The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-02
RAIL ROADS IN POLITICS.

autocratic powers?
There are some features IN the general
scheme for regulating the organization
OF corporations and requiring reports
from them which are distinctly COM
anendable and supply want, but whe..
we reflect That in addition to these rea-
sonablc provisions the whole system Of
management Of the greatest and most
important corporations is revoluionized,
end their control is not only wrested
from those who own and are property
responsible for their conduct but is
placed in the hands of three men who
cannot possibly be familiar with the in
tricacies and difficulties of the situation,
we cannot ilclp asking what is the occa-
zion for this violent change?
Have the railroads been SO arrogant
and oppressive that the existing means
of bringing them to a sense of their duty
has failed, and a practical Imperialism
must be set up to dominate them?
Il this is true, we have yet to hear
It The shippers have their orEaniza-
lions for correcting injustices in traffic.
and tho methods they have heretofore
pursued have been effective There has
been no general demand from those
most interested in rates and facilities
for the establishment Of this modern in
QUESTION for the certain suhjugation and
humiliation of railroads anu their pos
sible oppression. We co not believe
that all of the eight gentlemen who
signed the majority report will stick to
shat report when they have come to
themselves and have thought it over.
If it lad been intended as gratuitous
and unprovoked effort to show how mas
terful a Constitutional Convention can
be when it tries, the example could
hardly be improved upon.
But besides this, it seems to us that
the political consequences which will fol-
low the grating Of this scion of So
cialstic imperialism upon our Constitu-
ton are much more serious than the
injury to the railroad properties. The
loss in value to the stockholders OF the
railroads viii practically fall outside of
Virginia, and, taking a merely selfish
and unscrupuous view OF the case, this
loss will not touch our people very sem
sibly. They are not generally stockhold-
ers in railroads. and care but little what
happens to them. But the people of Nir-
ginia have shown profound interest In
the relationship of railroads to our
State politics.
Jj,a 10 low, of 1lr1ln
the Populists were making a considerable
demonstration especially against the rail-
roads as one of the principal objects
upon which to work their Socialistic
doctrines. the railroad managers, as q
measure of self-protection. unquestion-
ably helped the Democrats. This gave
the railroads such power that their poll
teal managers turned it to account in
The elections by the Legislature and
put their fayorites into any Offices they
pleased We all remember that unhappy
period. It is painful to recall it.
Now the Democratic party itself pro-
poses to equal, if not Guido. the Popu-
lists in the application of Socialistic
principles. What will be the inevitable
consequence of accomplishing this? Will
not the railroads say: I'VE are obliged
TO protect ourselves. We We're practi-
cally out of politics, but have been COM
PEELED to come back because OF this Popu-
listic Constitution. We deplore it. We
protested against it. Our views were ig-
nored. We must fight for life
Now. why in the name of common sense
do we, in the face OF this experience and
of the known principles which control
human nature and corporations, want
to put into our Constitution provisions
about railroads which Will inevitably
bring them back into politics and tend
to make every railroad station a center
of some political influence and every
agent and track-walker a missionary,
not to mention the greater lights that
rule the day and the lesser lights that
rule the night?"
We feel perfectly assured that the lead
ing railroad men OF this State-such men
Myers-abhor any contact with politics.
Their thoughts and energies are devoted
to the practical managemcntso f their
properties in a legitimate and law-abid-
ing spirit. All they ask is to be allowed
we do not speak for them and have no
knowledge Of their views except as de-
velopcd by their known characters and
methods-to do their work faithfully and
well, and with the best interests both of
the people they serve and of their own
ers always at heart.
If any wrong should be done-about
which there is generally a fair differ
ence Of opinion-the terms of the mi
nority report amply provide for Its cor
rection. No more should be asked.
ANY more would be an injury to all.
The adoption cf the majority report
would certainly ALLEVIATE from the sup
port of the Constitution many good citi-
zens who earnestly desire to sustain the
convention in its effort to inaugurate d
new order in Virginia. They would prob