San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-06-09
The Railroad Men in Politics.

There Is a very striking contrast be-
tween the political power Of and the po-
Utica hOnOrS conferred upon our great
railrOaderS. In the United States today
there are upwards Of 100000 persons
connected with the operation OF the rail.
roads of the country in various capacities,
and as pungently stated by Mr., Depew, In
recent interview, the railroad employees,
In high and low positions, are as intelli-
gent and able and as faithful In the dis
charge OF their duties as any similar class
OF men In any other avocatiOn OF lie, The
railroads, hS q rule; employ none but
the most emmett and tried business men
for managers Of the various departments,
none but the best enEitieerS, lawyers,
doctors, mechanics and train Service.
From brakemen to manager, their work
ing force is made up Of picked men, Who
are and must be thoroughly consclen:
tlOus and imbued with sense of duty
because they are intruSted with the care
Of life and property Of millions OF their
fellow citizens. Yet il any railroad en-
ploye, high or low, is a candidate for a
public office his very efficiency and con-
Scientiousness in the discharge of i'm
portant aud difficult duties are held to be
a charge against him rejecting upon the
character and robbing him OF the con-
tdenCe OF perhaps a majority of
the people. So strong is this
prejudice against railroad men that in
many instances it practically deprtyes
them OF some OF their political rights. Mr..
Depew. as candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination, is the best possible H.
lustration of the strength of the popular
prejudice. 1t is admitted on all hands
that as a business man he has no superior
I'm the United States. 1t is admitted that
as a railroad manager he has neither
helped, abetted, nor in any other sense
been party to schemes for making
money by stock jobbing or wrecking, OF
railroads. For twenty five years he has
been connected with some OF the greatest
railroad corporations in the country, and
he is not millionaire. He is trustee for
more private fortunes than any fifty law
yerS In the world there are many fami-
lies now living abroad whose whole
fortunes are In his hands without bond or
security Of any kind" Would it be pos
sible to find any man better fitted by ma
tive intelligence, demonstrated ability
and high moral character for the re-
sponsible position as president OF the Uni
ted States? Is it posi- BILE that man so
implicitly trusted by those who know him
could prove unfaithful to his country and
the people? II nominated he would sever
any and all connections with railroads
and other concerns. Yet the people OF a
vast section of the country look upon his
nomination as Of very doubtful expedi-
ency. or even serious miStake.-Minne-
apolis Tribune.
The New York World quotes Mr..
Chauncey Depew as saying:
THE lawyer, the doctor, the merchant,
the blacksmith, the shoemaker, and mem
berS of every profession and trade except
one are eligible for official positions Of
trust and responsibility. The exception
appears to be the employee Of railroad
Somehow or other the rail
road man is tabooed. | notice that peo-
pie are always glad to have a railroad
man locate in their town. They
are enterprising and help to
build up the community. But
the moment one of them becomes can
didate for Office the cry is raised that he
is a railroad man and cannot be trusted.
Is there anything dishonorable in the
business? Is it badge of dishonor to be
connected with railroad? For my part,
/ have been a railroad man for twenty
five years, and, far from being ashamed
of my position, am rather inclined to be
proud OF it.