Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-09-13
AN OUTSIDE VIEW.


The unbiased opinion of an outsider
concerning a local question is often
more to be relied on than the too fer
vid views expressed within the locality
where the issue is joined. Such an
opinion is free from the prejudice
born of heated discussion and when
intelligently considered can generally
be set down as correct.
We copy the following from the
Baltimore Manufacturers Record, a
journal well established and widely
circulated. 1t has reference to the
railroad commission question in this
State, and is sound argument on the
right side The Record is always
awake to the interest Of the South.
IL has done much for Southern devel-
opment and the advice il gives is pro
NOTED by the best intentions. II is
edited by practical men who are ac-
customed to looking over wide
field, and are consequently more ca
pable OF Judging in such matters than
persons Of circumscribed horizon.
This is what the Record says:
One Of the railroad commissioners
of Tennessee is quoted as having late
ly made the statement in public
speech that as soon as the railroads
would do certain things "he was will
ing To cease war against them" Con-
sidering the fact that the position of
the railroad commissioners of Ten
nessee is of judicial character, this is
a rather remarkable statement for one
of them to make, and it very forcibly
illustrates the folly of these comniss-
ions, composed often of politicians
who know nothing whatever about
railroads or the management OF them.
Tennessee is now reaping the reward
of her ill-advised legislation upon rail
roads, and so long as she continues
this commission in force, just SO long
will she suffer from the lack OF trans
portation facilities. No capitalist is so
foolish as to put his money into rail
road enterprises in a State that refu-
ses to allow him to manage his own
property. The truth of this is very
pointedly shown by. the statistics of
railroad building in the South last
year, and is fairly illustrated by a
comparison of three Southern States,
which have mandatory commission
with three others which have none:
With Commission. witeout oomm ,s;,oI
Georgia. ...........85 Florida
South Carolina---40, Nj ississi ppi............362
Tennessce..... ...-.....4O z5S
Thus in the three States which
maintain a railroad commission only
1454 miles of road were constructed
last year, against 845 miles that have
no commission, Notwithstanding the
fact that the first three can probably
show much greater natural resources
and a much greater need for railroads
than the others. In Georgia, South
Carolina and Tennessee, the three
States that have taken the control OF
railroads away from their owners and
rightful managers, only about $1,000
600 was expended last year in railroad
construction, while in Florida, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana over $25,OO0,OOO
was spent in building and equipping
new roads. Without increased rail
road facilities the South must prac-
ticalIy stand still, and, instead of en-
acting unjust and arbitrary railroad
laws that will inevitably prevent the
building of new roads, it is of the first
that the Southern States
should give every possible encourage
ment for the construction of railroads,
and for the successful working OF
those already in existence.