Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-05-21
MINING JOURNAL.
j. 3. ODER, Editor.
FRosTBURG, MD, MAY 81, 1881.
ABOUT REFoRM.-The reform howl

ABOUT REFoRM.-The reform howl
or is abroad in certain counties of the
State telling the people of the faults,
follieu and errors they have committed,
and the misfortunes, poverty and
misery, which have thus been inflicted
upon the public.
No doubt about it. We do many
grievous things, infict many needless
wrongs upon ourselves-in public as
in private matters. We neglect the
gospel, the means of grace, and num-
berless duties; we are alN avs some
how standing in our own light-ac-
cording to some reformer. five turn
around, adopt new theories Of faith
and modes of living, we run chuck
up against some other refOrmer.
So it goes.
What shall we do about it?
Does the need of reform reach far
Their than legislative administration ?
Suppose our noble governor owns one
hundred thousand dollars of stool, in
some railroad corporation now en-
gagged in repudiating a contract with
the State, and defying the laws and
sovereignty of the State, and destroy
ing great State work, and seeking
to make its line an impossible barrier
to tie progress of rival enterprises,
and perpetuating its monopoly of a
certain carrying trade at the contin-
nal expense of large bodies of citizens
of the State,-does reform reach the
domain covered by these hypothesis ?
If so, should he not, like the snake
which sheds its hide, get rid of the
incubus ? 1t were better for such
an one to 60 stark naked than wear a
shred which an enemy can use to des-
troy his individuality as reformer.
The first step in reform is reform-in
all matters even in public mans life
open to public criticism. 1t will not
do to truet to popular oversight, to
popular ignorance, or to popular in
difference, for hap-hazard escape from
the penalty of reformatory anomalies.
rye cannot serve God and mammon T.
The true field for reformatory oper-
ations in this State, the pre- eminent
field, is lost sight of in the may sta
tistics of the executive pamphlet. II
the protected, pampered corporations,
especially those which pay no taxes
and ale allowed most license to ex-
tort eIorbitant tariffs from the people
if these could be reached in the i'll
terest Of the public, the plumber at
Annapolis as matter for reform
would pale into insignifcance.
But railroad domination is permit.
ted to go on unchallenged, operating
lawless immunities, and working out
an evil destiny. Some day they will
call popular resistance to their en-
croachments, mob law, insurrecton,
revolution, or rebellion, and look
back with regret to the period when
the milder type of reform, spoken
and written about 80 rabidly of legis-
lative affairs, was not applied to their
management.
However, the last, best hope for re.
form is in the people themselves.
When they take hold of affairs at tie
primary conventions and general cleo
ti2ns, as they will have to do sooner
or later, the sway Of the mere politi-
clan must give way to the more po-
tential sceptre Of the real popular
will.
Until then there can lie no real re-
form, even though all the governors
on the globe stand shoulder to
shoulder in i,srrcclamation and pros
ecution.