The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-10-06

shall arise upon the ruins OF the old.
This vivid illustration of the vast inn
portance of the part which railroads
play in the upbuilding of a community
furnishes food for much deep thought
for the people OF this State az this
time. For just us surely as the future
Of Galveston depends upon its railroads,
lust so does the future of Mississippi
depend upon hers. Whatever may be
her future prosperity, the basis, the
foundation stone, will be her railroads.
Is Mississippi to have factories and
industries and all those things which
bring population, prosperity and
wealth ? Are her lands to be devel- !
oped? IsIMississippi to be uplifted to
the plane Of her sister States? Is she
to 90 forward or backward AS with
Galveston, so with Mississippi, it may
be truly said 1.-THE railroads will decide
the question, for without them the
State would be reduced TO small pro-
portion"
A most interesting and Instructive
ANALYSIS OF the recent census relating
to the growth of American cities as af-
fected by railroads, appeared in a re-
cent issue Of the New York Evening
Post. The writer shows that next 10
those cities located on the great lakes,
the distinctively railroad towns show
the most rapid and continued growth
We quote
Towns like Indianapolis, Denver and
Atlanta. whose location was unrelated to
any water course whatever, are showing con-
tinued growth. indianapolis gained so per
cent. in the last decade, Denver increased
20 per cent, which considering the terrible
severity OF the panic of 1893 upon that city is
rather remarkable. Atlanta's rate of in
crease. 81 per cent, is much ahead OF any
! Southern town which has been brought out"
The writer shows that river towns
and sea coast towns have not begun to
keep pace with railroadl towns 1t is
true that Memphis shows IS per cent.
but Memphis is now a great railroad
center.
But some may say, everybody recog'
nizes the Importance OF railroads; every
right thinkingI man admits the truth
Of these statements, they are self evil
dent; why this discussion? Our an
swer is this II it is true that the peo-
pie OF this State recognizes the truth
OF these statements, il they are unde
niable, and we think they are. thel
there is a class OF its citizens who ar
deliberately and persistently not onl.
retarding its progress, but also work
ing on lines which, il carried out, will
: destroy what little ad vancement Mis-
9 sissippi has made.
AT every legislature which has as
4 sembled in this State for the last eigh
or Ten years, bills have been introduce
aud pressed, which, had they becom
s laws. would have b~ankrupted every raj
Y road 10 the State. Bills denying thel
: the equal protection OF the law bill
u taking away from them defenses ope
to all other litigants bills of the mo
It oppressive and discriminating natur'
n fortunately there were a suffieieI
number of clear headed and brof
70 minded mep in the legislature to pr
vent these pernicious measures fro
n becoming laws.
But this Is not all. We are reliabl
informed that there are now pendir
'e against one OF the principal railro,
Of systems 10 the State damage sui
lie amounting to more than three quartz
A OF a million, not taking into consider
tion any case in which the amou
D. claimed is less than 3 1000. The
te suits are for all kinds OF frivolous a.
trumped up claims. Some, it may /
=. are more or less m%eritorious, but =
- bulk OF them are without merit, a.
Is would never have been brought AGAR
rs anything but a railroad.
nd 1t Is time to call a halt. The wn(
people OF the State OF Mississippi a
being affected ipjuriously by this pc
, %sistent and causeless persecution
as railroads. The people OF this Stale a
n. awakening to the necessity OF develo
he ing the State along industrial lin,
:. They feel the need OF railroad develt
a' ment in the State. They are tired
es tagging along at the tail end OF
ho procession, and they feel that SD 10
no as this senseless pursuit Of railroads
=. hostile legislation, gotten up by att
NO ueys TO make an easy road for them
an the cOmpany's treasury. so long as
ar torneys will ask and expect the jur
NJ to give them and a worthless man 81
600 for having been carried a few ht
d bred yards beyond a station. so long
re juries can be expected and looked
Of TO give a verdict OF 5000 to be divii
At between u lawyer and some tramp "
who has fallen from the trucks Of
'e' train on which he is stealing a ride
ip. violation of the law Of the State
Dir long as such things as these are POI
NJ BILE in Mississippi, railroad devel
ment is out Of the question and CAPT
!" will not flow into this State as 1t is
he neighboring States. 1t is a shame
DR. a reproach to the State /; 1t is a
ia proach to the legal profession I
such things a be tolerated.