Omaha daily bee., 1883-09-27
Railroads and e.vssrnment.

u. Y. Tribune
When William Walter Phelps opened
his speech in the New-Jersey Republican
Convention, not with empty ~platitudes,
but with a stinging rebuke of a railroad
for continuing thes defeat of a worthy
Republican candidate, every one felt that
the remarks we're just, though a great
many thin-waisted politicians felt that
thing. 1t was not exactly the sort of
speech that a timoros and lodging
otfice-seeker would have made or approved.
But it afterwards appeared to represent
the wishes Of the majority in that conven-
ton, and it will be found to express the
sentiments of thousands of Republi-
cans and other good citizens in every
state.
The relations of the government with
the railroads are unfortunately confused
by the distribution of the powers and
division of the responsibilities of govern
ment. The National Government can
hardly regulate railroads within a State.
The State can hardly apply effective and
reasonable restraints to railroads which
run partly in and partly out Of the State.
SoiioPiSuouo CauSC VI UllO uuS6tlbldCIOTH
working Of railroad laws in Western
States is that the important roads running
from one State into another, and engaged
largely in transporting freight across
several States, cannot be satisfactorily
subject to local laws. Nevertheless, the
desire to impose some. restraint, and the
opposing desire to resist legislative inter
ference, have made the railroad question
an intensely practical and important one
in nearly all parts of the country. Seek
ing to secure privileges or to resist en-
croachments, the railroad companies have
welded great political power in many
states, and in some have become
SO strong that one hardly knows which
is truly sovereign, the state or the rail
road.
There is possible a wide difference OF
opinion among intelligent and upright
restrictive measures which may properly
be applied to railroad companies. But
there can be very little difference as to
one thing. Intelligent and upright men
must agree that q railroad has no business
to own or to run a State government, an
election, q legislature, or an executive.
The interference of the corporation in
politics, whatever its aims, can hardly
fail to be %corrupting and demoralizing
dangerous to popular rights, and harmful
to the company. If the people cannot be
trusted to do what is right without mani
pulation or trickery, the n thing certain
is that any corrupt attempt to influence
their action would be immeasurably more
dangerous. 1t would breed a swarm of
strikers and blackmailers, who would
fasten on the corporation on any and
every pretext, or without any, and it
would engender a host of d~emagogues,
whose principal aim and endeavor would
be to enkindls popular feeling against
the corporations. Ii there is any State
in which a corporation has once acquired
the bad habit Of running elections or
buying Legislators, the chances are ten to
one that the corporation in the State has
been compelled to pay, first and last,
ten times as much as it meant to pay for
legislative favors sought or immunity
secured.
Mr.. Phelps hit the mail on the head
when he said that the people were ready
to resent and resist corporate interference
in elections. In some States, possibly,
evidence Of popular resentment or
resistance is still faint. But the resent
msnt comes sooner or later, generally
with rssistless force, and the people are
not always guided by wisdom in repelling
what they consider an odious form of
servitude. As a rule, the people mean
no injustice to the corporations. But it
is very easy for demagogues to mislead
them at times in regard to what justice
is. When a company once begins to
placate these assailants, whether by money
or by office, there is no end to their de-
mands. AS a rule, the company is bled
indefinitely for years; it breeds an intense
public hostility toward itself, dishonors
the State, and puts into office men, who,
having hunger instead of patriotism, and
an empty stomach instead OF a keen con-
science, cannot be trusted to prevent wen
the most fragrant wrong until literally
paid for their services.
The best way for the railroads is to
trust the justice Of the people. If they
do wrong, and there is no foolish attempt
to avert the evil by chicanery or corrup-
ton, the sober second thought of the
voters is pretty sure to set matters right
again. The corporation that relies upon
buying an election this year, OF a legis-
lature next year, will come TO grief sooner
or later. But those who calmly rely upon
the integrity and fairness of the majority
of voters hardly ever have occasion to
regret it in the end.