither he nor Dir, CANDY nor anyn1
In their behalf will undertake to make eu
pledges on this point. We have mad
pledges which, as you see, we had abuu
! dant authority for, but ws shall tnsr
/ rest from pledgirg anybody except cur
| selves natil the passage of the bill give