Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-18


II the report II true that the railroads
running into Chicago are 70 make no re-
dnction 10 rates for the worli's Columbian
Exposition, the management of those roads
have made a blsndeY the resulss Of which
will be far reaching II cannot be denied
that there Is a strong opposition TO the pri-
waite coptrol Of railroads. and an increasing
demand that all the nation. great systems Of
communication shall BE- under government
control. This was one of the planks in the
platform Of the Peoples party during the
late campaign, and those who remember
the national convention of that organization
will recall tiiat il was one Of the points upon
which there vas general nnaDinsifY Of opin-
ION among the delegates. Is his feeling TO
grow nnfii &c becomes strong enough 70
control the legislation Of the country
and accomplish it, purpose This IL aHes-
tion that IL no~ worthy ef serious consider
alton. The best possible way 10 prevent
the growth Of this sentiment among the
masses IL for private management Of onr
great systems Of communication to be 80
broad, 50 Just. 40 prompt 70 meet the needs
Of the public that no one couii seriously de-
.ife a change. There are msoy roads of which
ali this can be said-and more. Roads whose
epterpri.ing managers have made both
,hemseIye. and their corporations extreme
~ popular with the public. II Is TO be hoped
tha, the councils Of such men will prevail
to secure fair treatment at the hands OF The
railroads Of the American people ani Of tse
many thousands Of foreign visitors who
will be Il attendance upon the Columbian
Exposia b. II greed leads these corporations
10 disregard all considerations of Justice and
work solely for present gam, they will not
fail to suffer from such a course In the long
run. Unless material reductions Of fare
and Advantageous special rates are made
during the continuance of the big fair, The
public will have just cause for complaint.
Every man or woman who y
forced to pay the old rate into Chi
csgo upon such an occasion will
do 80 under protest. The public
will feel that II has been wronged; that
the railroads have taken advantage Of Il
great national occasion to pursue an I'M
preeeiented and unlastifable course of ex
t0r,iou. When the number of people who
will visit the big fair il considered, the
strength that such feeling, if once engen-
dered. would acquire will at once be nppre-
ciated. Its ultimate result It would he
hard to prophesy but ii is safe 10 say that
roads that had justly incurred the public
hostility II will be the paying course in
the long run TO DO what is fair. TO be sure
the railroads into Chicago win be Obliged TO
vastly increase their rolling stock an. general
running expenses in order to provide for
the big demand for freight and passenger
facilities that will be made upon them. But
" lille this is the case the immense increase
Of business. even II conducted on literally
litionsl expense, and yield enormous profits
besides. II is 10 he hoped that the efforts |
low being made to firmly estab- |
ishing railroad trust for the purpose of
establishing rates ut the old figures during |
he continuance of the great exposition will
,rove dismal failure. ''Competition is |
he life Of trade" and with it the people of
his country and visitors from abroad can
70 assured fair and liberal usage IN their |
ourneys TO and from the great western
metropolis that Is to furnish the site for
What promises to be the greatest exposition |
he world has ever seen.