Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-04
The Senate District subcommittee ia

The Senate District subcommittee 10
tempted by the railroad TO grant to 1t at once
substantially what it asks in the Atkinson-Mc-
Pherson bill. and to postpone the improve
ments in railroad conditions, which the sub
committee Is convinced are necessary for pub
lie protection, until the sweet b~y-and-by. II
the relief of the railroad from the conse-
Quencss Of illegal acts and the increase of its
freight facilities were matters which demanded
more immediate attention than protection OF
the lives Of the people, Of public property at
the capital, and Of the beauty and heaIthful-
ness of the city. there might be some excuse
for haste in granting the railroads demands
and for a postponement Of the peoples re-
quests, especially with the proposed modifca-
tion Of the Atkinson bill, which leaves the
question open in respect to the part Of the road
on which Improvements are sought. But this
supposition Is contrary to fact, and experience
has taught that if relief for the people is sepa-
rated from relief of the road, the former is vir-
tually denied. The two kinds Of relief must
ride through Congress on the same cart or the
former will not get through at all. Having
gained what ID wishes and made It's position
impregnable the railroad will spend money at
the capital for the benefit Of the people only
in that future stage of existence when corpora
tons are endowed with consciences and
souls. II is OF No consequence what
vague suggestions OF future relief are thrown
out by the railroad. II there were any SINGER
ity in these professions the offer Of some i'm
provements, great or small, would have been
coupled by the railroad with its demands in
the Atkinson bill, for it has been we'll aware
that such offers would cut the ground to a
1raafar nv lazo axtant from t1n1ar the npnOQifi0O
to its measure. and would expedite the bills
passage, thus quickly relieving both the public
and itself. The people of Washington under
stand very well that the Atkinson bill will pre-
sent to the railroad a number of pieces of pub
lie property. enumerated by District Attorney
Hoge in his letter to the Commissioners, and
relieve it from punishment for having appro-
priated this property. and will provide
for it a special legislative and other
valuable privileges, placing all other roads
which will wish hereafter to use its tracks in
the city at its mercy. And they know, too,
that by depriving Washington of the few points
of advantage which it has in the controversy
with the road, and by robbing it of the only
means by which it can drive a bargain for re-
lief with that corporation, the Atkinson bill
will perpetuate existing conditions, and plant
the railroads foot immovably upon the city's
neck. 1t is a grand thing, of course, to free
the railroad from apprehensIons that it will
ever be punished for its lawlessness, and to
shower favors upon it But do not hasten.
gentlemen of Congress, to do these things in
such manner as to perpetuate existing evils,
and among other things to make yourselves
accessories to the future m~anslaughters and
murders at the grade crossings where hun
dreds of our people have already been killed or
mangledI Hold the railroad dear, if you will,
but do not hold flesh and blood 50 cheap!