Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-05-22
RAILROAD MEN 8 GOOD FAITH

1t NAV be useless to discuss the ques
ton of coed or bad faith Of the manager
of railroad eompani-s. But they ar
proper subjects Of discussion and criticism
and even of commentator the same as
any other class Of men, and the ru0li'
mind may become educated upon the rel
alive rights Of these companies and tie
people who give them their support, az
we'll as upon the relative rights Of any
other two classes OF men. 1t cannot be
denied that the laborer and producer are
the basis Of all the wealth Of the country
cripple and embarrass them and all classes
of business must of necessity stagna'e.
The farmer and producer in the interior
creates with the labor Of bis hands the
means Of living for the world. Large
cities and towns, as well as smaller cities
ard towns and even hamlets would neees-
sarily be starved to death If they could
not be supplied by the labor of the farm
ing producer. Then comes the men who
transport from the country where the
surplus products are raised to these cities
aud towns, and bring back the articles
raised in other CHIMES and the manusac-
tured goods that are required among the
farmers ard producers, for their comfort
and happiness. Railroads are mere fac'l-
ities for more rapid and extended trans
portation Of these articles and at saving
rates, from tho crude and slow means
formerly used in the way Of pack animals
and wagons and carts used by the pro-
ducers themselves, and these transporta-
ton men are entitled to their compcnsa-
ton for this transportation, and this the
producer is glad to pay when reasonable
and proportionate, for it gives to the pro.
ducer time and opportunity to attend to
his business Of producing, when he other
wise would Of necessity be engaged in
person in transporting his products TO a
market. The relations then between the
producer and the transporter are mutual
and impose good faith upon both in all
respects. If the transporter gives to the
producer the promise that he will trans
port for him to market certain quantity
Of products at given time or season the
producer relying upon that promise, puts
forth his energies and means to have that
amount ready for market, and oftentimes
incurs much additional expense in pro-
ducing. If then, the transportation fails
to meet his promise with the producer to
carry away the product, he acts in bad
faith and greatly damages the producer,
and visa verse il the producer fails to
raise the product promised to the trans
portor be acts in bad faith with the car
rier, unavoidable accidents and providences
in both cases, may take away the respon-
ability of the n,en in both cases. But
NO voluntary change Of plans in either
will release obligations Of him who acts
in violation Of an agreement, unless that
change is asscnted to by the other. 1t
may be said that the original agreement
i too general to be enforced in the law.
That may be SO. But the moral obliga-
ton Of the agreement remains the same
and bad faith may be developed in its
violation. Now apply the principle to
the North Pacifie's promises to have the
Palouse and Columbia railroad extended
to Moscow in season to take away the
wheat and other grain of this section as
soon as harvested in 1882 and their fail
ure, then renewed promise for 1883,
and then again failed, and even now with
but little prospect for being able to take
away the crop Of 1854. The people Of
this section put implicit faith in these
promises aud exerted themselves to the
full extent Of their means and credit to
furnish TIE grain for transportation and
and now have it ON hand in granaries and
warehouses. But the railroad carrier
comes not, nor does he show any good
cause why he fails and the producers,
thus promised, are damaged in thousands
Of dollars. They, or some Of them, are
heavily in debt 10 consequence Of their
exertions to fulfil their promises to have
the products. They cannot sell their
products to pay these debts, aud consc-
quently have to mortgage their lands to
raise money to pay and at one and half
per cent. per month interest. The people
In that section now say they have been
damaged in thousands Of dollars by this
bad faith Of the managers of this one
railroad, and to all appearances, they tell
the plain truth. Where, if any, is their |
remedy? The same may be said of Vii
lards promises made at Lewiston one
vaav aon Last Anil that ,h.;v o,,,,oa,,,,