Daily Republican., 1882-10-25
wEDNEsDAY, OCTOBER %. 1854.
Prompt Action and \ tberRl1Iy due
the II, & O.

Eh6 H. ~ -.
Although the editorial urchins of the
Morning News seem to have been fool
ing with the wrong end Of the animal
in their recent playful experiment with
public sentiment, and to have got very
painfully "doubled up" on the Balti-
more and Ohio Company's right of way,
yet the youthful martyrs have really
rendered q useful service to both the
community and tho railroad company,
for they have demonstrated as they now
plaintively confess, that the united
force and weight of public opinion Is
against the mischievous attempts to
annoy or embarrass that company in
seeking the single right to exist in and
pass lawfully through our city and
State. What the News learned by
painful experience, we foresaw and
foretold and now emphatical!y reiter'
ate. 1t is clearly 10 the interest of our
city and people in countless ways, that
this railroad should be constructed and
put in operation at the earliest practi.
cable date. It. equally clear that it
should pass at some point where its
track, depot and other buildings will
be mutually convenient and servicea'
BILE to our citizens and the practical
needs of the company itself. And fur
fher it is but just and fair that 1t
should have accorded to it similar privi'
leges, and have imposed upon it only
the like burdens which have been or
shall be accorded to, or imposed upon
its present or future rivals.
There is no need of further delay to
ascertain the public sentiment respect
ing the company's application to coun-
Gil. The entire project was thoroughly
and exhaustively discussed and atfirma
lively decided by our people here and
before the Legislature two years ago
Then as now public sentiment was
voiced by unanimous press, which i s
always the sure index of the direction
and force of popular opinion. In the
present absolute absence of the faintest
breath of opposition we surely have the
most significant proof that our people
are unanimous in it's favor. What
need then for even days delay? Our
members of Council have also made
themselves thoroughly acquainted
with the wishes and needs of both
their constituents and the railroad com
pany, and should therefore be ready at
their earliest lneeuT & to act properly
and promptly in tho matter. The
agents of the company have already
made satisfactory arrangements with
the owners for the pay ment for all
lands TO be taken for the use of the
company. Its able and experienced
engineers have located the route which
in their Judgment is absolutely neces'
sary to the requirements of through
fast line ac practical railroading and
at the same time will give to our peo
pie the maximum of benefit with the
minimum of detriment. Already con-
tracts have been entered into for the
construction of the bridge over the
Brandywine and those for the other
portions Of the work only await the
favorable action of Council. These and
other urgent reasons call for the mosl
prompt and cordial action.
In regard 10 the suggestion that the
company should pay price for the re-
quired right of way through the city
we believe that 1t meets with little II
any favor.
The overwhelming weight of public
sentiment is clearly in favor of meeting
the company in the spirit Of liberalitJ
and fairness, and upon the reasonable
assumption that there will be recipro
cal benefit to city and company. Tht
prevailing thought is that it would b.
unfair to exact o price for that which
has been given TO q rival company
gratis, and that it wonld be illiberal II
ask compensation from corporation
which, according to the requirement.
of it's charter, will pay some $40, 900 an
nually into the public Treasury of th
State and thus relieve our citizens an
their property and industries from pre-
portional taxation to that amount.
has been the policy OF our State an
people in the past to givepecuniary al
to all nr nearly all our railroads. Th
Baltimore and Ohio asks nothing bu