Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-17
4 Hurtful Agitation.

u The following extract from q
well-cunsidered editorial in the
Nashville American is worthy of q
4 careful pernsal: p a..a
j We can see nothing i'm the fore ID
agitation about q railway cOminiss-
ion but the schemes of aspiring poll
tieiaDs seeking to promote their
personal, private political fortunes.
Nobody else is likely to derive any
benefit from all this hysterical emo
tion over the question OF regulating
hthe railroads. No thougEtful citi-
zen is interposing the least obstacle
tnr objection TO any judicioAis, quiet,
business-like Legislation Ehat will
protect the public from unrighteOus
! Determinations or exactions on the
part OF the railroads. But the pros
pect og reacifinga wise and practi-
cal conclusion as 70 the public needs
and the public righls in the matter
is not enhanced by the racket and
rant and fustain of the denlagogues
VINO think they have discovered a
great issue, which will land them
all on the front seats OF the United
States senate or i'm the cabinet Of
President Cieveland's successor.
We think the public have pretty
well settled down to the conclusion
that this is about the size OF the
great railroad question. The whole
matter could be disposed of at one
sitting by an intelligent select joint
committee, with no axes TO grind
and no schemes of personal ambi-
ton to subserve. Undoubtedly un-
righteous exactions and discrimina-
.tiOns by railroads to the jeopardy OF
the interests of shippers in this state
should not be permitted. But we
are of the opinion that this state,
and every state of our section, is
suffering less from unjust or une.
quail tariffs of railroads than from
the lack of transportation facilities.
An unnecessary, untimely and vi
olent agitation against existing rail-
ways, and u disposition TO disregard
their, chartered rights, j. calculated
to repeal rival enterprises that
would make the shipper more indie.
pendent of existing railroads.. So
far from any bias in favor of the
existing railroads. We shouldliKe TO
see every one of them paralleled by
q competing line. We are-of those
who believe we cannot have too
many railroads through our yet un-
developed country. .assi s...rt.l
Yet If this railroad agitation was
genuine If il had its inspiration in
any real purpose to benefit the agri-
culture and manufacturing indus
tries of the State !; If its handspring
was the public good, and there was
rational occasion for it, we could
have greater respect for il, though
regarding il ilijudged and unmetho-
dical. But il is so nanifestly mere
matter of faction rivalry, "A stained
artificial and forced issue lin dessl
perate struggle for party leadership
and personal promotion, that we
cannot see the good of IL to the
public. On the contrary, we see
much harm that may result IN many
ways, 1t Is giving the State a repu.
tation for anti.railroad progress and |
development, and ii may monop0-
lize valuable time OF the representa-
tives of the people in the legislature |
that might be better employed.
There are many more pressing re- |
forms in Tennessee that need intel |
ligsnt legislation. There are court
reforms that are urgently dsinand-
Ell. The question of country roads
is more important to many Farmers
than the question of railroads, for
most of the counties have no rail
roads, nor roads. OF any, kind wor-
thy the name Of public highways. |
The taxation system OF Tennessee
IL a perpiexing aud vexatious nuis-
ance, discreditable ia the intelli.
gence of this age. There are so |
many useful things a legislature |
might do besides making issues for |
eager politicians TO cliInb to pro-
yincial glorysens that we think the
legislation 40 wasted will not be
to the mass OF the vo-
ting population.