Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-20
Railrnads and AgricuIture.


olies. in which railroad companies just
now occupy the most prominent posltloh'
it must not be forgotten that merit ma!
remain even where selfshness and greed
have outgrown the influence OF the VIZ
tho Ours is an era of railway enterprise
which will not close, nor settle down TO
Iegitimate economic basis until all the
ground is covered and the demand Tor IN
crease ceases. Great speculation and OPP
pressiye discrimination will then come TO
an end. and we shall hear much less OF
monopolies swallowing up all the wealth
Of the land. Whether their greed shall
before that day arrives compel
the people to appeal to government
for relief we leave for present indications
to answer: but in advance, We desire to
remind the compliments that however
grasping and greedy the railway compa-
mics have appeared, they actually created
ALI they have so far absorbed. 1t is not
merit selfishly to appropriate all the good
works of our hands to our own use, but
there is less room for censure where 1t Is
known that our own hands have been the
carvers of our fortunes. The statistics Of
the Industrial interests of the country
since the introduction Of railroads show
the most wonderful increase of material
wealth and progress ever exhibited in
any age or country.
In agriculture alone it is stated that,
$50 great has been the positive advantages
to all departments, that if the entire cost
of building all the railroads in the coun-
try had been levied upon the farmers of
the central West, they would have paid
il and been Immensely the gamers" The
benefit to the entire country. then must
have been great indeed. Our wonderful
progress is Justly attributed to them, and
for that reason we should act wisely and
20 slow in all attempts to restrain their
liberty. 1t will not do to impoverish or
cripple an institution possessed of such
power of development in cOun-
try only about half settled, and
twO-thirds of whose resources yet remain
untouched in primeval Obscurity. True,
it is not always wise to give loose rein to
enterprise because, per sc, it is a good
thing, for the reason that there is no limit
to human ambition and no conscience to
Unsuitable avarice; but intelligent civil
cation has kept pace with material pro-
gress. and the blessing of free speech in
our country exercises a wholesome re-
straint upon immOderate proceedings.
Besides it is a reflection upon the in.
telligence of railway managers to sup
pose they will push even legitimate enter.
prise to the point of interference by the
States or the General Government. The
sagacity and business tact which enables
them to consolidate adverse interests and
combine the powers of warning influences,
should also enable them to discern the
signs of the times, and to avoid that pro-
vocation of legislation, which, once
aroused, can end only in disaster to
wealthy corporations subject to
the laws or will of the
people. 1t will be far better for the cor
poratiOns to be managed by private indi-
viduals than fall a prey to the politicians
by going to swell the patronage of EX-
ecutives, already welded in the interest
of party, instead of the government, as
originally designed. We note that parti-
san power has already shown itself
utterly INSCRIPTIONS in its meth
DDS of securing means to prolong
its tenure of office, and what Sc
curity shall it give the people against
oppressive tariffs upon the railroads
If the workingmen of the country are
ever to change their masters of transpOr-
tation, would it not be well to consider
whether there is probability of lettering
their condition by the change? The out
look does not promise much in that line.
Our government, indeed, was inaugurated
as a republic, but partisan power changed
it at the point of the bayonet to huge
monarchy. with an hundred fold more
power in the Executive than has been pos
sessed by an English King in three hun
bred years. This was effected
under the authority of law,
for our forefathers committed the great
and fatal mistake to come up for future
correction of placing the entire patron
age of the government in the single hands
of the Executive. We have seen the re-
suit. 1t makes HIM a King, an Emperor,
a tyrant, or whatever else he will. Would
it be we'll for a people seeking relief from
a small burden to take on greater: Be-
fore our partisan government will ever
handle the railroads honestly, the people
Will have to handle our partisan govern
ment.
Tho Jananasa Government has decided