The Holt County sentinel., 1902-06-27
Current Comment.

4uc SIcaG stIihc III Tue dQIQTdclte COAL
regions grows more threatening, and
there is great danger not onle of an ex-
tensive destruction of property through
the inability of the operators to keep
their golfers pumped out, but of blood
shed in consequence of violent attacks by
miners on men engaged to do the work
they have thrown over. Violence and
intimidation are alrerdy used effectively
against minority of employees who were
opposed to the strike and have tried to
keep at work. They no longer dare to
do SO because their wives and children
are intolerably prosecuted. The next
regular step will be collision, then the
calling out of troops and after the pub
lie, the miners and the operators have
all suffered heavy losses will come a
settlement that will bring some conces-
sions but will leave most things about
where the were before the trouble began.
1t is system that discredits our civil
cation.
Referring to the agitation regarding
electric railroads through the farming
districts in this part of Missouri. the
Moberly Democrat says: During the
last two or three years many lines have
been constructed in Indiana, Ohio and
luther east, and have proven profitable
investments. Every road constructed
and bonded for its actual cost will no
doubt pay. 1t is greatly to the interest
of the community to see that the cost is
not SO inflated that it will always be a
struggle for the road to keep its head
above the water and thus be able to
keep the road in first-class condition.
The construction and equipment should
be of the best and the service first-class
in every particular. In order to con-
.tinue by to the best standard it must be
a paying enterprise, which it cannot do
if allowed to be inflated beyond Its real
cost. 1t is indeed unfortunate that a
clause could not be inserted in the
grants preventing such initiation and
probably the ONLY way to surely prevent
such watering is to take enough stock
at home to control the management
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has issued an accident bulletin show
ing COLLISIONS and derailments of trains
and casualties to persons for the three
months ending December 81, 1901. The
number of persons killed 10 train acct
dents was PA. and of injured 2,OS9. Ac
cidents of other kinds, including those
sustained by employees while at work
and by getting on and off cars bring the
total up to Sl3 killed and 1922 injured.
During this period there were l,4sl col
lisions and ST. derailments. of which
81 collisions ane Is derailments affected
passenger trains, resulting in 81 fatal &C.
cidents TO passengers and 721 injured.
From other accidents there were 81
passengers killed and 635 injured, max
ing total of s. passengers killed and
1883 injured. The damage to cars. en-
gines and roadway by these accidents
amounted to s2.G75.O91.
The public has no conception at all
what the Martinique disaster cost the
newspapers. The average man pays
little attention to the special cable"
line, and reads the stirring news with
out a thought as to the cost of it. When
it is known that cable messages from
Fort de France cost - II word and
urgent messages 1918 for every word,
some conception can be had of the cost
of covering this calamity. But this is
rot all. There are the tugs, the spe cial
men and the photographers. All this
mounts into the thousands, but after
all big papers in New York feet that it
is worth it, and no expense has. been
spared to get this immense history.
The ST. Louis Manufacturers Asso-
citation has gathered data on railroad
freight charges to points that have.
steam boat facilities and those that
have not To those points having the
former, the rates are on an average
about 80 per cent lower than to those
having no river competition. As for
instance, the rate on first class freight
from St. Louis to Little Rock. a dis
tanre of 345 miles and no river facilities,
elOO per hundred. while from the same
point to Cincinnati. 342 miles. with am
pie steamboat competition, the rate is
only IS cents. Steamboat companies
and railroad corporations do not pool
issues. and the people profit thereby.
Every honest citizen condemns the
corruption that has been going on for
years in the St. Louis public Offices,
and he also favors the infliction of Sc
we're punishment on those who are gull.
ty Of violating all principles Of honesty.
Whether they be Republicans. Demo
crafts or what not. punishment COM
mensurate with the crime should he
meted out to every one Of them. Politi
cal influence, social standing or the
wealth of Croesus should not avail as
against the law. Men prominent in