Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-22

tolls Thev send aud receive
large number Of messages |
in the course Of a year, but their purses
arenot any lighter on that account. some
OF them send dispatches 10 constituents
all over their districts, inquiring about one
thing and another. for the purpose Of ere /
ating the impression that they are deeply
interested in the affairs of their districts.
Their innocent constituents. Of course,
entertain the idea that they are extreme /
IL liberal with their money. During the
overflow in the Mississippi valley last
year some Of the members from that
locality must have used up a
dozen or more deadhead stamp-bOOks.
One Of their object was TO bring them
selves prominently before the people Of
their districts, and they succeeded. They
ought. however. 10 have had the frankness
10 acknowledge that they did il at the
expense Of the telegraph companies. No
doubt the companies are just as
liberal with members Of state Leg
islatures. Judges Of courts, and
prominent government officials. Rail-
road companies are as free with their
passes "a the telegraph companies are
with their stamps. They scatter them
wherever they are liable to be
productive Of benefits. Chairmen Of
railroad committees Of legislative
bodies can get passes for all their
relations and friends over roads whose
interests are liable to be affected by meas
ures coming before their committees. \
Chairman of a Railway Committee Of
Congress could easily double his salary
if he were small enough to sell free
passes which are furnished him for the
asking. Does anybody suppose that
tine railway and telegraph COM
panies distribute their favors
/ so widely and freely without any hope Of
I "a return: OF course not. They are pre-
pairing for the time when they NAV have
/ fav0rs 10 ask. They are putting those
I who have the power TO protect or injure
/ their interests under obligations TO them.
/ Ii Is all folly to say that a man who
/ has been riding on free passes
I or deadheadine his kilograms for years
I can act as freely in matters affecting the
I railway and telegraph corporations as if
I he had not enjoyed these fayors. He
feels towards the corporations as
he does towards man at whose
house he has enjoyed an excel
/ lent dinner. Free railway passes and
free telegraph stamps are indirect and
/ delicate brides. They seem TO be little
I things i'm themselves. and the majority Of
those who enjoy them. perhaps, do not
/ give niue thought 10 the question Of right
or wrong i'm accepting them. They are
evils which are pregnant with wrong and
/ scandal. The sooner laws are passed 10y
I state Legislatures and by Congress max
ing il an ofFense for their members and for
State and Federal officials TO accept
favors from railway. telegraph and eN-
press companies. the better it will be for
the country. The next Congress can pass
] no better law than one that will strike
death-blow at the deadhead practice.
. Prosperity of Southern Railroads.
According to the Financial Chronicle
/ all the Southern railroads have done
better this year than last in spite Of the
I falling of in the crops and the depression
in business circles over the heavy failures
which have taken place. The Chesapeake
and Ohio reports its increase for July at
Is per cent. while the Elizabethtown. Lex
ington and Big sandy reports gain Of
over IS per cent. The Southern division
of the Illinois Central, the Mobile and
/ Ohio. the Louisville and Nashville. all
have decided gains. The East Tennessee,
. Virginia and Georgia reports an increase
Of 80 per cent. i'm earnings, with an in
/ crease in mileage Of nearly as much,
I while the Richmond and Danville lines
all show large gains. The Southwestern
roads. notably the Iron Mountain, Texas
and Pacific. Missouri. Kansas and Texas,
and Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, all
made liberal gains.
This result is gratifying to the business
interests Of the country, and indicates
that the great expansion Of trade and new
enterprises during the past twelve months
have been founded on solid basis-that
of the capacity and needs OF the country
rather than mere speculation upon the
inflated condition Of stocks.
Mr.. Blackburn. our correspondent who
writes from Grayson. KY, feels that Gov.
I Backburn's use Of the pardoning power
has been unjustly criticised. 1t is not
probable that any one will deny that GOV.
Blackburn has acted cOnscientiously
in every instance in which he has par
. d0ned a convict. The question is, how
ever. whether he has not exercised his
power too freely for the good of the
I state. He is tender-hearted and his
feelings have induced him TO mercy
when. perhaps, he ought to have con-
sidered only Justice. Of course
he has had petitions in behalf Of every
convict be has pardOned, and no doubt he
has had petitions which he has refused;
but it is not difficult to get men, and even
! Judges and jurors, to sign petitions when
there is no responsibility resting upon
them. The number Of Governor Black
( burns pardOns has attracted attention to
him. Without knowing the facts,
| it is. perhaps. safe 10 state that no other
/ Governor of Kentucky ever granted half
| so many pardons. Did other Governors
/ refuse pardons when they ought to have
I been granted. or has Governor Blackburn
I granted pardOns when they ought to have
I been refuseds 1t is assumed that no
stronger reasons for pardOns exist, since
! Governor Blackburn came into office,
I tnan existed before MS term VI OlhCe
began.
A correspondent of the Chicago Ne,rs
tries to belittle Holman, the Sans cadi-
candidate for President, by describing
him as a ''slouched-hat tobacco chewer,
who talks nothing but politics, is narrow
and provincial. knows little of the world,
is easily imposed npOn, and whose ideas
of the wants of the country are based
upon the standard of an Indiana dis
trict." Holman isn't a handsome man, it
is true. but he is an honest man, and that
is more than can be said of all of those
who aspire 20 the Presidency. He chews
tobacco and doesn't dress like a dude,
but neither Of these things are against
him. He is a man Of more than average
ability. and has been in Congress a
good many years-lOng enough in fact, to
become thoroughly acquainted with the
whole machinery Of government and with
all the important questions in which the
people are Interested. 1t is folly to say
that the ideas of a man of so much eX-
perience are based upon the standard of
Congressional district. Holman has very
little chance of being nominated for Pres
dent. but there are few men whose nominal
ton would be received with greater salts
faction.