Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
THE OPINION OF THE PEOPLE.
The General Protest Against the Per-
petuation of Railroad Evils.

Il
petuation of Railroad Evils.
The strength Of the feeling on the railroad
question is indicated not only by the num-
oers that sign The STARs coupon petition but
| also by the letters which are sent to The STAR
| ONCE with the signed petitions. These letters
| come from every part Of the city and the
writer's comprise citizens Of every calling.
These letters and signatures come without
solicitation other than the general invitation
TO sign the coupon. No canvassers are en-
Pioyed to obtain names, though in some
cases citizens who have deep interest in the
| result OF what they consider almost fight for
the life Of the city, have voluntarily assumed
the task OF seeing to il that their neighbors
signed the petition. A citizen of East Wash
| ington, who sends q number Of signatures to
The STARS petition, writes that il men were
employed for the purpose of obtaining them.
| as was done In the case of the railroad petit
ton. 1000 names could be secured in East
Washington.
THE FEDERATION OF LABOR AGAINST IT.
A note from Mr.. Joseph X. Potter, the re-
cordinS secretary OF the Federation Of Labor.
says. Enclosed find the signatures of the
officers Of this federation to your petition pro-
testing against the passage Of II. b. SPAS.
AT the lastreguiar meeting OF the Federation
| OF Labor it was unanimously resolved that the
signatures of the officers Of this body be at
tached to the petition Of The EVENING STAR
that Is now being circulated protesting against
the passage of H. b. s243, known As the At
knson bill"
JUGGLING WITH NAMES OF BUSINESS MEN.
One signer Of The SrAns petition writes:
| 1T is with great surprise that constantly zee
reputable. wel-known business men lend the
weight OF their approval to this attempted
| great steal Of the Pennsylvania railroad. and
, this all accomplished under n.isrepresenta-
ton. The numerous articles which have ap-
| peared in the Post are not in favor Of grade
| crossings nor the illegal occupation of our
| streets and avenues, but are all for the reten
| tlon of the depot in its present site. While we
heartily protest against its retenti on our
| strongest protest is against the murderous grade
crossings and illegal stolen freight yards and
side tracks. There is now assembled in wash
ington the largest and most powerful lobby
that has been here for years, and all working
heart and soul to abet this gigantic steal.
In representing this question to the member
who has been button hOed, they have no hesi
fancy in claiming that the best and most popu-
lar business men of the city have lent their ap-
proval to the passage OF the bill.
They do not say that they were asked their
opinion in regard to the proper site for the
depot, but untruthfully state that they advo-
cate the passage of the Atkinson bill with all
its illegal clauses.
This matter should be carefully looked into
by our representative men, who are in a man.
ner helping this great monopoly to commit
theft and do murder before they allow their
names to be used in support of the Atkinson
bill"
LIFE IN A DOG TOWN.
Another correspondent sums up the situation
in fable, Life in Dog Town." as follows:
THE Rattlesnake and the Owl had long been
Intruders in a Prairie Dog town. The Inhabit-
ants finally appealed to outsiders to protect
them from the lntruders. Hearing of this as-
sault on their privileges the Intruders Informed
the Inhabitants that unless the appeal was i'm
mediately withdrawn they would wage war On
the entire town. Citizens greatly frightened
passed vote Of confidence in the Owl and the
Rattlesnake.
moral: Railroads that have the mortal cinch
on community do not fear public opinion"
TIME TO PUT THE CAMEL OUT.
A Washington lady writes all the way from
Nantucket: Il send my signature to the very
sensible petition which l find in my STAR Of
August 4, earnestly hoping and believing that
the Senate and House of Representatives may
be endowed with wisdom and good sense sufh-
cient at this critical juncture to stop the en-
croachments of this railroad monopoly, 80 dan
gerous to life and limb. 80 injurious to the
well-being and beauty of our otherwise Justly
admired city May they be brought to realize
and to appreciate the fact that the railroads.
wealthy and bold as they are. utterly unprin-
cipled and unpatriotic, and seemingly not con-
sidering or caring for the great loss of life
caused by them continue to be selfish and
grasping in the extreme. Now is the time to
put the camel out, or full possession will be
taken"
OPPOSED TO DEATH TRAPS.
go on with the good work. Am opposed to
death traps and the occupation of government
property for private purposes. Let Washing
ton have her own and keep it. Would like to
see the advocates in Congress of this dastardly
measure retired from the positions they occupy
as unworthy the confidence and support of
their constituents"
RAILROAD RULE AND THE GOLDEN RULE.
lady signer writes to THE STAR: Like a
Quakeress waiting for the spirit to move her,
so have been moved, every honest resident
should be, to feeling of Indignation in conse-
quence Of the vast amount Of injustice that the
railroad monopoly has been. and is still. heap
ing upon the mOrtals of this city. This rail
road has been condemned by multitude Of
sufferers long ago. 1t is fully time we residents
should raise our voices in one well-rendered
chorus against this exasperating and intolera-
BILE nuisance 1t would be well for these sons
OF Adam to pause in the evolution of daily
eagerness to fortune and study the precepts of
socialism or, better still, to remember the
early training Of their youth as taught in the
golden rule"