The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-11-20


tally visited upon railroads, be-
cause they are a species of prop |
erty that cannot be moved beyond |
the reach of demagogues and com
munist, and it is thought that the
spoliation Of the property Of cor. 4
porate bodies may be attempted |
without calling forth the indlgna-
tion that would be aroused if this
were attempted on other business
interests in the community.
Is The claim of right to appoint
one person TO manage the lawful
business of another, is in Its es.
sence communism. Carried TO its
logical result, it would deprive
every citizen of the right TO man.
age his own business, and put him
under disability like a minor, in
stead of recognizing him as a man
capable of managing his own af.
fairs. If a business is unlawful,
prohibit it. If it is lawful, let the
owner manage il himself, and thus
encourage enterprise and thrift.
If It is right for the majority to
use the government TO appoint
guardians over owners Of rail
roads, why not over merchants,
farmers, doctors, bankers, print
ers, BARRIERS, mechanics aud labor
ersi The true rule is to make
just aud impartial laws, and make
everybody obey them, but never
to put one mau over another mans
lawful business. Ii the opposite
principle prevail, tins commune,
alias the majority, will become a
tyrant, and will tell us what we
shall drink, or eat, or wear, or In
what church we shall worship,
and what political party We shall
support. Is this democracy This
spirit OF communism tends direct
| ly to the destruction of indivuaI
liberty aud the right of private
property, and will in the end, il
not checked, crush out all person.
al energy aud manhood.
IA. We believe that the majority
should rule IN matters Of proper
governmental concern but not in
permitting the majority to oppress
and commit wrong and spoliation
upon the minority. t Hli
10. We affirm that every indi.
vidual under our system Of gov.
ernment should be recognized by
the law as a free agent, responsi.
BILE for his actions, aud entitled to
reap the reward of his energy,
thrift and intelligence when en-.
gagged In lawful pursuits. Ia
10. If the spirit of communism,
now advocated by political dema.
gogues, shall be successful In de.
, stroying the property Of corpora.
tions, the next step will be TO
make war on private property, on
landed, manufacturing, agricultu-
ral, financial and commercial in.
terests, or whatever pursuits
wealth has been or can be invest.
ed IN.
II. If wrong has been done the
, public interests through the agen.
cy Of INSCRIPTIONS and dishonest
I spectators IN railroad property,
make and enforce lawsto prohibit
the commission Of such wrongs.
But we submit 10 an honest and
intelligent people, whether II is
right TO allow time servers and
professional politicians to inhame
the public mind and excite popu.
lar prejudice against railroad prop.
erty, in order to serve their per.
sonal ends.
IS. For twenty years prior TO
1881, there were only about eighty
miles of railroad built in the State
of Mississippi, all gauge
road, and constructed almost en-.
tirely by subsidies. which the peo.
pie raised by voting to tax them.
selves.
Under tho wise legislation of
1882, and the liberal charters then
granted, more than COO miles Of
railroad have been built in the
State, costing over sl4,OO0,O00.
This was all done with foreign
capital, and has greatly aided in
developing the different sections,
enhancing the value of landed
property, and contributing to the
establishment of manufacturing
interests in different portions Of
the State. II the same liberal
legislation had been continued, it
is fair to assume that still more
railroads would have been con.
structed. The legislation OF 1884,
whether this was SO intended by
the projectors of the law or not,
contributed greatly to prevent the
building of further railroads, and
thus delayed the development of
the resources of the State. We