Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-23
Tho railroad eIsauers who in nexspapors and

N the lobby perform their functions In behalf
Of the Atkinson bill put in some unusually Wig
orous strokes yesterday. The local railroad or
gan presented as its contribution the amusing
Action that local public opinion favors the bill
This is the keynote for the day in the cor
rsspeadence Tor those outside papers which
sing tho railroads tuna. Bat the special rail-
road correspondent whose stuff is printed in
cities where the facts are not known is required
to ombellish more than the local claquer. He
announces in the NY. san. for example. that
"bshind the opposition to the Atkinson bill is o
combination of real estate spectators, who
own large tracts OF land in the eastern part Of
The city" and who are trying to move the rail-
road station 10 the vicinity Of their pr oporty,"
and in the same paper he declares to a coniid-
=. Ing public that the persistent and active
lobby has been fighting against (not for) the
bsii, and has blocked it ''in spite OF the fact
that the general sentiment of the community is
favorable TO it" In che TrI5t ne he not only
arrays the city on the side Of the bull but de-
uounces its few opponents as irresponsible
strihsrs' and cbmaiers," guilty Of "deiib-
crate misrepresentation and mendacious trick
cry" OF course the railroads literary bureau
hns 10 do something for Its employers, aud AZ
Truth Will not help the road it necessarily ro-
sorts to these foolish falsnhoods. But it is very
strange that such papers the Sun ana Tribune.
which are not supposed to be accessible to lob
oyists and which have q reputation for rclia-
biiity, shonld print the ISLANDERS upon the peo-
pie Of Washington which the bureau furnishes
These newspapers should remember that thir-
teen thousand Of the people OF the District. in
stuaing the leading business men, the local
vorkinginen's organizations and the general
associations OF representative citizens, have
protested against the Atkinson bill, and petit
toned that in connection with tho grant of a
limited power OF condemnation for the increase
Of freight facilities the evil Of grade crossings
be lessened and the occupation of the park be
q least made more safe and less unsghtly. For
the amended bill, with its leesliZing of the
roads unlawful acts and its grasuitous grant
Of valuable privileges, less than two hundred
citizens have petitioned, and number of these,
whose signatures were obtained through mis-
representation, have since signed the protest
against the bill. The recent fraudulent padded,
swo-ccnts-a-narne petition of the railroad re-
fers only 10 the retention Of the station ON the
mail and is not an Endorsement of the Atkin-
son bill. The only enthusiastic local supporters
Of the latter are few who have a direct pecu-
MARY business interest in it. the lobby. and the
railroads. newspaper. The pretcnce that local
public opinion favors the bill is SIMPLY nom
sensicai. II il true, however, that the Dis
trict is anxious for legislation ON other
local subjects, and impatient at the mo-
nOpoty of its Legislative time by the railroad.
II the railroad matter goes over until
December. as now seems likely, the Dis
trict committees should 10 the interval give
sueh attention to the grade crossings question,
that compromise legislation, settling the whole
matter. aud leaving no undetermined issues for
further obstruction Of other business, may
then be promptly enacted
The armor tests at Annapolis concluded
yesterday, have demonstrated that the
Schneider French plate IL incomparably SUPER |
Tor to the Cammeii compound plates manu. |
fsctu-ed in England aud with which the British |
war vessels are armored. The former, known !
- the aiisteei and nickel plates, survived the |
dcrce trials to which they were subjected. the |
ali-steei showing slight cracks, while the Cam /
mel plate was completely wrecked. This is a |
very serious business for the mistress of the |
seas. With her ships encased in plates Liable |
TO be split into smIthereens by the new guns in |
use in many Of the navies of the world there is |
only one thing for her to do, cost what 1t may. |
She must take of the inferior and put on the |
stronger plate, aud the sooner she does 1t the |
better. And the cost is going to he no |
small item. Fortunately for that great power. |
II she has big navy she also has vast resources |
and can afford the expense. The Annapolis |
tests are highly satisfactory to the officers of |
the United States navy. Whether, as some en- |
thusiasts say, yesterday work closes Behring's
sea or not there is a decided satisfaction in the |
discovery that the navy of the republic-what !
there is Of it's all right and eau stand the Gre
Of the big guns.