Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-06-09

"S SiVatiy oSCtcstlliiatSu. itiOtt
have been only twenty-four fatal ae-
cidents in the last ten years on the
New York Central, which does an
enormous passenger business. Safe
ty devices are the most important
subject of all railroads at this time.
Our own Chicago & Alton rail-
road has made the remarkable record
of going an entire year without a
single passenger being killed, al
though thousands were transport
ed. Accidents to employees still
remain distressingly large and there
is an abundance of room for safe
guards for this class of people.
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, has in
troduced a bill in the Senate COM
polling all railroads in the United
States to adopt a uniform automatic
coupler, manipulated from the side
of the car so hal it will not beneces-
sary for the brakeman to step be-
tween the cars.
Should the government own and
control the railroads? A great many
are opposed to government owner
ship, claiming that it is too great
a Capitalization of power. One
thing is certain: government owner
Iship would be q failure unless the
absolute principles of civil service
We're sebserved Railway manage
ment Influenced by politics would
indeed be difficult, especially we're
experienced officials deposed in favor
of members of the victorious party,
as is now done in the postal and
other departments OF the govern
ment. Our government has had
some practical experience in owner
ship of railway stock. Several
millions of dollars were invested
by the government in the Union
and Central Pacific railroad. Lit
tie ii any of this money has
ever been returned to the United
| States.
In the matter of speed, En-
glish locomotives have long held
the record, but the fastest regular
train in the world is now running
from New York to Buffalo at a
| schedule rate of 521s miles an
hour, and this speed is often
increased to go or 20 miles an
| hour.
The Chicago & st. Louis Elec-
trio railway has made an air line
tsurvey and proposes to construct
a double track and run trains at
the rate of 100 miles per hour
with electricity as a motor. Some
pronounce the projectors fanatics
and cranks, but we must remember
that less than 20 years ago Peter
Cooper and others were regarded in
the same light. We await with in
terest the development of electricity
as a motive power.
"oUR GOVERNMENT"
Cadet Richmond Keith Jacks, o.
Montgomery City, read a highly in
structive essay ON "Our Govern
ment," from which we make the
following extracts:
Cadet Jacks said, "Instead of Civ
ing a full analysis of our government
let us partially consider it, tracing
it from the beginning and seeing wha
benefits we have derived from it
Government in its political signifca
! ton may be considered as including
the powers by which communitie:
are ruled, together with the channels
through which this power is exerted
The one legitimate end of all govern
mept is the welfare of the governed
and sourceo 0 authority is, by con
sent, the efficacy of the governing
power and has always been in keep
ing with the civilization of its sub
jects. The glorious nations of to
day are but the results of the rapit
strides the world has made TOWARD
a higher civilization.
Governments develop as the con
ditions of mankind demand. TIN
governments of the thirteen origina
Colonies differed according to tn
whims of those in authority. Thre'
principal forms prevailed, Charter
Proprietary and Provincial. TIL
Charter governments were in a sens
constitutional, being formed on thu
representative plan. The suprem
power was invested in a Council re
r siding in Great Britain. Local al
fairs were in the hands of the Cover
) nor and Lower Council; law was i
/ the hands of the sovereign; ther
was no self-government. Under tn
) Proprietary form some of the Colo
: MES enacted laws for their govern
ment, the proprietors granting i'm
munity from taxation only by ae
. of the Assembly. Other proprietor
: granted the settlers religious toIel
anee and a voice in the government
; After a few years Of happiness am
prosperity leaders began to gro
| jealous and treat the settlers as mel
tenants, requiring them to pay yea
lily d considerable tax in the form /
: rentals. These petty conflicts aide
by others afforded the mother cour
n -.okz.x r. .-.1.-