The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1905-02-20
TO THB POINT.
Chas. Is. Kennedy Discusses the
Railroad Situation In Plain
Language
Language

the people aud conditions existing in
other cities similarly situated to ours,
q most peculiar condition presents
itself when a contrast is made between
this sentiment ana that expressed by a
certain element among our own people
Every other city and town, large or
small, and even farming communities
are practically unanimous in their
efforts to secure every new enterprise
in sight, and particularly a new rail
road, and offer every reasonable induce
ment to secure them. Is it possible
that the sentiment in these other cities
towns and farming communities is all
wrong, and that increased railroad fa-
cilities and competition and new enter
prises will wmk an injury to them, as
is claimed by some of our people, i
| it reasonable to contend that Aberdeen,
Watertown, Mitchell, Sioux Falls,
Sioux City, Omaha, and many other
cities have made and are still making
great mistakes i'm their untirin2 efforts
to secure additional railroads and new
eLterprises2 Must we present to the
public gaze the few people in cur com
munity who oppose new railroads and
new enterprises as people possessed of
greater wisdom and intelligence than
the people of these other cities2 We
must either do this or admit that the
people of these other cities are alive to
their best interests and can see that
railroad competition and increased rail
road facilities will greatly improve the
condition Of their respective cities, and
that they have sufficient enterprise to
go after everything in sight, and secure
it regardless of tie expense, which in
most cases is insignificant Compared
with the benefits received.
\ new and competing line of railroad
is reaching cut in our direction, and
will come here if we will furnish right
of way, a very insignificant item com
pared with the benefits to be derived
from such a line. Shall we invite it to
come here, or shall we continue our
lethargic condition until we are awak
ened by the whistle Of its engines pass
ing few miles to one side of us, on
right-of way already offered 10y others
This matter is mp to us. This rail-
road is going to pass through this coun-
| ty. Do we want it heref II so we
mast act now-not next year.
The objection to a new railroad, rails
ed by some of our merchants, that new
towns would spring up on either side Of
us, thus cutting off some of their trade,
does not enter into the consideration.
This new line Of railroad is going to
pass through this county anyway, not
to exceed seven or eight miles from us,
and the new towns will be built up
along the line, and there will be one
more if it don t come here than there
will be ii it does, and that extra town
will have the advantage of competition
which We will not, and will be in
position to successfully invade our terri
tory; hence the question for us to de-
eide is whether we will secure the ben
efts of railroad competition and addi-
tional facilities, or give these advan
tage to a competitor, as we will have
the small towns in any event.
For one / am not opposed to the
small towns, and believe they are of
greater benefit to the city than the in
jury from the little trade they cut off.
They are cretainly of great benefit to
the farmer whose interests are Of para
mount importance in this county, and
whose interests should be our interests.
The railroad which we now have is
one of the best in the country when
forced to be by competition, but like all
othel monopolies, will drain the people
to the extreme of liberation by excess
i've charges, and give little or no heed
to the demands and necessities of its
patrons so long as no competition ex
lists, Nothing illustrates its utter dis
regard of its patrons better than its re-
fusal to furnish adequate depot and
platform accommodations in this city,
which accommodations have been most
sadly deficient for more than fifteen
years, and an absolute disgrace to the
city. A competing line OF railroad here
would very quickly awaken onr present
railroad to the necessities OF furnishing
the dear people with first class depot,
AMI platform sufficiently large so that
the people would not have to stand
more than two deep. and we would not
be obliged to humiiiate ourselves by
p8titioning the powers that be TO fur
nish us with respectable place to do
our million dollars worth of business
which we are forced from lack of
to do with this road an
nually. The agitation of the matter of
new line of road fer Madison may ac-
complish the object sought in the peti-
tion recently sent in, but nothing short
of the fear OF the effect on them Of
refusal Will do it.
Now / am aware that this is plain
talk, and may be condemned by some
as such, but we as city have arrived
at point where plain talk must be in
dulged in, where we must call things
by their right names, where we must
either take a stand for advancement or
retrooression. for new railroads and
new enterprises, or stagnation and de-
cav in fact we have arrived at the