The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1908-01-09

ue company outtde tue toAn
and shapes Il. and fixes its con
according to theIr own
discretion. They are therefore
justly presumed 10 he familiar
with every defect in their road
tlas H. in any degree Whatever
gasusisten, with the absolute
safety of the travelling publie,
and, in every case Of Injurious
casualty they should De- held &c
counta9le as for criminal negli
gcnce
The moral character Of an
event, whether il is 70 Dc claSsed
as an excasahle accident, or
merely as a piece Of negligent
practice, " to be determined
largely bg The number OF times
itoeeurs within a given space 81
time Il il has come 10 pass but
once n o lifetime, there Is likely
10 be ground for regarding il a.
an excusable accident, bat of
repeated, Il parts With ina stature
Of mere accident, ans tassa on
the nature Of a design, or crimi-
nal negligence.
The franchise conferred upon
these corporations hy the gov
ernment. Is a trust reposedl 10
them on the assumption that
they are competent, ana willing
% carry on the business con
templated 10 their charter With
perfect safety 70 The public
When a railroad company makes
itself famoas gor the number of
madeuas wrecks that oeeur an
uuaily upon is track, is Iueom
comes 20 be- d mere con
clusion O eommo0 sense, ID has
proven false Is Tie trust rcposed
ID ID, and has, q Justice clearly
forfeited rs franchise and even
ils right % EXIST There can be
no valid reason Ter according lto
4 corporation as q trustee any
greater lmmunities Ia reference
20 the execution ossts trust, than
what would be equally proper
for a private Individual charged
with a like function
Suppose q natural person any.
body bat soulless corporation
should throw 4 bridge seross 4 deep
roaring riyer. hitehed up a long
tram Of capacious vehicles and. by
means Of glowing Advertisements,
induced q hundred. OF two, unsos-
peetine people 70 get aboard for
ample Pay and this done, suppose
be draws The whole outfit out
ento bis bridge as far ~ 10 the mid.
wnv uoint. and then without any
legal appo.agy Whatever. be hnFla
the whole tram. engine and ell, od
and down into the nver. 8 shrek.
Ing ruin what, think you. would be.
come Of this mans business a.
iransportationiss9 What would
be the effect of such 3 transaction
upon the moral sense Of The com.
mnniiy 81 laFgs2 Nay what would
become q the man himself as ;
guilty subject OF resributive?
And upon vhat principle has ;
corporation. that has made
lseli guilty Of similar offence. >
iehl 10 expect s more lenieut treat.
nenl.
Il sould only Be something
n accord wish The advanced ideas
4 The Christian Age in which We
IRE living. we're the Legislature %
Inael law ordAining that every rail.
Dad company that shall kill Oh is
Dad a human being who has paid
Ne fare. shall surrender lta charter
md turn is corporate property over
nto the hands Of conllseation TO be
Ised A. a pensio n-fund foF the ben.
Iilt of the multstudes il has injured.
Il u al true enough, that such
provision might act somewhat ike
! small anvil chained 10 The hind
0ot 0l cur great elephant of Mod.
s,sn Progress OF Ike the loss Of q
leN feathers ont OF the wings Of our
lrsat eagle Of Modern Speculation:
asxast hnlana Il a. r.Katfm nas4ate khas III