Middletown transcript., 1891-04-16
ICoMMUNICATEDI.
NEW YORK. April ]

COMMUNICATED.
NEW YORK, April Is.
The old adage chickens will come
home to roost," is now being verified,
much to the sorrow of the people of
Delaware. The loaning of the money
of the people of Delaware to build rail-
roads in Sussex county that were to be
controlled by private parties, was, un-
estionably, a sad mistake. All who
entered into that scheme did it, doubt
less, with the best motives possible,
and it should have terminated in good
to the people.
The proposition made by the new
corporation Of the D. M. & V. rail-
road company is, to say the least, a cool
proposition. They bonded their roads
just as an individual bonds his farm.
They contracted to pay six per cent.
for the money the State advanced to
them, aud received also from the State
a valuable franchise. Now, in the
settlement of the question between the
State and the railroad, nothing but the
naked proposition (what is best for
the interests of the people of the State)
can govern legislator and keep him
in the plain lines Of honesty, truth and
devotion to the people whose servant
he is. If any sentiment of goodwill
towards the D. M. & V. people, or the
Pennsylvania railroad people, or. any
sentiment of friendship for any one, in
this matter, controls the vote of the
legislator, he fails to fulfill the duties
of the Office to which he was elected ;
because he was elected to look after
and care for the interests of the people.
Now, a proposition to accept a set
tlement in cash of a little over one
third of this Indebtedness from the
D. NJ. & V. people, and reduce the
interest on the balance of the indebt-
edness one per cent, and give them
forty years in which to pay, is an as
sumpti on on the part Of legislators of
a knowledge of the better way that
they are unwilling to accord to those
who come after them. 1t is egotism
to the most extreme degree to say the
least. In all human probability the
succeeding legislature will be equally
as patriotic and equally as wise as this.
This legislature has the moral right
to make an agreement to accept $780,
600 or $3.50, and any interest they can
get for two years, provided that is the
best terms they can get. But when
they assume to bind the State beyond
the limits Of their own official life in
the settlement Of accounts between the
State and corporation, they certain
ly transcend their duties as members oi
the legislative body of Delaware. | seri-
ously doubt if any such legislation could
be binding upon future legislatures.
remember well many years ago, lot.
terry company had some such agree.
ment with the State, subsequent
legislature annulled the lottery, made
void the agreement, and the power ol
the legislature to so do was held to be
good by the Courts of the State. To
give to the d. M. & v. company the
right to hold possession of the roads
which virtually now belong to the
State because her claims against it
are about all it is worth,) could they
maintain the forty years lease of power
given them by the length of theil
bonds, would simply deprive the State
Of all the powers which it now possess.
es to demand from those railroads a
proper service to the State. The peo.
pie of Delaware can better afford tC
lose the entire 100000 invested in
this r oad than they can surrender one
item of their charter of liberty against
corporate powers which they now
possess.
still think that the right thing to
do in regard to this whole railroad
system of Della ware is for the legisla-
ture to accept no terms other than the
fulfllment of the bonds from any oi
the corporations. It would be better
to demand interest in full and vote a
gratuity if the railroads are too poor
to manage without it, than it would be
| to surrender the advantage which the
people now have in the railroad mat
ter. If the legislature Of the State OF
Delaware will take possession Of the
ID. M. d V. roads, and operate them
| for their freight and passenger traffic
if necessary, or demand from the Penn.
sylyania railroad the same rates OF
transportation for these goods that are
given by that company to the people Of
Virginia, they will do the best posi-
BILE thing that can be done for the peo-
pie of Delaware. They have the pow
er to do it, because they have the pow
er to annul the charter of every rail
road in the State of Delaware and the
Pennsylvania system can be driven
from Delaware if it fails to accede tc
| the terms demanded.
I do not write this in any spiteful OF
bitter way. I should fight just al
earnestly for the Pennsylvania railroad
as do for the State of Delaware, was
the State of Delaware attempting tc
work the same injustice against The
Pennsylvania railroad that that com
pany now attempts to work against
the people of Delaware. Having but
one standard, exact justice, l would
settle the railroad question upon thai
line, and no settlement that will con-
tinue the power of this great corpor a
.tion to roll those products of Virginia
which compete with the products o.
Delaware through that State, over hel
roads, for less price than they carry
the products of Delaware to the mar.
kets for, can be anything else than tht
grossest injustice to the people O
Delaware and while 1, assuming nj
superior virtue or superior knowledge
my judgement is that no member of th,
legislature who votes for a continu
ance of this enormous crime agains
the energies of Delaware is worth,
ever again to be called upon to rerre
sent his people in any official position