Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-07-29
Questions for Candidates.

The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association of st. Louis is carrying it's
fight against railrosd discrimination
into the next General Assembly by
sending broadcast over the State cir
cular propoundiDg to candidates for the
Legislature certain interroga tories
which, if made an issue by the people,
shonld lead to a substantial improve
ment in our railroad laws, or rather In
the means of enforcing obedience to
the plain and saiutatory provisions Of
our fundamental law.
AS these questions relate only to the
better enfOrcemento of positive mandates
and guarantees of the State Constitu-
ton which have been nOtoriOusly dis.
regarded by members Of the Legisla-
ture, rs well as by the railroads, the.
queries all resolve themselves at last
into the very important question
whether railroad corporations shall
continue to govern Missouri in defiance
of her fundamental law and in nnen
warfare against the commercial rights
and interests of her people. a ques-
ton of such moment should be Accord
ell place far in front Of ordinary poll
tics, and no voter should let any mere
party interest interfere with its prompt
and proper settlement.
But we warn the Democratic leaders
that it will force itself into politics if
they continue to lag so dangerously far
in the rear Of public opinion i'm this
matter. 1t was precisely thus that the
Republican leaders lost their beastly
majority in Pennsylvania when Pat
terson was elected. The tremendous
fight against Gen. Gordon's nOmina-
ton by the Geogia Democrats is anotf-
er warning, of which the end is not yet
Above all living men he is the i,iolized
hero Of Gsorgia's people, and but for
one thing he would have been nomi-
mated by acclaniation and elected with
out opposition. That one thing was
the accession of the Joe Brown railroad
clique to power through Gor.ion's res
ignation some years ago. Solely Oh
account of that remote and indirect
connection with the success Of o cor
poration influence against which Geor-
gia Democrats are in revolt was he
opposed, and no man less inno"ent or
less above suspicion OF being tool of
that influence could have stood up
against revolt gaining so rapidly in
strength and tenacity. The fight is not
over, and what will be left of Demo-
cratic ascendancy i'm Georgia when it
is fought out remains to he seen.
Here in Missouri the people have
found to their cost that rnilrOad influ-
ence may be stronger than the law,
even under Democratic rule. They
have seen their laws nullified and their
State officers encourage illegal stock
watering and predatory financierlng
by assessing at $40,00O.00O railroad
properties capitalized by the owners at
$233, ,OO0,O Besides being unjustly
taxed and burdened in their industrial
and business operations to make good
these watered valuations, they find
their Industries and their commercial
centers oppressed with illegal charges
and DETERMINATIONS. They are sick Of
this and further trifiing with the
solemn covenants of their State Con-
stltution will make them sore. An
other Legislature manned or command
ed by Mr.. Gould's attorneys in con-
junction with silent and submissive
State administration, will be more
than they can stand.-FOst-D Dispatch.