The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-10-29
"TOTE" FAIR WITH RAILROADS.

All may be mistaken, but there
seems to be prejudice among the
people generally against railroads, and
this prejudice grows out of general
ignorance rather than any clear per-
ception as to what railways do for the
general developement of values.
| Railroads are great civilizers, and
no one who cares to investigate cOndi-
tionS before and after road is built
through any section, will doubt this
fact. Opening up the country,
railroad brings the people in touch
with the outer world, widenS their
view, begets higher ideals, and i'm
proves the general moral conditions,
so that soon after railroad is run
through any section, it's improvement
materially and morally begins. Towns
spring up, new business is developed,
churches and school houses are built,
and the people mentally and morally
/ come in touch with all the progressive
and elevating influences of higher
civilization
Mississippi is prosperous, but much
Of her prosperity must be credited TO
her railroads. Without which her
products could not reach the markets
in competition with those of other
sections, and hence would not be val
liable, as they now are. Indeed, the
development Of our vast timber in
terest and truck growing would not be
possible without railroad facilities,
and without them our State would be
tagging far behind in the race for
commercial gain, for we wOnld be shut
out from the markets in the greatest
commercial centerS.
In considering our indebtedness to
| railroads, we owe much to the Illinois
Central, which has done SO much for
us in the north, south and west pOr-
UIOIIO vi Jul bbLlCe ClilN ~ III oOioASC
| that SO many seem to think that it is
fair to mulct this road through preju
diced jurieS, in damage suits for inn
aginary injuries. and it would seem
that some people are doing their best
to kill the goose that lays the golden
egg.
The process INDUCED in has tend
ency TO discourage railroads, and to
put a stop to railroad building in our
State, and the sooner our people
awake to this fact, and cease to pur-
sue persecutive policy with the rail-
roads, the better. We have much un-
developed territory. which can only
be developed by railroad facilities,
and capital necessary to this develop
ment can be had, provided those who
would invest it on some guarantee of
| fair treatment, but to pursue the pol
icy of bleeding corporations must pre-
vent capital, which at best is timid,
| from investment where the public
prejudice seems to Ee against it.
Let us encourage railroads just as
we would individual investments, and
| look 10 our TdllTOdu COilliDloSIOu w
see that the people are not imposed
upon, for which purpose this commits
sion was created, and is paid out of
the public funds, but let us not en-
courage the seeking of opportunities
to trouble and legally worry the rail-
roads and cause them TO regard us as
their enemies, and to cease to improve
| facilities for State development. We
are aware that this is not a popular
side to take just at this time, but IL
is right, and all people should strive
to be just, and to pursue the best
course to develop the values OF the
State in general, which means the
increase of the values Of the individ
ual units making up the whole.
Let us treat the railroads fairly and
demand only fair treatment from
them, and then the roads and people
may work in harmony to the fullest
developments Of lie commercial val
ues of our great state, which as yet
have scarcely been opened up, much
less develoned jackson News