The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-12-22
Confessions Of Legislative Junk
eteef.

The following from the Brattie
Joro Reformer Is quite pat:--
Montpelier. Dec, IA
First Of all | want to correct tn
general impression that railroad OF
llcials of exalted positions are un
Ipproaehable personages OF surI
disposition. Nothing Is farthe-
rom the truth | ADMIT | used I.
.hlnk SO myself, baslng my opinion
10 doubt on previous experience
out hereby acknowledge my error
they are mighty good fellows, al
Jf them, from the general manage
iown, and all of this talk abou'
heir public-be- e-damned policy is bun
.ombe pure and simple. Since erte
ing politics ! have reached the con-
slasion that the common people are
much too ready to jump on the rail
Dads without provocation. There
nothing that will broaden mai
Ike legislative experience.
As | have already said | used to
share the popular grudge agains'
verything that sayored OF railroad
domination. Every time | saw AL
jfficial train dash by our statioi.
Il home and caught glimpse OF
he luxury that 1t contained my dan
Ter would come up, particularly Ii
/ happened to be waiting for the To-
al tnat was side-tracked to make
oom for the special. A sense OF
Jppf eRsion would come over me a,
he thought Of those well-fed ant
Sell-dressed individuals who wert
lever Obliged to produce mileag
look and who didn't seem to care
.uss how poor our freight service
vas.
Now | know that those feelings
we're the result of ignorance, ! sim
ply didn't understand When | wa
hade a member Of the railroad com
nittee OF the house | said TO myself
Here is my opportunity to brinl
he railroads to time" | was fill
I'd with high ideas about the bene-
Its that results from competition
md had all manner of theories
about lower rates and better ser
ice. In short. thought the rail
Dads stood in as great need Of pun
shment as any corporation ! knew
,bout | was In that frame OF mint
when | started out yesterd day morn
ng as one OF personally conduct
ID party OF legislators TO look oyei
he site OF proposed railroad de-
'elopment for which charter wai
equestod.
Our trip was made at the invita-
ion OF one of the railroads involved
n the dispute. the particular one
n fact against which my ire was di.
'cted. and ] expected the trip tc
,e a tedious one. Imagine my sur
rise, therefore, when ] learned
hat we were to travel in special
ars. | had always wanted 10 SET
he inside Of special. boarded |
he train with some dlffidence. bui
vas soon put at ease by beneyo- |
ent appearing gentleman with flow
ng gray hair who found out later |
'as the yice-preEident himself. |
'hink Of IT, The yice-president,
nd he called me by name. | confess !
began to think that my efforts III
he Legislature had amounted &c
omething after all "Mr. @,
Q said, with smile, I'm mighty
lad you decided to take this trip
nth us today. Now 81 there 3 any
hing you want that you don't see,
lst ring that bell and give your or
err | didn't happen TO be thirst.
lst then but did feel the need OF
Pippin. and SO told the coon thal
nsgered my call that could
sc cigar N there was smoking
ar attached. There weren't any
ipplns In stock, 1t seemed, but
TO connect with a Romeo
Juiiet, which was almost as good
Though a little Simmer. a nd
Jund | could smoke where | sat,
That was only the beginning OF
cries OF surprises. | learned 10
ly astonishment that | was known
OF only by the yiee-president but
y the general manager and a mum
or OF other officials. not 10 mem
on several prominent attorneys.
hem ] had seen about the capitol
very one OF them seemed anxious
, make me comfortable, and cigars
ere offered me 80 fast that near
: smoked myself sick About noon
e were notified that dinner was
sady, and We all went forward,
ak about spreads Why, that din
* car had the Montpelier House
eaten 10 frazale. and the fact
lat we were running through mo-
cense territory dient spoil the
eal. either. We weren't hall
rough diBMer when We reached
az dosiimgtlon, but the railroad
en told ns not 10 hurry. and We
dnt
Finally. when We bad pEriaken OF
fefything 30 sight. we left the
ain and made a trip over the ter
tory through ~hleh the opposing
Illrcsd wants 10 build 4 line. II
as colder than the ducs walking