The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-01-15


pers, early Wednesday morning, in
plenty OF time for publication, but up
to this good hour the HERALD is the
only Columbia paper that has ever
yet had one single word to say upon
this important subject Not only has
our esteemed contemporary the
Maury Democrat declined to take any
editorial position in defense of the
rights of the people as against the
unlawful charges of the railroad, but
it has even ignored the rights OF its
readers by failing in the first instance
and refu ling in the second, to give
them even a local news report of
what the meeting of citizens had done
and what the committee had re-
ported.
At these meetings there were mer-
chants who advertise literally in the
Democrat; the class that gives to the
Democrat the success it so proudly
claims, are not begging-they have
done that for years-but they are de.
handing their rights from the rail.
roads, and calling upon the papers of
the town to help them, and yet,
though the fight has been going on
for a month, the Democrat has not
only refused to give one line of edi-
torial expression in their behalf, but
has utterly ignored their meetings
and refused to publish their pro-
ceedings.
Now we have no personal war to
make upon our neighbor. The re-
lations between the HERALD and the
Democrat are of the friendliest kind,
and we do not desire to disturb them
But we write this in the interest OF
the people of Maury County in gen.
eral, and the merchants of the town
and county in particular. The Demo-
crat of course cannot afford to and
will not take sides against the peO-
rates. But the people have a right
to expect and demand more than
that. The farmer, who gets less for
his wheat aud is corn and his cot
ton and potatoes and hogs and mules
and beef cattle, and everything else
he raises, than under the rights guar
auteed by lE W he is entitled to, when
ne subscribes for the Democrat has
the right to expect and demand, that
when g sOuIless railroad monopoly is
exacting from hiR unlawful, unfair
and unjust freight charges, his home
paper will defend his rights.
The merchants of Columbia, who
support the paper by their liberal
advertising, have a right to demand,
ought to demand, and UW demand,
that when their rights are beng
trampled upon by greedy monopoly,
when they are made to pay freight
rates that shut them out Of the mar
kets of the world, the paper they have
fOstered and encouraged, and that
draws its sustenAnce from their
pockets, must defend their right and
support their reasonable demands.
1t is bad enough for our neighbor.
70 be neutral upon some political
issues; it is bad enough that he
should be neutral upon some moral
questions-llFe mob law, for instance.
But we say to him in all friendliness
but in all candor, that when he I'M
dertakes to be neutral in a fight-and
a hard fight it will be-between the
railroads and the people, he will have
taxed the peoples patience a little
20 Il afn
This fight is just at the beginning,
though it has been on a month. 1t
will last several months. The further
it goes, perhaps the hotter it will get
1t is important to the people that the
local press of Columbia be all on one
side of the issue, and outspOken on
that side. The people, in a case like
this, are dependent upon the local
press to fight their battles. THE
HERALD will do its part, and in the
name of the people will demand OF
our neighbOr that he do his.
His time will thereby be much bet |
ter employed than by pickering and
grieving over split milk, and tanning
and useless referance to the unfortu-
nate bank failures.
The committee report, found else
where, tells the story of the peoples
woes so strongly that further comment
j ust at present is not necessary. That
Columbia and it's people have been
there is no DOUBT. That the
Interstate Commerce law will right
our wrongs, there is no doubt. The
have shown the facts
plainly. Now all that is needed is to
press on.
We urge the committee to permit
no delay. In movements like this,
ielay is always dangerous. While
the enthusiasm is up, while the peO-
pie are aroused, while the public is
press on. That will keep
up the interest, and if that is done to
he end, the fight will be won.
So far the fight has been conducted
IN strictly business principles. 1t is
a fight for legal rights as against ex-
,essive aud discriminating freight .
charges. There has been no attempt
% excite any prejudice against rail-
'oads or their officers. We hope it ,
will be conducted on this line all the
way through. All we want for the !
neople of Columbia is what they are ,
awfully and justly entitled to. We
want to be fair and do justice to the
abroad company, and we want them '
o be fair and to do justice to our
'eOple. |
EX-GOv. TAYLOR has found his :
alling. He has at last found en-
,loyment out of which he can make 7