The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-11-25
Railroads and the Farmers.

Railroads and the Farmers.
In his admirable address before the
Minnesota State Fair, Col William F.
Villas spoke of the immense beneftwhich
the Western farmers have derived from
the railroads. He said:
Before railroads were devised there
was no extensive freight communication
but by water. And that was valueless
unless conveniently accessible. From
this, the agriculture of past ages gath
cred around the seas and lakes, or lined
the rivers margin. It girt the Mediter-
ranean and made famous the valley of
the Nile, The unwatered world of the
interior was left to the wandering no.
mad or the forest barbarian. 1t was
the unknown region full Of mysterious
terrors. The great Hercynian wood was
the home Of beasts, brute and human
the latter ever the impending peril, and
finally the destroyer of the civilization
Of the world. The reserve corps Of bar
barism lay back on the plains of
Russia and Tartary, which nourished
the fierce savages who could live on
equine flesh and carouse on the milk of
mares. So, too, water communication
was slow and tedious, even when ac-
cessible That is true, especially of
inland navigation. 1t is weeks by water
from ST. Paul to New York, though the
aid of steam be invoked; and in Northern
climes that avenue is available for but
half the year. Your magnificent wheat
fields would mostly lie unbroken, farm
ers of Minnesota, had not the invention
and enterprise of other men, stimulated
by your demands, laid the douhle-lined
highway to carry the freight-car laden
with your precious berry to the sea ; the
Indian would still be master of the Ter
ritories of the West. Your lands derive
their value, your industry, its reward
your homes, the luxuries, and many of
the comforts they exhibit, from the
railroads of the continent.
In the beautiful language of that noble
lover of human liberty, once the pride
and ornament of Wisconsin's Supreme
bench, the lamented Byron Paine,
"Railroads are the great public high
ways of the world, along which its gil
gantic currents of trade and travel con-
tinually pour-highways compared with
which the most magnificent highways of
antiquity dwindle into insignifcance
They are the most marvellous invention
of modern times. They have done more
to develop the wealth and resources, to
stimulate the industry, reward the labor
and promote the general comfort and
prosperity of the country, than any
other and perhaps than all other mere
physical causes combined. There is
probably not man, woman OF child
whose interest or comfort has not
been in some degree subseryed by them.
They bring to our doors the productions
Of the earth. They enable us to antici-
pate and protract the seasons. They en-
able the inhabitants in each cline to en-
Joy the pleasures and luxuries of all.
They scatter the productions of the press
and literature broadcast through the
country with amazing rapidity. There
is scarcely a want, wish OF aspiration OF
the human heart, which they do not in
some measure help to crafty. They
promote the pleasures of social life and
of friendship they bring the skilled ply
stefan swiftly from distance to attend the
sick and the wounded, and enable his
absent friend to be present at the
bedside of the dying. They have more
than realized the fabulous conception of
the Eastern imagination, which pictured
the genii as transporting Inhabited pal
aces through the air. They take train
of inhabited palaces from the Atlantic
coast. and, with marvellous swiftness,
deposit it on the shores that are washed
by the Pacific seas, In war they trans
eminent with the greatest Of celebrity,
and carry forward, as it were on the
wings of the wind, relief and comfort to
those who are stretched bleeding and
wounded on the field of battle"
But, while we do them justice, let us not
forget there are doubtless many faults
to be corrected and abuses to be re-
formed in the administration Of these
highways Corporate powers and cor
porate values have advanced with more
rapid step than the invention of our
statesmen and law makers. The agency
of the corporation is comparatively
modern, ana, Ike Jlle agency oI sbeanl,
is a mighty power. Unless subdued by
proper appliances Of law sufficient to
control it, we are liable to disasters in
furious to our welfare, as the accidents
which sometimes befall the train are
destructive Of life.
But I must not protract this weary
hour to discuss this problem foreign to
my subject. Important as it is, we need
not fear it, The railroad, rightly used,
is the friend of the farmeran the whole
people. 1t is the paramount interest of
its owners that it should SO remain.
They dare not make it an enemy, and
when we reflect that single invention
the steel raiI-has reduced the freight
tariff 40 per cent, we may trust some
what to time and genius to relieve the
inconvenience, and continue to enjoy
its blessings with composure.