National Republican., 1888-05-22
Viz. ncrcw Doc. snme rall,Ing.

Mr. Dcpcw Does Some Talking.
Mr.. Chamccy Dcpcw, in an interview in
tl,c New York II'oHi on the political situa.
tiou, among other things said
We cannot please the Muswimps anil It is
hardly worth while to take their advice.
Judge Gresham has uunIr,tlonabIy strong
following in the west. The CIitdIo Yribw
is supporting linn. and that Is paper that
enters enthusiastically into whntcvcr II I'M.
deriakcS, whcthcrit is supporting or att l'k-
ing a man. I can TESTIFY ththa latter, for It's
editor has honorch me In that connection.
There are, Mr.. DCpcw continued "Jvor
eleven hundred thousand mon employed on the
different railroads IN this .rJu'ry, Or about
unc.thirtecnth Of nur voting population, III
lawyer, the doctor. the merchant the III x
smith, the shoemaker, AMI members uf every
profession and trade except one are eligible
tor official positions Of trust AMI r'sphn'ibity.
The exception appears tp be- the einpuyc of II
railroad corporation. somehow or other the
railroad man l. tahOOud. notice that people
urealwnyS glad to have railroad men locate In
their town. They are rntcrprsing and help
build up the community, Blt the mrm'lt
one of them becomes candidate for III 't
the cry Is raised that hc is Il railroad man an
cannot he trusted, Is there anything dish N.
orabr In the business is Il "a badge Of dis
honor to be connected With railroad For
my part have been railroad man for
twenty i've years. and far from being assumed
of my position. am rather inclined 10 be proud
ui IT,
Every time / 90 to Washington / m"''
prominent senators AMI Representatives VIII
say tu me they wish ro'lll Hul tlTn son!
,uu. place ON II rdi,roal - 'hnt "brll retire
from public lie. That has happened often,
and the men making tnh requests stood very
high In their party. Would they care to -
into the railroad bu,incs, II il were dish
able; Sevcnty.iyc per cent. Of the l,lOD,0O
railroad employees Of the cnurtry arS DemD-
Gratis II would be- funny If srnt dly these
men should take 1t into th'ir hen l. t. maze
the test of the qualifications Of Il railroad mlI
for AN Office and cast their votes that way.
There /, no more Intelligent class Of m'1 In
the country than the rail'odl ON t,lpyc,, There
is strong bond Of fellowship among the n,
and through Their ORGANIZATIONS they cJlld
accomplish a great deal. Slpp1Sa they shDIl |
get tired Of having this stigma placelon every
railroad man: do not care tp be- the inStrI.
mcnt myself hut ! should ike tu see the test
made,
"nut four year, from now this question of
railroads will not enter into politics. II has
passed away in this state ami in New England
through the establishment of railroad CON
missioncrs. The national railroad commiS sion
AZ Washington will eventually do away with
all the railroad prejudice among the people all
over the country. When the people knoN
they have a commission 20 represent them in
the regulation Of the railrDdl |, thy will b.
more content
Several days AGO the NATIONAL RErCEII-
CAS- published an estimate Of the number
of regular railroad cmplOyc, in the Unite
States, making ii something larger than the
number mentioned by Mr., Depcw, AMI
showing that SO large body Of Intelligent
men are power in the land.
As Mr., Dcpew says. there is an Outcry
! whenever the name of n railroad man is
| mentioned for prominent official position
and yet We see quite number Of the ablcsi
men IN political life leaving 1t to take post
tions in railway life. EX-Secrctary Me-
| CrcaIy, Judge Dillon, Gcn. Williamson. and
| Ex-Governor Brown, of Tennessee, are
! prominent examples Of that class.
If II did not dishOnOr gentlemen 10 leave
the arena Of politics, in which they have
| become distinguished, for the remuncrative
| NV w " i"'lN"y 'hIl'NN' Wv N"' ~ Nv
reason why man who has achieved dstinc
ton in railway life is dcbarrcd from entering
| public service, while it is open to all other
classes Of American citizens.
Mr.. Depew Is correct in saying that the
time is approaching when this scnscless
| prejudice will pass away. 1t is possible
that II may have already come, and that the
distinguished president of the New York
| Central railway is the person who will be
selected from railway life to NIL the highest
| position in the land. His name is in tn,
mouth, of many men, and should his party
choose to honor him, the country will con
| im the act without any combination of
| railway men being necessary,