The Grit-advocate., 1904-03-25
Facts About The X. X. Division.

division points at Sterling can not be
given for the reason that the officials
are loath to give ont any information,
but 1t can be said to be an assured fact
that we will have one If not both by
July l, and perhaps before that time. "
Perhaps the reason the railroad Of
ilcials are lOath to give out informa-
ton is that they dislike to eternally
blast the hopes Sterling people have
so long cherished that their town
would some day become division.
Had you thought of the matter in that
light, Brother Price?
The officials in question are no doubt
meu Of kind dispositions, and they
hesitate to say anything that would
Cause the people of Sterling unneces
sary grief. They seem rather more in
cined to allow them to nurse their
hallucination in regard to a division
until the fertile imaginations Of the
local editors can furnish them with
something else to cheer up their sink
ing spirits. In other words. the railroad
officials are attempting to break the
news gently TO the people Of Sterling
that they need never hope to see that
tOwna division terminal.
AS an evidence of this effort upon
the part of the railroad officials to let
the people Of Sterling down easy We
note that they have postponed the
change until July /. The next post
ponement Will probably be to an indcf-
mite date; then will the editor OF the
Democrat realize that his dreams have
been Of the ''pipe" variety, and that
they have ended as such dreams are
prone to end.
We have never entertained the least
suspicion that the Union Pacific COM
pany would make Sterling division
terminal. We have always believed
that it would not be done, and we are
more thoroughly convinced now than
ever before that We are right. Me-
chaniCs are now at work upon the
roundhouse at this place, putting on Il
new roof, painting and otherwise i'm
proving the structure; these repairs
will cost several hundred dollars and
OF course they would not be made if
the company intended TO dismantle
the roUndhouse and move it to Sterl-
ing July l>t, or at any other time in
the near future.
We understand that the B. 4 NJ.
company is enlarging and otherwise
improving its terminal facilities at
Holyoke, and it is not likely that any
plan is being considered to remove the
division from that town to Sterling.
In view Of these fact,-facts which
can lead to but one conclusion, and Il
conclusion that contains but little con-
ISOLATION for Sterling people-we would
suggest that the editor OF the Demo-
crat, likewise the editor of the Advo-
cate, dis.buse his mind of the division
proposition and devote his attention
to something not quite so visionary as
is that Of railroad division.
Merger Decision has Good Effect.
Republican statesmen are generally
agreed that the practical, as well as
the political effect Of the decision of
the supreme court, made public on the
l4th instant in the case of the govern
ment against the Northern securities
company, will be good. Stocks have
been but little disturbed by it: and the
managers and owners of the railroads
tnvolved in the controversy announce
that they intcnd to faithfully obey the
law rs it stands. The decision is a
blow only against unreasonable re-
straint OF trade" as a result of smoth-
ering free competitions: and it is an
application OF the much talked of
government by injunction" to Il
trust as well as against labor urganiza-
lions, and as such should render or
ganized labor less sensitive In lay
ing down the rule that law is supreme;
that it must be enforced; that the peo-
pie must be protected; aud that a state
may not create corporation which
can disregard il constitutional act of
congress, the court has cleared the at
mosphere OF much uncertainty ard
dou bt, ending formidable contro-
versy which threatened the peace of
soc iety. This, having been accom-
plished undera republican president,
in effect deprivcs the democrats Of
much stock la trade for the campaign.
With this decision to its credit. with
many other things for the welfare ac-
complished, the republican party goes
before the people with renewed conf.
deuce.