Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-05


"asAingssa. and mach sre.ser th.. 49,
al ali the ssAsr aaily payer, here aaaes
together.
Inc fennsyivania railroad company, In whose
Vor Is supposed TO have abdicated its ex-
ousl'e JURISDICTION over the District OF Columbia
must iook 70 It's sceptre. powerful usurper ia In
tns neic The Massachusetts, electric company.
"aicn proposes to occupy New YORK avenue with
ueaa wires As skirmish line In its campaign,
bNhDes 70 be the Napoleon among the
corporations which by favor Of Congress govern
wasnins'on- This company has scored several
ssoae successes already. IL has deprived the Dis
VIZ Oh the services OF capt grimm In the defense
u ne people against overhead electric wires and
Aas compelled that able onncsr In his capacity as
anempioye OF the corporation toeat his own words
without even the promise OF salaried positions In
sempioy In case OF resignation from their present
omceS IL has converted the District Commissioners
non vag1lant defenders OF the city against over
hsao wirss 70 the voluntary apologists ror q new
- OF wireA more dangerous than the telegraph
WareA which constitute Q large part OF the system
which IN Difference 20 public opinion the y
nave oeen 30 anxious TO bury. II has so skillfuly
handled the Commissioners that these officials
not only reverse themselves to the public aston
ishment In their opposition on principle to over
noed wires but exhibit additional Inconsistency
In protesting on the one hand that they have n o
right OF power TO NEEDLE with the corporations
AFFAIRS for the purpose OF thwartng It's Intentions
and In making themselves the active assistants on
The other hand In carrying these intentions into
eject BY voluntarily becoming the coun-
ssllors Of the corporation, and by a
naoorsd defense Of Its purposes In long report 20
the Senate and In personal hearings before the
District committee. Aided by a feeling Of pique
that the Senate should instruct the committee
concerning the form OF resolution which should
BE reported, II has also captured a part Of the
District committee, and IL Is boosted that In the
absence OF senator Edmunds even the Senate VIII
reverse itself at the direction OF this asprant
60 dominion In the District The situation Is full Of
danger 70 the people OF this community. The vol
untary surrender Of one OF the avenues OF
the city to the new line OF overhead
wires means q general sacrifice OF the city's
beauty and safety to this cheap commercially
practicable" method Of railway transportation.
The electric corporation evidently expects this
suit, and the proposition OF the District commit
tee TO except the railway wires from the proposed
burial also points TO It blow Will also be given
to the project Of putting underground the exist
ing wires II the railway wires with their current
at the verge OF the certainly fatal point, which
have killed horses and mules In Montgomery and
Richmond, not dangerous surely not
word can be said against the telegraph wires with
their current OF fewer volts And the DRIFT OF the
advocates Of the railway overhead wires to a de-
Tense OF all overhead wires Is not concealed. What
ever may be Sne decision OF Commissioners or Sen
ate In this instance the public verdict Is made up
The overhead wires have been convicted in every
city as ugly and dangerous, and must GO Delays
In the burial are permissible only for the purpose
OF planninga system OF conduits which will best
serve the public anu the corporations, and must
not be utilized TO aggravate the evil The hope Of
Washington Is that Congress will not Initiate the
Commissioners In the reversal Of a wise decision.
The prohibition OF all overhead wires after Sep
TENDER 18th and the promise OF general plan OF
burial at the next session Of Congress should be
adhered to without exception In favor Of nybody
The principal danger TO the city Is found In the
fact that members Of Congress sometimes think
that their whole duty as legislators Is to rem
dered 10 their constituents at home. and that II
the interests Of the people OF Washington in mat
tiers Of local legislation conflict with those OF a
voting constituent the former must go to the wall
Thus senator Hoar forgets that In this matter the
people Of Washington are his real constituents
and remembers only that q Massachusetts, electric
company wishes 70 turn an honest penny, and
the beauty and security OF this city are as
nothing In conflict with the interests OF the
Massachusetts, constituent In the same
way, senator Dawes may be tempted
to abjure, In the interest OF Massachusetts, cor
poration only, his expressed views In opposition
70 overhead wires. In the same way In the con-
kfcSSAouai CoutlONcISy, Iilc iutcftSIS OF
New York cement and Indiana granite fight
against An impartial consideration OF what Is best
for the capital and the nation II Congress Will
remember that there Is as palpable a breach OF
fAith In oetray1ng TO private interests the welfare
OF their constituents at the capital their con-
stasuents at home, Washington will not need to
fear the perpetuation OF overhead wires
The vermont election, ike that which took
place the other day In Arkansas, is not especially
significant In It's results Everyb body expected the
New England state to go republican, just as every
body expected the Southwestern state TO continue
under democratic control, and hence no one was
disappointed The republican majority In ver
mont, however, shows a gain OF something like
nve thousand over that OF 1854, and il Is
evident that the republicans have been
doing some vigorous campaign work there with
view TO making an effective STRAW" showing the
way the political wind Is blowing. The tariff
question seems TO have been worked very much To
their advantage amongst the wool growers and
mill operatives IN that state, and according TO the
New York Herald the vermont farmers too have
had the glories OF protection seductiyely painted
70 them by representations OF big prices for eggs.
butter and poultry.
IL Is apparent that In oregon and Vermont the
tarin issue has been decidedly In favor OF the
republicans IL remains TO be seen whether the
republicans Will be able TO utilize it with equal
success In states where the interests are more
diversified, and where the enormties OF high tariff
nave been more fully depicted BY democratic