Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-12-02
The Railroada
Jackson Tribune and sun.


/ 1t Is not sound policy 10 excite
public prejudice against any great
public interest. All matters affect
ing commerce and society should
be discussed within the domain oi
conservatism and from the basis of
strict justice to all interests involv.
ed. For instance, il is not neces
sary to arrive at strict Justice be-
tween the railroads and the people
to recall all the errors, or wrongs.
il thar term be preferred, of railroad
management In Tennessee, for by
such means passions may be- arous-
ed that will defeat the wise ends in
view. Wrong never rights wrong.
Errors do not justify errors. Retail.
iation is not the law of this advanc-
ed age of enlightened thought and
progress. Hence weare constrained
to criticise the spirit and the meth
cd of discussion In some quarters on
the subject of our railroad interest.
1t certainly will serve no wise end
to rake among the dying e,nbers of
the State debt agitation for hot Goals
Of prejudice against railroad man.
agement for the part played by
them in the discussion of the issue.
True they may have erred. They
may have perpetrated wrongs on
the people in the hot pursuit of
selfish interests. They may he
largely responsible for the recent
efforts to fasten unpopular measures
on the people. But they have not
been less selfish than individuals,
they have not over-reached more
than the bondholders have done,
and they have all the time worked
for settlement, earnestly support
ing the 50-4 at one time In the face
Of the protest of good many bond
holders. Their interest has along
been to have the issue settled and
whatever agency they may have
had in the legislation that was
passed between '67 and '75, they
have certainly paid dearly for it
during the prolonged discussions,
expensive failures and disastrous
delays that followed. But a spirit
of retaliation is not only antagon-
istic to the age, but it is unwise.
Our railroads are vital interests.
They are necessary agents In the
development of the State. We can
not lay hostile hands upon them
without peril to every industry.
that cripples them will
cripple the State. In plain words IL
will be suicide to war upon them
and impair their usefulness. Leg
islation in the direction of equaliz-
ing taxation, and the regulation
within conservative bounds of
freight charges, is right and neces-
sary. But we must avoid crippling
these great agents of progress in
the efforts at equalizing rights and
We must not make
improbable In Tennes-
see. We must not have laws that
will check or stop railroad construc-
ton and development. We must
not loose sight OF the fact that our
railroad system has been mainly
In our rapid and
healthy recovery from the ruins Of
war, and that it is and must remain
the chief agent OF our growth i'm
and wealth.
We would suggest that the legis-
lature appoint committee, or COM
of clear headed and conser-
vative men to investigate and re-
port upon the legislation that should
be had in the premises. Let taxa
ton be readjusted and freights reg
nlated, but let US avoid crippling
our railroads or discouraging rail-
road development. We are for
strict justice to all interests, for the
Wisest policy as measured by years,
after a careful survey of the whole
field.