The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-05-29
COMMUNICATION
EDITOR SCN:

GOV. Thayer of Neb.. simply to indi-
cate that men of wide knowledge or
pubic affairs are recognizing the
disaster which corporate greed is
working to agriculture. the basis of
all true prosperity.
lie pleads with the Trans-Missouri
r. r., Freight Association for rates
at which the farmers may make
living, and sets forth the situation in
the following language:
Let me say to yon gentlemen, in
all fraDkness, that at the very time
when millions of bushels of corn are
lying upon the ground going TO waste;
when the farmers who raised it are |
helpless to get it to market because
of your high rates; when farmers are |
unable to buy provlsi ons, lumber and |
coal. when they cannot buy goods |
because they cannot pay for them
when there is almost universal
paralysis of business and every de-
partmeEt of human enterprise is;
blockaded; when most gloomy
prospect for the opening of spring is
settling down upon the people, the
fact that you have 1T in your power
to afford the relief required and re-
fuse TO grant it will pass into the
history of the State, and your names
| will be remembered with execration.
know. and so do the people, that
| you can give the reduced rate asked
for and your roads will hardly feel it.
| The demand for the reduction is
universal, the people and the press
speaking out with one mighty voice
you must heed il. The public well
fare requires it of you, and the in
tereSts of your own railroads demand
it of you also; for if you benefit the
farmer and the business public, and
bring to them prosperity, You benefit
your roads still more"
The situation in Nebraska is not
an isolated one, but merely illustra.
tive. The tendency of competition
is no longer to greater activity, and
the accomplishment of more service
to the public, by economy of details
and simplicity of methods, but to
pools. combinations and trusts, which
imperil not only our industries but
also our free institutions, and even
threaten to overthrow the govern
ment itself.
AS our purpose in these articles Is to
inquire pretty thoroughly into the
present, the possible, and the rightful
function of the Railway in modern
civilizatiou,i Will not be out of place
to briefly consider the highways of
the past.
There is good reason for believing
that there were royal highways con.
, structed by the Hyksos or Sheppard
kings Of Egypt, and certainly the
great caravans which for centuries
bore the wealth of that fertile home
of civilization to Babylonia and the
East would necessitate some features
of highway.
But it was no doubt the Roman
Empire which incorporated into it's
own statutes, and through It's con:
quests introduced to the entire civil.
lied world the highway established
upon the law Of Eminent Domain as
no less military and political neces.
f slty than a commercial and civil
r agency.
E Since the days of the Caesars intelli
gent rulers have always sought to
: establish and maintain good high
] ways, readily recognizing their i'm
1 portance both to good government
, and to enlightenment. Except, in
= dire distress Of war or great extre
4 mites no seyerer taxes have ever
, been imposed than those levied fol-
l.. the establishment and maintenance
r of highways.
, In the English law highway is {
I public road passage or causway
over which all persons have Il perfect
8 right of way. Either to walk, ride
: drive or transport goods. The COM
/, mon law requires the Parish to main
7 tain all highways within its limits
e. with few exceptions when the
township or district assumes the
contreI,and few particular instances
where the owner of adjacent land is
bound by the conditions of his hold
r ing to keep up all necessary repairs
Breches of these obligations are
prosecuted by indictment as crlmina
n offence.
i The highway is regarded as 81
I necessary to the general welfare anC
a public good, that special officers arr
n charged with the prompt remova
O and abatement of any obstruction O.
q nuisance, and any private person ma!
+ also assume those duties and have thu
offender indicted at COMMON law
0 Owners and drivers of carriages RnC
f carts are charged by the law with the
!. duties of having them properly guided
!. and having the horses properly con-
n trolled, of keeping to the left side o.
the road centre in passing Other
!. vehicles, of avoiding collisions ant
!. Injury to pedestrians. and are helC
!. responsible for damage or delay Il
e persons or goods. Offences by com.
4 mon carriers, loading and unloading
. their vehicles at warehouses, ant
t obstructing the passage continuously