The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-04-09
We believe the laborer is worthy of his

we believe the laborer is worthy of his |
hire and should receive liberal COM
pensation therefor; and while we
would condemn violence by the strik.
ers, we have little sympathy to waste
on the railroad companies as corpora
tions. who so frequently ride rough
shod over the public as well as en-
ployes.
a franchise il granted which au-
tnorizes a condemnation of private
property for their use. in return for
which it is expected the road will be
public benefit at reasonable rates.
Right of way is forced through valu-
able farms or city property, or along
public streets, for meager considera-
ton, which must be accepted or resort
to the courts; pools are formed. ex-
tortionate rates are demanded, stock
is watered, and re-watered, till it BE-
comes SO diluted as 10 require chpmi-
Cal analysis to determine whether it
contains an infiaitesimal atm of its
original Ingredient, and is still expect
ed to pay dividend, extorted from
the sweat of toiling millions. The
stock is one day made football and
kicked about Wall street by stock
gamblers another day it is petted like
a lady's pondle dog. Bulls and bears
each take their turf to toss it ND and
paw it down. Unscrnpnlous men oh
tain control whose sympathy for either
the public or employees is SO infinites-
imal as to be Invisible under COM
pound microscope; whose only aim is
the almighty dollar; who are arbitrary.
and over bearing, bluffing off appli.
cants for redresss of grievances, or
claims for losses incurred, or dam
ages sustained-one official referring
them to another, till their patience is
exhausted; terrifying them 1y Il pros
pect of expensive litigation; worrying
them out by lCng delays and red tape
ceremonies; interposing obstacles of
every description TO obstruct the ends
of justice; buying up legislators and
Off ;idls; granting passes freely to
favoriEes, while the rates demanded
of the people are such as will afford
dividends for their diluted stock.
Charles Francis Adams saws: 81 do
not hesitate to say that, in my opinion,
ten per cent or more has to be charged
to those who do pay fares, to make up
f II dead-beats."
Such, we are happy to say. are but
rare and extreme cases. but still less
rare than they should be.
On the other band, there are hun.
dreds Of railroad officials who are high
minded entlemen and christian phil
anthr0pists, who are willing to con.
cede all that is reasonable; whose en-
terprise and capital have carried roads
into the wilderness. opening up coun-
try which would, for generations,
have remained the abode of wild beasts
and the red-nlen. whose investments
cannot be expected to return dividend
for series of years. These enterprises
must be carried on by capitalists, if at
all. Government is slow and ineffi-
Gent, and will not lead in such works
Railroad officials nave all classes of
people to deal with, and excessive
claims for losses of property or injury
to person are constantly being made,
and require all their vigilance to resist
such unjust demands, knowing that
the sympathies of juries are with the
people. Thus it would seem that
neither the railroad officials, the en-
ployes, nor the public can claim any
degree of perfection in their dealings.
It is diamond cut diamond" and
proper consideration is demanded for
the rights of each.
in our next we will speak of the
Knights of Labor, manufacturers.
farmers and their employees. d.