St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-08
THE GLOBE AND THE RAIL
ROADS.

1t is with no pleasure that the GLoBE
feels obliged to criticise with severity
the part the railroads play in the legis-
lative and business affairs of the
community. 1t is inspired by none
of the motives of the cheap DEM
agogue in its animadversions. 1t
regrets that the railroads, by their
opposition to fair and proper meas
ureS and their inSistence on unfair
measures advantageous to themselves,
and by the shameless manner in which
they proceed to Systematically corrupt
veual men and Drowbeat or cajole weak
men to defeat or secure the passage of
bills, merit and compel the strenuous
opposition of all who wish only for pure
government and just laws.
The GLOBE appreciates to the full the
value these avenues of commerce are to
the country; the great part they have
played in the development OF the cOun-
try. the increase Of its wealth. 1t but
speaks the honest wish of all men that
the enterprise and money invested in
them may have not only just but a
|. generous reward, 1t is sure that the
wish of all good citizens is that they
shall have what they are entitled to
without price, and should not have
what they are not entitled to at any
price. 1t believes that if the managers
of these roads would attend TO the aiflirS
of their trusts; would aim to secure a
fair return on honest capital invested;
would free themselves from the desire
for inOrdinate gain, for becoming eX-
peditiously wealthy; would deal justly
with those whom they serve; would dis
charge their lobbyists and stop the eX-
penditure of large sums in corrupting
cOrruptible men, all of this agitation, on
which the demagogueS of the land fat
ten, would disappear.
But the GLOBE cannot stand silently
by and see the rights of the people dis
regarded and invaded. 1t cannot see
fictitious values created and the traffic
made TO pay dividends on it without
protest. 1t cannot see railroads deny
ing freedom of traffic to shippers and
making combinations with a view to
suppreSSing competition and promoting
what they call harmony, which is the
harmony of death to trade. 1t cannot
see them invading the legislative halls
of the state, and. with scarcely concealed
action, buying legislators to support
some measure to their advantage or OPP
pose others which would restrain them.
1t does not propose to see them reach
into political conventions and try to die
faf fha nomination nf and
judges without protest; to see them at
tempt the manipulation of the Demo-
cratic party, at least, without resisting
it. 1t will defend them against unjust
assaults as readily as it willIesist theirs.
The GLOBE believes that the present
course of these corporations will result
disastrouSly to themselves. The knowl-
edge that they are ready to spend money
to gain their ends, or resist justice and
reasonable control, incites corrupt men
to become legislators that they may
share in the Doodle. These wolves are
fecund lot. They inevitably increase
both in numbers and rapacity. Their
appetite grows by what it feeds on.
Soon they become the masters, inSte ad
Vi t4lC C.tdtlClS VI lilcil liidotCiSs IL lilO
corporations refuse to buy, they intro
duce drastic measures striking at these
great properties, which appeal to and get
the support of the cranks and dema-
gogues. for the purpose of compelling
the corporations to ''come down" in
very self-defense.
But this is not the worst result. The
great mass of the people are growing
yearly more restless and desperate.
They are beginning to feel like GULL
YER tied down by the Lilliputians.
They know they have the power to COM
pei justice or crush. They are getting
in the mood to smash. The idea is
gaining ground rapidly that the only
remedy Is confscatiOn aud state owner
ship. When that idea becomes general
there will be short strides taken to at
tain the end. Niceties of equity will
not be fully considered. Do the rail-
roads wish this? Do they deem them
selves strong enough to prevent it? 1t
will be we'll for them not to act on the
theory that they are.