Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-08-05
ANorHRR sHor Ar nraaa.


william Green Coos for HIs Rail-
road RECORD.
Editor Gazette d. Journal. The Peninsula
having been deprived OF profitable
market for her cereals by the abundant
crops of the far west must ia the future,
as IL well known, exc out living by
means Of fruits and vegetables for the
northern and western markets.
TO do so to advantage il is necessary,
| not only for the State hut for the inter
position Of Federal government as we'll,
TO hold the poise equally between the I'M
organized and comparatively feeble cul-
tivators of the soil and the monopolistic
| great corporation which carrying the
agricultural products has too we'll sue
ceeded in obtaining an unjust and OPP
pressive portion of pecuniary proceeds in
the past. Railway supervision is the
proper remedy for such imposition by
means of commissioners TO try cases
| against the common carrier out
side the courts, without expense
to the litigant, and TO reform abuses by
intelligent and public criticism, having
the full threatening power of the LegiHla
ture behind them TO appeal TO and call
| upon in case of inattention TO their re-
| quests, or determination by railroad au-
thorities to resist proper recommendations
These commissioners, or something SINH
lar, are in use in all the older countries
10 mitigate the expressions of the power
ful corporations towards the public, and
as an Intelligent and just resource needed
by the railroads to protect themselves
from the rapacity and evil dealing with
each other. At the present time railroad
attorneys at Washington are at work for
the passage of the Oullom bill, which
| provides for commission TO regulate in
4 terstate commerce.. Such means of rule
| now exist in most states of the Union.
And now shall Delaware fruit growers
/ and farmers surrender all the ground
| which has been obtained by the judicial
determinations of the highest court in the
land, and the march of public sentiment
| that these corporations are subject to
public regulation, voluntarily replacing
the iron corporation collar, stultifying
themselves by selecting the one man in
the State who has been so conspicuous
in the past in fighting the moderate and
modest requests of the fruit growers for
u slight uplifting of the heayy hand of
freight rates?
President Benjamin 7. Riggs, in 1877,
defeated the peach growers in their effort
10 show solid front, attempting TO obtain
| from the railroad authorities some re-
duction of the onerous charges laid upon
their commodity. Chairman OF the freight
rate committee, his artion was TO force
upon the growers the lroadproposition
as finality, binding us to consent to the
abrogation of the chartered car system
| d-Icluding giving up of the return of
einpties), great saving to the railroad
without any corresponding concession to
the shipper. AT that time the proposition
from President Hinckley, in reference to
| freights, was to retain the old rate on
fruit to New York and Philadelphia, and
to all points west, o reduction of 80 per
cent. This was accepted under silent pro-
test, but at the next meeting of growers
President Biggs said that the interpreta-
ton of the reduction in frqghts was for
| all fruit shipped west of Plttsburg, cut
ting out the comparatively rich markets
of Pennsylvania and western New York.
This President Biggs endeavored to have
accepted, but common sense prevailed
| and instead he was summarily discharged
from the further consideration of the
| freight reduction business.
President Biggs' opposition to the pro-
| posed Commissioner bill of 10, was
marked by the same virulence which
attends his handling of railroad question.
His jeer that the people were "disloyal" to
the railroad well characterizes his posi-
/ ton, fully implying that there was fealty
due and pledged to these corporations
and violated by any move of independ-
ence or even of expression.
President Biggs opposed, with his GUS
tomary railroad violence, the recent
charter Of the b. Il o. empowering it to
run through the State. Thus endeavoring
| to deprive his fellow citizens of u COM
peting point for railway transportation
| located within the State. When we con-
slider the network of railways upon the
Peninsula debouching at Wilmington, the
Importance of competition will be seen
should the State exercise wisely power
of regulation on railroads lying entirely
within her own border, mastering the
situation. The tax of S14, 900 per annum
from the new corporation will be great
relief to the taxpayer, but to all of this
President biggs set his face.
In opposing this charter, he harangued
q large and determined body of peach
growers, who had met to take nctionupo
the question of urging the Legislature to
| pass the ID. O. charter, telling them
that their complaints against the p, w. &
| b. were groundless and their demands for
a reduction of freight was nothing more
than the design, eventually, of hay
ing their fruit shipped for nothing. Such
an unparalleled libel upon his fellow
growers was rebuked as it was deserved,
for no body of shippers having intelli-
gence enough to know that peach rates to
New York were Mt least five times that Of
corn rates, would permit such slurs to be
uttered without branding.
Extract from EVERY EVENING, February aSd,
issi, reporting peach growers meeting at Mid
dletOwn:
Mr.. Biggs waited until the reading OF the
report OF tho committee on resolutions was
concluded, when he took the floor and for
nearly an hour lauded the p, W. Il B. and
It's management. He opposed the resolutions
and used the various arguments that have
been pressed so often throwing doubt on
the connection of the b. 4 o. with the
scheme and charging that 1t was only
dodge to give Col. McComb chance to I'M
load Delaware Western stock. He tainted
the fruit growers with the statement that
not one of them had over had the enterprise
to invest one dollar In railroad capital. Ad-
dressing leading peach growers, who were
present, personally, he put words in their
mouths which they instantly repudiated.
He charged that the growers after receiving
the greatest benefit from the p, w, & b.
now desire to use the capital OF the stock
holders without returning any compensa-
ton.
Mr.. Green-"That Is untrue, SIR"
President Biggs--"tjlr that Is language
that do not use." Continuing ut great
length, he said that the growers were under
the greatest obligation to the r., W. & B.,
but they now proposed to treacherously
stab their benefaotors In the back
This brought Mr.. Green excltedly to his
feet. saying: 81 have known you to stab d
committee treacherousy in the back on
which you were appointed to solicit freight
reduction
A voiee-"These two men, IN Mr.. Smith
had accused the growers of base iugratl-
tude), believe, are hired to como here and
Interrupt our proceedings"
Mr.. Smlth-''To call that remark n false
hood would be below the truth"
A voiee-"You eonsort with negroes we
do not wish to hear yon." Here scene of
the widest excitement ensued.
After calm Mr.. Green arose to per-
sonal explanation. He apologized to the
meeting for his loss of temper, but when
two unsupported gentlemen desired to
talk the meeting down and charged the
growers with intent of robbery AS designing
to use the property of others without any