Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 11, 1873, Page 2

2 T CNTUAGU DAIGY TRIBUNET TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1873, From thom lot us 800 whoro corrnption comos fn. Tho Bubjcat Ja sich in aloglony lot ua iako a fow of thoro which mont mnflll{ puggost thomsolyes, At Wnahington thorola thio whola postal sysiom ot tho ono sidgy and tho Union Paclfio Railivay on tho othor, - 1 will not waato time hy more than auggesting the' comparison, ‘I'ho Govornmont owned aud man- aged tho ong, and dld not own, but supervised {lio othor 3 whioh has boon tho prolifio sourco of corruption. But lot us come nonrer homo. Not o yoar poodos horo in Massachusobis that the Teglrintiro doos not authotlzosomo city or town 10 snpply itaolf with wator. Why should ourmp- nicipnlitles go into tho swator buslness any moro than into tho brend husinons? Cannot aqueduot companies bo organizod ns rondily as gns companios? ‘Thore Is your nnalogy, now work out the rosnlt, Our communitios supply. thomsolvos with water, privato companies nnlp-, ply thom with gas. mho ono s owned by tho uiblic, the. othor is supervised by tho Loglsla- rm-u. Aro your water honrds nlways in tho lob- be? Aro thoy roprosntod in the halls ot legle- tion? 1 haye never known tho time whon they woro, and I have nover known tho timo whou tho gas companios woro not. Lot g ik snothor onno, oro 18 our eduoational systom. Why should the Govornmont onter into the school bustness 7 Is it not to many a proforsion, anda sourco of profit 7 Why not leavo it to compoti- tlon snd tho law of supply and domand 8 this violation of our fundamental principlo as to sovernmontal intorforonce with businoss undor- ukings proved o fruitful sourco of politieal cor- mpunuy 1-am not awaro that oithor your committos rooms or tho lobby is thronged by your. school-teachers or thoir attorneys. Why fare thoy not hore? It s simply bocauso you biavo not sought to divide tho ownership of the systom from tho control of the syatem. Bupposo you troated your sohools as you freat our rolleonds. Bupposo’ that you went out of zhu schoo] business yoursolves, and procooded . topeddle outchartors to others who went into tho business to make monoy. Then supposo you went to” supervise and to regulato—proyidin - that ovory one’ should Le oducated, and’tha! workingmen'a childron ehould bo educated nt loss than cost; that such audsuch thinga should bo taught, and that so much shonld bo charged for tuition, and 8o _on through all your prace- donts for ratlrond legislation, How long would 1t Lo bofore your school-tonohiors would have a up hora which would give tho Comthitteo to_do_as this Committoo which it suporvisen, lobb; on fl!ucnan na muoh basnow ? TFortunately, the Btato Lirs long sinco- onterodintogortaln of thojfew of €hio oxcoptional linos of Lnsinoss which ‘aro practical suvnop- olies, and tho Larmless, innaoont, guiloless sys-—. tem of swpervision ond rogulation has boon chiefly confined to railroads and gas companies. WIY TIE STATE BUOULD TAKE TIE TUNNED LINE, And now, gontlomen, if I hayo succoedod in ontablishing my soveral positions as I have ad- vanced, I may a8 woll state a fow roasons why it weonld ba erajaontly oxpodiont from 6 practical oint of viow for tho Comnonwenith at this time 0 ggsumo the wholo of the tunnol line. In the first place, the proper and_immodiato. dovolop~ 1nent of this entorpriso will nocossitato a hen exponditure of money, 'There Is nodollar whicl oconld bo put into that lino during _tho noxt ten years with nny dogroo of judgmont, which will wot oarn its 12 per cent por annum, Anyamount of honds of a Btate road, with the gul\mnlan of tho commonywoalth upon them, snd bearlng nn Intorest’of § per cont, could bo sold at par. Monoy could in_this- way bo procured at the luwnu{nto,‘ and without tho intorvontion of a Credit Mobiller. Tho indorsoment of tho Com- monvwoslth 1a good in monoy markets whoro privato corporations aro unknown, I€ you wish ‘through tlio outlsy of capital at nlow intarest {0 rapidly dovn]of the iraflo of this unformed enterprigo, in this way you cau do it boat. TATLROAD EXPERINENTS, Bat thors is anothor and vory important con- slderation in favor of this stop. Tho Logislature ear by yoar has ponding boforo it or boforo you Ji¥'h baa mot any this yoss, it 16 the flsst Hitae 1 havé ever known them to bo wanting), divers propositions looking to the trial of exporiments in trmfiaroml{on. Last yoar you passed a law compolling tho running of chioap early and late trains in and out of Boston; and I woll romom- bor that measurca wero introduced lookiug to tho vory clieap transportation of conl. Thoso experimonts are alweya opposed by tho railroad corporations, who moot thom with arguments not oasy to diaregard, ‘Choy insist that tho Loglalature has no right to hazard their prop. eorly by making them try oxperiments for tho public good, in which thoy do not believe, but of which thoy must boar tho cost, Thore is reason in this objection. If you turn yourraile roads over to privato corporations to mako monoy ont of them, it seoma to me thoy havea right to any, * Wo cannot carry goods or pore sons at o logs, and you have no more right to compel us to do 8o than you have to compol tho cotton factorios to turn ouc certain doscriptions of olotl at a fraction of & cent por yard.," Yot - Abut i oxactly what you did as rogards tho carly sud late trains by tho law of last wintor, You compelled tho railroads to transport persons in - certain tralus at a dend loes. 'fiwmlnro, 1 say, if tho Legialatura wiahna to piirsuc those oxpuri~ menta (and thero i4 no man in Aassachusotta who wishes to see thom pursued more than I do, I have beon proaching thom foryears) thoy eould best and most succosstully puraue them at their own coat. If ever tho Btato owns a portion of Ita railroad lins, then, aud nob till then, can those most intercsting experiments bo syateraati~ - oally end fairly triod.” You may thero test tho advantage of chieap passenger traing and of cheap coal traing, and tho peoplo. will pay tho bills, Now tho Logislature apportions the benefit to tho people, and tho bills to tho atockholder. TERMINAL PACILITIES, But it is said by cortain of the many counsel Lere prosont, *1¢ ly-‘tm_ make this congolidation of tho Boaton & Lowell with tho Titchburg Rond, what enormons terminal facilitics for tho Row lino will be secured in Buston, No sach facilities can be socured in any other way. Horo thoy are, rondy to your hand,—passongor depots, freight dopots, elovators, wharves in deep water, —evarything indeod that is roquisite.” I agroo pir, that theso acilitiea aro very admirable. Ab tho same timo I insist that thero is ono way of Fumng oyon bettor termiual facilitics than theso, T'hora is ono power which ecn supply this lino with grounds more amply than those of the Yitchburg and the Boston & Lowell corpora- tious combined, and that is tho Commontwoalth of Masgachusotls. Lot us seo. 'Tho Btato Prison is to bo moved away from Charlos- town;~—thero thon is tho Stato Prison ostato. I do mot Jmow why that could not bo oasily and proftably applied to railroad purposes, ~ But tho Commonwealth of Massn~ chusotts ia no ordinary uprlvnm corporation, It can even doal with the Unitod States on torms of uquulilg. Why may it not thou go to Washing- ton and say to the National Government, “ Wo want {ho Navy-Yard for our Btate railroad?" Would bor Seuators and Represontatives havo grent ditlieulty In securing it? The nocossary mensure, I fanoy, could goon he put upon ity pagsage. THE CONNEQTIONS OF A BTATE ROAD, But it is{smd that & commonwenlth cannot Liold or operato roads boyond tho limits of tho Btale; that 1t is necessary tho tunnol lino should Btrotch out to Ontario, to Detroit, and to Chica- -S!),— yos, to Montana and to Puget Sound | And s can only bo done through the agoncy of privata corporations. ‘Theso visions, gontlomen, grrtako, porkiape, o ittlo ot the nehure of day! vonms, but yet, in nll sobrioty, I would insist that the Commonwealtl is in quito as good & {maniuu 88 any privato corporation to doal with lig cless of quentions, shonover they ehall pro- wont thomeolves. Not that I care to preoipitato them to an unadvisod solution. Aftor the bitter experienco we bad twvo yoars ugo, I wuuld sever appear here to forward, by word or decd of mino, tho grant of one dollar of the public money to ho expended in aid of any private railroad onter- prito boyond the limity of tho Stato ; and onl; on the must extrema cnmqlllflhm would I ad- yocato it within the Htato. 'Iho Hartford & Erio Lusiueys and tho Pacliic Union experionce, if they proved anything, proved how dangerous and how unedvisnblo are all theso alllances botwoon tho State and private companios, I ia beat—far tho Dbent—for the Btato to hold itsolf wholly aloof ; but if it must interveno it should, wo insist, do so as o sovoreign aud niot as o partner; leb it take nono if it can bo avoided, but it it musi tako any lot it tako all. Dut boyond tho limits of tho Biato Aussachusetts cortainly wonld nover plungo into nuyworl of railroad con~ struction which not would return uponita costits 10 por cont por aonum. Private capital is al- ‘waya ready to construct whatover promigos a ro- turn of 10 por cent. DBut if privato capital will build, cannot the Stato authorlzo Trustees to lcase and operato ? Why should the Btato not do for itsolf in Massachusotts what o privato corporation lins long dono for & railrond compa- nymm_Pouusylvanin ? Tho Ponnsylvania Ruil- rond Compauy doos not own or oporate o mile of rond beyond the limits of tho Siate which char- toved it. But thero in a whool within nsyheol ; thero is o Pennsylvania oom{uny which lonson, nnd holds, and oporates railronds all oyer tho Wont in trust for tho Pounmylvanin Nailrond Cnmlmn‘i’. Why should not Massnohusotts, if it %o found nocensiary, do that which hag elsowhora uoon found expodiont, aad empowor its Board of ‘rukteed to lonso and oporate roads conneclod ‘vllllhll)l Btate road, and to hold thom to the use of tho pasplo uf the Gommonyyealth ? RUIN TO OTHER ROADH, Bt wo aro mat with o now objaction to the exporimont, Afler inulsting upon it that the filuto cennot possibly onorato s rallrond chonply, 0210 14 Lo coinpote “With privato corparatione, our anponants, and with equnl varncatnoas, fn- albb tust tho choap tranmpurtation whicl would " supported by publ rosult from Biato managoment would ruin the privato oorporations. othor words, thoy nr- gua that tho cost of trannportation muat bolkopt up thal rallronds may bo romunerative, 'I'io nr- Fuunnt i flll{;huy -ug;i'aullvu of o confnsion of doas o to whother rallroadi woro mada to eatry perdona and proporty, or whothor porsons and property are kopt i’ motion in ordot to mupport rallronda, It might aleo bo uned to racall cor- taln intorostlng .reminisconces of forty yonrs sinco, when railronds wora thomsolven denonnooed on account of tho injury thoy involved to pnch vestod intoroats as birnpllos aud atngo conchos, Lot thono pass, howovor, and meot tho argumont on its merits, ~Wo havo authorizod privato eapl- tal to build ougrailroads in ordor to snake money out of thom, and now wo proposo to compotd with thom, porliapa to reduoo thoir profita, Yesl We do Fmpoua to do_junt this ; wo waut to stop trying to roduco profits by law and to try honco- forih to do 1t through honest compotition, Lot ua 800, in tho first placo, how what ye proposo would naturally bo oxpnoled tooporato, and thon wo will seo hiow it notually bas operated olsowhere, d remembor, gontlemon, wo Ylmpono Just 80 much publio ownorehip an shall onablo tho Btato, through tho managemont of n part, to rogulnto tho wholo, without rocourso to its log- Isladive power; to this oxtent our oxporiment oos and no furthor. But how praotically would o managoment of o Il"‘“ sorve to rogulato tho wholo 7—for this in purely n quostion, If oxporienco showed that the rond awnod by the Btato was oporated at & greator ox- ongo than private roads, and monoy was lost on t and taxos Incurrod through it, is it not natu- nl that tho peoplo of othor saotlons of tho Stato would very decidedly declino to bo taxed to malke 00d o loss on & road which did not bonofit liem? They would aay, “Private ronds .pay, and tho publio rond ought to pay, If it can't ho. mado to pnf then we aro not going to Lo taxed to support i a8 well na tho privato ronds ¢ it bas got thm #old.” Tho railrond corporations sro, a8 ovory ono knows, poor, wenk, poworlesa or- ganizations, yot, with s}l thoir woakness and all thoir impotenco, I should not fear to oxposo thom to such a competition aa this; they would, 1 fanoy, moke vory sliort worl of it.” On tho other hand, it tho HBtato road should En.y, tho ooplo of _othor soctions would bo ' apb TR, “Why ehould mot privato ronds pay _when operated on similar prinel~ lea?” If, thonm, the road lost monoy and ocamo n burdon on the whole Btate, tho poople would insist upon tho abandonment of the ox- Eoflmont; Just na they have dono oleowhero aud orotofdre, If tho road Tnld, tho private ronds would ho forcod to adopt its system. 'The pao- plo would spy to tho private corporations, ¢ You oo what tho Btato rond is dolug. It gives chonpor transportation and botter nccommoda~ tlons than you, and yot it pays Botl Interest and dividende; why cannot ‘you do the same? You hiavo always assorted that the Governmont -could not compoto with privato onterpriso. How do you ncecount for tho facts? This won'b do! You must adopb o systom ns liberal to us will .assumo your roads, too.” An vato cor{mntlona would speedlly oxsoriunca light. 1n the one case the pooplo would xofuse to bo taxed to mako good tho losaca of tho State cor- poration; in the other crae Lthoy would rofuee to Bay to keop up tho extortions of tho privata cor- porations. Eithor way tho phantom of ruin would vanieh into air. THF, EXPERIENCE OF NELOITM. But it will be said, “*''his fs all thoory—very [\runy, 10 doubt—but F\u-ufl.\uury, and liko most heories not woll ealeulated for rough uso.” Very fnud—no bo itl—but we wish our caso tohe armed on uvery eido, aud g0 wo will now aban- don thoory, and have recourso to precedent. Horo s a littlo volumo of about tho sizo of & Wobater's Dictionary, unabridged, which has re- cently boon publishod, by ordor of tho Englieh Parliament. 1 do not propose to roed it through to tha Committoo ;—I ‘havo rond it through my- solf, sud I would not vieit a similar intliction upon any othor man uxco}{lt a8 o ponishmont for orime., As is the caso with most legislativo doc- umonts, its dullness is intolorablo. Thia vol- umo contains o yory full report of the ovidenco submitted to a Joint Committoo of Parliament, to which wds referred » yenr ago tho wholo subjeot of the consolidation of rail- ‘ways in Qreat Britain. To procuro official and roliablo information the English Board of Trado sont tholr Assiatant Secrotary to tho continent to report on the railway systems of other coun- trles, That gontloman submilted tho very thorough results of his inquiries to tho Com- mitteo in & dooument included in that velumo, and atampod Lhrnufhoub with that_peculiarly unimpassioned, businesa-lite metliod of stato~ ment so"charactoristio of English oflicial roports, Ho confines himsolf to fncts, and lenves Infer- onces to othors. After giving n skotch of the history of tho Bolgian railroad system (a small Fon!on of which 18 reproduced in a popular form n the Railroad Commissioners’ report for this soasion) ho concludes with thia extract, which ronds a4 if it wore writton to hoar upon this dis- oussion : “tia clear that fn Blsinm compotition i most offoctually killed, s0d yot at tho samo timo that the dificult quosslons of spocial contrncis, througli rates, traflic arrangements, and running powors havo hoen solvod, whila tho servico is porformod nt rates which aro satisfactory, at all ovents, to the publie, “That this has boon the reault'of tho action of the Govornmont thore oan, I thiuk, bo little doubt, though circumstances, in some dogreo fortuifous, inye holpod to ot tho Govornmoat {n motion, “The Btato, Mflnins an indopendont company, Tias beon ablo to mnko bold oxporimonts, and by tho mero forco of its oxample to cocreo tho pri- vato lincs into following 1ita lead; ot tho spmo time thero ig at least room for doubt, whothor if it had not been for tho prossuro of competi- tion from linos running in and out of its own syatem, tho Btate would havo boon so active. ¢ Tho measuros of.tho Stato hava been moat vohemenily criticised on the part of the compu- nios, who have complmned that their frupurty was beiug unjuatly deprocinted by the lowerin of tariffa made without sufliciont causo au upon unsound principles, and which from their position they were in wholo or in part compoelled toadopt, * ™ * Tho State having_ this pow- or, having the Eublio purso to baok it, beiug b o opinion, and having & dom- {nant position from baing owner of tho baat, ar noarly all the bost lines, had no nced of any furthor power to control tho privato compauics whon once it bogan to act in carnest, nid honco the Stato, though always acting on a footing of equality in mattors of ratos, facilitics, or pur- chago, hina heon abla to lead or drive 'tho com- Pnnlos to adopt its principles without putting n forco parliamontary powers, or having ro- courso to anything but_tho moral influence of ita position, * % * Tor in spjto of tho hps- tility and criticism of its opponents, tho Stato Lina boon ablo to caryy through its monsuros, and has mnde o fair financinl Auccoss, inrsmuch a8 tho prosont year will probably show n not roturn of 6 por cont upon tho'inyvested capital,”* THE RESULY, That covers avery position I havo takon to-day. Covers thom, not ‘aa tho thoorics of o doctrin- aire, but as tho experionce of tho lifo of a rail- road system. And marlk tho rosult, I pray you! The questions which porplox and sgitato " thin }mnp}u aro sottled in Bolgium, scttlod on torms ‘satisfaclory to the public,” And this has been dono through competition aud without rocourso to that legislativo action which bas failed o ignominiously in this country and in Great Dritain, And has this policy rosulted in ruin ? Not to an alanning oxtont. Tho net return upon thoe invested capital of Stato ronda of Bolgium in 1872 iy stated ot 6 por cont, and that on our Mn!!anch\hannn vonda, dnring tho samo year, was 0 3-10 per cont. Dus in Bolgium monoy rlos at porhapa 4 -por cont por annum, and With us during tho laat yoar it has avorskod at lenst 8. Au intorost of 0 per cont in Belgiwin 18 somowhat tho sume ag o intorost of 12 por cont hore, Ttis not too much to eay that in 1873 tho Stato railronds of Bolgium returnod to thoso whe owned thom a roflt'of G0 por cont greator, in proportion to Lo cont of money, than did tho privato ronda of ‘Massachusstts, Lhis does not look like ruin fo the privata corporations, That tall hea etop- ped in Bolginm. < ! TIE, FPAILUIE OF OTIHER ROADY, But thore is ono-more argument_agninst Btato ownership ; an argumont which T soo by the [{npnm, was prossed upon your attention yostor- day afternoon by an ominent gontlemsn, with whom it glves mo satistaction to eny I hnvo lnd many ploasant relations,—Mr. James I, Joy, of Dotroit. Ho toldyon that this oxporiment of Stato “ownorahip and manngemont had boon triod and “failed ropultn«llly. Ifo ehonld, lowover, have goue ono atal} urthor, and stould also have shown you that xn-l\'nln ownership lind mnovor failod; that wo never heard of railrond maning aud panics, and that *57 was only a horrid dream. 1t In truo that tho oxporimonts at Slate ownor- ship attompied thirty yenrs ago, when no ono uow nnything about railroad cconomy, failed ; aud Hmf had companious in misfortune, for all tho railronds in tho country failed too, 'The simplo differonce was that the Btates could af- ford to {hrow thelr railronds over, aud did ; and the private partics couldn't afford to do wo, and had to earry them thmu;fih. Mr. Joy told you that the hlgyhlgnn Contral Railroad in the handa of the Btato lost mouu{ ‘but, whien a privato cor~ poration_took if, it pald large dividonds, Vory lkoly, The Stafo during & time of crlsis, ot tho obb of the tide, threw awsy its proporty, and thon tho {lood camo and u\\'nltn that road and overy othor on o for- *Roport cf Jolut Belect Commlites on Rallways b Amalgawation; appondix 1, 0. 794, ractical: au that of tho Btato rcad is to ite pou&le; or wo | d the pri tuno, Tt Ia notorlous that (horo i hardly s reflroad in Illinols—tho u(;rcnb raflronds|> Woat: i Slalo—whioh has not passed through!.bonk- ruptoy in private hands, It i not fair to thrn bk thirty yenrs (o n time . wlhon. oyorything. failod, and the wholo syatom, publio and.privetos broke down, and sny that then iho'Htato rail- vonds broko'down, Ko they'did; and tio Btsles Brako down, too. Mot of tho rendornof Syduoy Smith have henrd something -of Lenusylvanin bonds, Thoso who arguo in this ma«' shonld go on and prove o s Lhat, whilo -tho 'Gbyvornmont |'\5'ulnm voke down, tho privatoe system stood up. | Unfortunatoly it fultod to do it. i v QENLRAL CONGIDERATIONA. g J Tt loaviug thoso gonernl nrgnmonts, updn. which I.have folt countrained to dwell so lotify 1ot 1o now pross npon you cortain goneral gaii- aldorations In favor of tho Btato now trying this oxporimont. 'T'ho Commonwenlth slroady owns & largo portion of thin lino, Wo<do not want to. nlmnfion what has cont us millions of money. Noither do the cnr‘)omtlmm, B0 nbly and numor- ously ropresontod here, neem fully ablo to ngreo. an to_which of thom-sball rollove tho Btate of this hoavy burdon, Monnwhilo tho attempt ab the regulation of rallronds by ntatutd hind nob provod n Buccons, nor doos it moak tho approval of raflrond men—thoy like it no botter than Btato managoment.” Like othor aminent gentlo- men in our recont hfstory, thoy ** want to bo lot nlone,” Waoll, "if thoy cannob n&rua a3 to Lho disporition to bo made of tho rond tho Btato has built, . and cannot operate their own rond so as to maect tho popular’ ux{)uutnuon, in it not ronsonablo that tho poople should try at their own cost to sooif thoy cannot thomsclves do botter 7 A man_cau n{ loant do what ho liken with his own, and buy in opon mrrlet., Then if this oxporfonce fails, ono moro stumbling block will bo takon out of the discussion. It will Lo proved that tho oppononts of Btato ownorship woro right, aud that itn advocatos woro wrou{;. Tlio proporty can then bo disposed of to privato parties, and wo can addrens oursolves anow to Romo othor solution of this difilcult problom, Tor, gontlomen, rost assurod thst this “problom hos got to bo solved. Do what you will, aud sny what you will, roilronds aro not subjoct lo the freo actions of the Iawa of political oconomy,— and cannot bo abandoned to them. Your patch- work legislntion_alrondy hangs.in tatfors about tho limbs of this giant, nud with if you mny coyer him up, but you caunot bind. bim. Homo other remedy hias yot to o' dovised! ‘That this which wo now sdvocato is the final romody, is more theuwo. daro nssert, It has, howovor, proved nn offeotive romedy elsiwnasas.nnd younow try it nnd it fails, it is but ono moro Ppicco of rubblsh swopt out of your path. 5 And now, gontlomon, I have como to & point in thin disoussion at which I proposo to leave tho. ¥uth in which I have hithorto trod, For I bolieve hinvo said nothing to-day, at loant, I was uo in~ structod, and liavo tried to'say nothing, which I hinve not substantiated by our own exporienco or thnt of other countries, or olse by such & roturn to first principles and citation of suthiorition as wonld ontitlo it to, at lonst, n rospactful consid- oration. I mow proposc, howover, to indulge in a littlo thoorizing of my own. : THE ARGUMENT IEVIEWED, —* But bofore doing this, I must ask you to bear with mo, whilo I briefly roview the ground over which wo have advancod and tho conclusions I Liave sought to catablish. I think thoy aronot illogleal. In tho fimt placo, through nrgumont, ubiveranl and long-established usago, and gon- oral authority, I endoavored to show that tho- systom of transportation by rail was not subject to thoso fundamontal lawa upon which what is known as the scionco of politieal ecconomy in basod; that, indoed, it holds n position ag rogards tho community inno rospect. the eamo ng that of ordinary industrial pursuits. ostablishad, and tho railrond systom put npon the footing of o practical monopoly, it followed that somo machinery for its regulation through the ngoncy of Governmont must bo dovised. That by Aiatuto, or tho cxorciso of logisiativ powor, was tho most obvious, This wo have at~ tompted to show, both through enreful Listori- cal investigation and by nbatract argument, was at onco inoffective, and, in_its political aspoct, poculintly corrupting nud dsngorous, It I did 1ot wholly fail in this attompt, it followod thut gomo new mothod of regulation must be dovised. Looking abroad, that wo might tread in n benten path, I'thon hiad rocoureoto the oxperienco of foroign countrics. . Our aim was to. got back, if in any way we might, Lo tho firm ground of fub- damental prinoiple,—wo loolkad to sot our feabin tho tracki of our fathers, in whioh wo could noither. stumblo nor fail, If our Govornmont must regulate, must meddlo, how could it do so with the least dogron of danger to itself and to tho intorests involved? Undor tho happiost -szlcna wo renlized that dangors -onough gath- ercd about the path, The auswor was, through the artificial oatab- . Hishmont of that prineiplo of ‘compotition whicl in the matter of transportation by rail, did nof naturally oxist, This had clsowhero buon so- oured tlirough = mixed ownorsbip, undor watch publin railronds nnd privato railroads wore kopt in constant oppositi Dut this implied tho fact of Stnlo ownorship—a most dangerons po- Jeionl liuwntion. 16 howaror, sioh an {nnava; tion wag necessary, though it was to bo entered upon with doubt and reluctance, yot precodonts for it wore not wanting. They were found 1n onr poatal and cducational systoms, in our hos- pitals and our wator-supply. 1Ir, hmn, in thia casge, the Government must intorveno, could it not most safely and effcctively intorvene b going into tho railrond bueincss as it hnd al- randy gong into thoe postal, tho modical, tho cducational, and tho water businces? It re- mained to considor what was tho lesat dogreo into which it could outer it, and ot gocure tho, end it -had iu. view; for o it always romembored, Wwo Inaiat that Governmont wonld not bo justified in on- tering into any businoss simply to make monoy, but only to protect the publio’ against the von- trol of o monopoly, Conceding, therofore, for purposes of argument, the principle of mixed ownership, those opposed to us have s fair right to ask of us to dofino what wo_mean when wo thns speak of a ‘“least possible amount.” Thoy may woll say, “You Lave no right whila discussing such n’ subject ra this to sland up and talk of ‘least possiblo amounts.' Dofino yoursolves. Give us somo idon what iy implied in this unknown quantity,” THE FUTURE OF OUR TAITROADS. That I mny do this, gentlomen, it is necossary for mo to sl yon to form some defnito coneop- tion as to tho “probablo futuro of tho railroad systom of Massachusotts. You nre sitting hero to pass upon a question in regard to which your docision is dostined to Do productive of vo Bmat resulty for goud or evil tox;{m Commonwoalth, You have, therofors, no right to roport o measure without forecastinj thie futuro to tho boest of your ability. To lool for behind tho.vell is not given to mortal eves; but, to for as wo may, wo nre in duty bound to look boforo wo finnlly pass upon such n measure a8 this, Tor myself, knowing as I do tho princi- plas whick ara controlling the - development of ratironds, both in thiy country and in Burape,— o4 tho result of tho best study which with me; poor ability I can give to this subject, and whio! cortainly Los not lacked tho qulity of assiduity, T am propared to Aoo great changes in the immos dinte futuro. As respects the principlo of acon- solidation, I om ready to go vory far, Itisn no- cossity—n natural of growth, You may not like it; you willhave to reconciloyourselves to it, You may try to cheal it, aud by so doing forco it into unnatural shapes, but youcaunot stop it. Others, strongor thau you, havo thought to do so, nud thoir attompta have but resulled in failures ; as will be tho caso with yours should you vainly follow in thoir stops, Tho rallroad. systom witl row,—it must grow,—andits devolopment must aicn {la Possa o s Tupor GOUBOIIARLEd OWNOT- ship. Tho day of emaller corporations opornting forty or fifty miles of xond is past. Thoy cnnnot “control tho capital, thoy cannot command the buginess “p““flmumry to moot (Lo vast and incronsing roquiromonts of tho presont day. ‘Whether in somo respocts thoy are an avil or no, congolidated rallrond linos ava no loss inevitrblo than nocesaary, and the immediata question now boforo you involves In ity correot solution nome dofinito ileas as to what effect tho courso of consalidationistohaveontho railrond of this State BIX RAILROAD FAMILILS, T, myself, look forward with contidenco to tho timo a8 not remoto when some six corporations will, in fact, control the railrond system of Mas- nachusotts, Franco, with twonty-five tunes our torritorial aron, in already districtod out among an oqual numbor, Qur railronds, undor the prossure of nalural lnws, will thus gravitato into Tamilles of somowhat the following description : To tho North and Enst, the Boston & Maino and the Knstern, with tholr connections, will form ono tnml!fl. It thoy hiad formed it two yonrs ago it would havo prevented the wanton ‘throwing away and tho wicked wasto of milliona of money. Next to this and strotebing its arma out to On- tario, Unnads, and tho whola undevolopod North, will bo tho Boston & Lowoll—tho grent northorn consolidation for which your laws already pro- vido,—n fleld large onongh to flll the n\m{ition of any common man, ‘Lhon shounld come the Titohburg Railrond and its connections, binding the Btuto by ita all-rall route to tho gront lakes and tho Woat, end roaching into tho coal ficlds of Ponnsylvania, Further South will bo tho Toston & Allmrlt(y family, oporating n powerful lino already welf conojidated an \vul} undor- stood. Boyond that will como thio Boston, Proy- idonco & Now York family, to constitute’ whioh tho Boston & Providenca and the Doston, Ilnrt~ ford & Lirio linon must ultimatoly abuorb cach othor,—though tho timo i not yot. Aud this conneolion will tako to itaolf tho torritory of Houthweatern New England, and will atrotch movous tho Hudson, bo the <ol fielda ogsin, and Thig position on ovor)nj‘o Lrio and tho Donnsylvanis.to tha A dé] ally to.tho Bouthonst, - fow | thia mont firmly olub{ldntnd of nll, ocoupyltg | the romalniug agottohd-of tho Binto hynlmu‘adu ihlo tonuyo yhiol oannot ho shnkon, andito:the gront Uohoflof the pooplo thoraof,—in that direction wo flud tho family of-tho Old Colony. CONSOLIDATION NROERSANY AND DENETIOIAL, Unloss my foronlght wholly fails mo, I hn now roughly indicntod tho ganoral olitling 'of ouir cornad,” represonting *in_somo dogroe the Oom- monswonlth in. denling with.its railroadn, I wonld much rathor have to do, with thoso six families than ivlth an nwhward *dongorion of disconneoted qunrrullhgsfmnlionn- of a n{lntnm, nuch-ag_now oxiatg, - Take any ' ono - of thoso ronds and yon conld deal with it ih somo position of nql\ml ly. It could o hold to somo dograo of renxmn» bility, and upon any abusd conneoted with its manage- mont wo might hope -to concontrato’ and dlrect tho force. of public 6pinion, - A group of small corporations on the contrary fa slwaya frrenpon- olblo, and to argue with thom is like apundh\F ono's breath..in ‘n talk with - the north wind, ,They cnnnot undorstand you in tho firat plnco ; and inthe second, they could not do what you want i¢ they did. ‘They cannot af- ford to sooure tho seryloes of thoso able mon. who alone can grasp tho, nxgnmmcu and posai- ‘bilities o tho rallroad systom ¢ and they could . not carry out thoir’ plana if- thoy did. -If yon waont to ruh braing and monay into your ratlroad syatom, it you want corporations which you can hold to somo dogreo of ‘yosponsibilily, then you must lot developmont tako ite natural coutse, and you must not sock to koop tho man awathed in tho swaddling olothosa of tho babo, THE ETATE BIOULDOWN ONE - FAMILY OF ROADS, But if this ia to bo the form which tho railrond Byatom i8 to nssumo, if consolidation im thus in- evitably, roducing the small: number of gompe- ting polnts, why 6 not your syatom nt lasta naked, racognizod monopoly ? - 'The phantom of compotition linunts it no more. ' Thon you must rogulate or you must submit ; thers ia tho altor- native. Now if this is the ronult - to which the rallroad systormn. of . Bassnchusctts - is 'tonding, and . you'. would ‘mook’ to’ rn;;ululu throug] mixed oynorship and compotition ‘rathor than through logislatjen and.- moddling, what is the losat possiblo ownorship among sbx uoh famis lios as I hovo doscribed which'would - enablo'the . Btate, through tho mansgomont of. a patt to rogulate. tho whole ? Oloarly, wo'sny, it isto own ono of theeo family groups out of tho six ; and thon mere -common . Benso- points out the™ Titoyburg ond . tunnol Yomily " as. tho -one.- ‘Why, gontlomen, seo the positidn whick this ling oceupics, and the.controling power which tho osgesnion of it would pu into’ the hiands of tho tato. (Through the Choshire road it connocts” with Canads on tho. north, nbmpeungwnh tlio Northern lino, It runa parollel with tho Boston & Albany, aod whore “that: goes it “can go. Throigh “tho channols of the Dolaware & Hu son Causl Company, it. renchos into Pennaylva-~ nia, and competes with the Hartford & Erle, and with the yery. colliors which oomoe o us by sea. o trado of Connoctiout and. Now Yorlk City is tho only trado it cannot touch, and that is com- eted for hivmor. He who ‘lolda the tunnel ino, holda thoraforo tho key of the raiirond sys-: tom of Massnchusotts; ho holds tho Loy, but: tlioro is but one holder who would usojt, ~ ° ! Bo 'much for our oxternal traffio; but this doca not covor tho.caso of local trafiio. It is, ¢ howover, imponsible that tliero shonld bo two! dlfforont systems of local transportation’ fn anyi community, the ono boing right and the othor- wrong, A Buccessful innovation will soon force | ita way into goneral use, But to remove an! rbuso or- to explodo & falne thoory, you must’ folsity of tho thoory.’ Horo tho ralirond cor- porations have ug on tho 'hip. Weo may' talk, nri;uo,, and discuss; . we cannot- demonatrato. ‘With tho Btato oporating tho tunnel lino thero would not bo & form of 'transportation by rail | from without or within the Commonwealth, no matter” how' removed ‘from Immediats gontact ! with tho Btato rord, which .\would' nob foel in- shmtl{ {lio offact of any roform-in- monngoment established upon it. X have shown you'that in practico this was found to bo tho caso, through tho long oxporience of ‘Belglum, ‘and. it would havo to bo.tha caso hore.” I7, on the contrafy, - noreforms could be introduced succosstully on “tho Btato rond, thon'tha ¢ase of tho private cor~ porations would bo mado out. . What the paoplo could not nccomplish on their own road, -they could not sk or oxpect to seo nccomplished on tho ronds of othors. . | THE LIAUTH OF 'THE EXPERIMENT. * Hero, thon, i where wo would limit tha sxpar- iment of Stato ownership,* To go boyoud ‘S\Iu, and to talk of assuming all’ tho railroads in tho Btate, or ovon the groator part of them, would not only oxposo ouv political systom to. & groat and upneccssary danger, but it'would' destroy the very ogsonco of the exporfmont, the” main- spring of its success. Wo -roly on compotition 1o prosorvo us from red tape on the ono sido, aud corruption on tho other, and 8o we- do nof want to dostroy compotition b{'fltntu ownarship, but wo want to gob back to it through mizad ownershlp, * When' Wo stand ipes compotition mhfn] 41sa ~a3ta. ground undor our foot. , That solid ground, 8o far as Nnssachusotts is cou- comad, wo bollove cotild bo socured through tha publio ownorship and manngomont of tho ouo railroad lina which will owe {ts existence to tho Btato, and which strotchies ita sinows and feolers throughout tho railrond system of tho Stato. CONOLUSION, | In rospectful compliance with tho roquest of thio committoe, I iavo now submitted tho views of tho gontlomon unmgoaing tho Rallroad Com- mission on tho mattor before you. Wo consider thia no caso for dogmatism or angry discussion, ‘We are too well requaninted with tho magnitude snd many sidodnosy of this railrond problom to Emlann oo impliolt faith in any solution of it wo nva to propose. Moanwhile I have froely sub- mitted'to you, in this publio way, my colleagues’ and my own cootribution to this debate; and; having " donoe g0, X will -add that, in accordance with the invariable rulo of our Board, unloss ofll< cially called_upon by ‘you, wo shall in no way :i“k to furthor influence the courso of logisln- on. Extracts from tho ‘Argument of Ede t ward Atkinson. » BTATE OWNERBIIP, IN THE TAST, ‘Your romonstrants -protost against tho pro- posod extonsion of tho fungtions of tho Btate, upon the distinct ' ground that, oven if the thing is lawful to bo dono, the Btate corporation ia, in tho vmzlnnuuo of the caso, unflt to do tha work woll. ‘proof of this, it In only necessary ‘to rofor t0 thio railroad which hns boon built by tho 8tate, whethor Inwfully or not, as it may ap- poar in‘tho faturo, on this sido tho Hoosao Tupy nol. This picco of Stato railrond has been built under tho control and direction of Governors and . councils of ag high charactor and of as good ca- pacity 8 any we oun lmso to eloct in tho future ; yot it has beon desoribod by ono of tho most ne- tivo advocates of furthor State construction na being ‘8o crooked, 80 wrougly plnced, and #o brdly constructed that it soomed as if tho on- ginoor in charge had boen making o job for his successor to undo.” Burely a most significant glnco of ovidonco as to tho uttor unfitness of tho tate corporation to do railrond work, THE QUESTION OF TAXATION AND CORRUPTION. Tegarding the quostion againns one of taxa- tion, cach man lLag & right to consider tho taxes which ho has paid toward the construction of tho railrond abovo desoribed, and to the Hooano tuu- Tol itsolf, aud also tho taxos which lio must in- avitably pay if the Btato buys out, complotes and oquips’ tho so-caliod tunnol line; ne o many forcod subscri&:tiuuu to u railrond entorprise to which lio would not hinve contributed voluntari- 1y, and whiolininy hn o unoi‘t(vn injuvy to him or Lis business. Iiach man thus forcod by an un- just and |u1x‘:ml statuto of doubtful validity to ontar into a business not freely chosen by him may also. afllvm that the very mon who lave forced this subsorlption from lis ‘pooket, had thoy‘thomselyes boen voluntary subsoribord to o railroad for an'équal sum, would have scouted tho very ide of . putting the money into the ohargo of any Btato oxocutive or legislative body ovor chosen, to ba by thom expended in tho cou- struction of a railroad. Lot it alro bocongidered that natop to be taken colucident with the construction of tho railrond ituolf iu tho ostablishmont of works for the con- ptruction of not less than 160 Jocomotives and 2,000 cars, u!lofiud to bo needed at onca by tho promoters of the job, for dolng the work upon the lino ; aud tho unfltnoss of the Btate for auch o job must bo obylous. Your romonsatrauts may without argumont chiallonge a single advocate of this “ oxperimont " proposed to bo tried in part at thoir oxponse, to aflirmn that such work can ho doug choaply, offactively, or.even honostly, by tho Btato Oorporution ; and thoy may also chal- longe » donicl of their allogation that such an u:lpurlmnut might lead to tho mosat gross pohiti- cal malfoasance, which would sap the vary foun- dntion of publio integrity. Noreover, tho end would not be reachod whou the eara and engines woro comploted, Ivon at the present cost of tranaporiation ovor existing ~railroads,—now #aid to bo so oxorbitant,—produco hns o Into acoumulated in Boston fastor thon it can bo ro- moved, and unless the Stato,—~aftor it han or- genizod its line, obtainod its tarmiual facilitlos, and js prepared to do its work of chenp trans- portation,—shall then proceod to build elova- vators aud to orgenize commerce, who will do it? Taftto bo supposod that privale o) will bo eagerly invested in any branch of tran: {oruuonbwhm tho hoavy hiaud of the Btato Liaa 7 ust forolbly oxoluded it from ono branch of the uumx;aa for foar it might resp over 0 per cont pro TIIE PROSPECTS OF TIE TUNNEL ROUTE, But, gentlomon, are you aware of the fact that railrond.conmolldntions ;3 aud; Bofar na Iam cou-') demonstrate tho oxistenco of 'your abuse or tho| - “tho domnand. for groater railrond facilition from .tho Hudson Ttlvor will be o dogont us Lo nasurd oven Lho intopost on tho proposiad investniont? | Whohoo s tit bininou to cono ? An thirig tow arg, iterohandlea hinw of latn, nccunnflhtm{’ hoio - fanof Lhan it-conld ho rémoved. Tho Bostan, | »| Dastlord & Lrio Rallrond s about to ho cotn- ‘irlntdd, and mey add to tho nceumnlation, I inva nn improsnlon that_tho Btalo, oy carpora- Lon, i somo properly in (hat lino, and now it Abin .qm‘mund to add anothor, to he worled ni, an’ witilelnily low cont, in which, if you Bueseod], you will dolay-the Hmo whon tho ‘monay mnlc it the Martford & Iirlo enn bo regoverod. And whon the throo ronds, the Boston & Albany, and Harlford & Lirie; and Tnunel lhes, have thus bosn equippod and ara vondy to operato, what raay. b tio roals of ont. bjorationstt good harvests in Turopo should so reduco tho oxport domand for produco that not enough should ho .+ offered for all tho roada that will then be com- poting in the Biato and elsewhoro ? Lioar in mind that oyon your ons Doslon & Albany road brings into the Btalo aix thnos as many tons of morchendiso ns it ‘carries out, and ihat train nftor train of emgly carn musk even now ho moved out of tho State. X know itis horosyto donbt thntthoro In n {{rnntv flood of businass rondy to pour his tunnol, but, so long no it onds at tho Hud- won Rivor, T oot noo tho signa of it 1¢ the traflle s thero and promises wuch profit that tho Btato must intorveno aud keop down tho Frlcu of its transportation, why {s thoro not n ittlo nrmy of railrord capitaliats cagorly mecking to by tho tunnal and engorly bidding more than its gost? _Millions on miliions of capitnl havo gono “out of tho Btalo Into distent rallronds ; millions on millionn moro hnve givon tho Stata’ {trelt moro miles of railrond, in” proportion to ity aros and to its population, thon any other Blato yet enjoys—miore than France, * which han ono milo of railrond to twonty-six squatoe miles—more than Great Dritain (ono milo to eight squarc miles) ~—more - oven’ than England (ono. mile to six aquaro miles). Wo havo in_Massnolusctta one mile.to 4 7-10 square miles, - Yot not o singlo million evor wont into the 4uunol oxcopt tlint forzod from the pocketa of the peeple by duo procosa of tax laws. Tho rondon I8 plain. It in ovidont that no, railrond man who knowa hig business can lionosily sny that tho tunnel will, for. yoars to como, pay intorcsb oL its cost; .| henco, as I anid hofors, 1t must bo tax, tax, tax, to tho ond of thie chaptor. 'But, it is snld,wo are- in some twelve or fiftoon millions, and wo muat gu in’ twenty or thh!{‘moru to got that bacl, Woll, gontlomion, whon the tunnol waa flrat pra- posed,we woro to gat it for Lo or throo miilions, and ft has cost about flve fold. Wo ato mnow promisod the through line at an additional cost ot fitteon or twenty, but who can warrant us that four or five fold that sum may not bo called for boforo the ond? 5 . If thio normal or kafe rato of income upon cap-~ ital o consldered 7 por cont, tho présont pgare- ' gato of Btato, county, and,municipal taxation, locally assossed and collected by tho 'Cltg an 2 Town-Troasurers, amounting in'1872 to 842,538,~ 604.51, at tho averngerato of $14.58 in a thou- through 1 saud, absorbs 20.76 por cent of snch normal or-| snfé'incomo; the pleayuno” addition of $3,000,~ 000 for the support of tho Btato railrond would carry tho nverage of loeal tnxation to $15,82 in o thousand,-and would incrense the' proportion of &7 por cont incomo absorbed by taxation to 22.60 Eu:r oont, - In pisin lsuguazoe, then, this proposi- fon'to tax the Stato $2,000,000 for’ tho support of a Btato railrond ia equivalent to n proposition to imposo’an fncome tax of very mnonrly 2 pgr cont on overy city and ‘town in’ tho Common- woalth, COMPETITION OF THE WEST IN MANUFAOTTRES. * Aro wo to entor upon the closer compotition fn manufacturing, on which our Btato dopends ; (and by manufacturing” I do not mean mare tox- tiles, but nll our great varicty) are wo to main- tain and incressio our manufucturcs, if Wo nro forced intocompotition with Llinais, for inatanco, now freo from debt ; with Tows, now froo from dobt ;. with Indiana, slmost fro from dobt? Can ‘wo competo with theso States, Ieny, if bandi- oappod with n burden of- debt, the magnitudo of which no'man can tell 7—a dobt imposod on the retonso thug cheap bread for our own peoplo may 0 promoted by facilitating tho transportation through qur Stnto of great masaes of food, that only loayes tho cat to pus on bontd tho ship that will earry it away from us? I lave had mauy" years' oxporienco in manufucturing, and, of l\fv tho causes of ill auccoss, a honvy dobt has beon tho most potent ; and there is 1o difforent rulo for the State; thowe Wostorn States, undorlaid with coal and iron, furniched with power such as wo .hinve not, and rapidly filling up with a donso Eopulptlon, will put 'us upon our muscle if we o00p in our host oafato; but load us down with taxos imposed for- tho benefit of unprofitable railronds, nnd wo may well fear tho future, I am no cronker,—I fear not in tho lonst for Massnclusotts ; still loss for Boston,—now grow- ing ovon too fast for tho comfort und welfare of thoso who caunob pay high vonts, it artificinl burdons, imposod by unwiso legislation, do not anhanao tha difloultios of onr_pusition sud in- crengo our disndvantago of distanco from our markets. Espocially _have Do’ fonr for' our futuro, whon the trado of which - Boston 8 -iho- natural contro— tbnt of the British provinces—is allowod to como here. But I do foar, whon by one statute wo place & batrier oqual to 3,000 1niles whora tho ‘Almighty only put 800 to 500 milos of roal dis tanco, and with snother atatuto it is proposed to overcomo 2,000 milos of real distance by an arti- ficinl cheaponing of tho coat of transportation on 200 miles of railrond that constituto a part of it, tho rost of the way not being by-any poasi- Dbility under our control. s Your romonstrants have not failed to ‘take oognizance of the ovils arising from tho incroas- ing powor of railrond corporations, and thoy fully admit that sorio remedy must be found ; but they dony that it can bo found by creating & rallrond powor inside tho Htate corporntion,— o part of it,—yot inconsistont with its proper funotions ; and they respectfully urgo that tho ovil which will come from such n source will not differ from thaet oxercised by n private cor- poiation oxcopt in being more pornicious. We would point out thal while the alleged ovils have come from the influcnce oxerted by great con- solidatod lines over Btate Governmonts, tho bon- ofit now oxpected from the proposed consolida- tiofi under the Stato corporation hns aotually been renlized by railroad corporations as thoy now exint, to-wit, o grent reduction in tho cost of and in tho chinrgo mado for the worl of trans< portatlon upon railronds. In proof of this an- Bsortion it 18 to bp obsorved that, although thero has boen o groat advance in tho cost of all Lthat ontors into tiso construction, eiulpmont, and operation of railroads,—snid to ba G0 to 80 por cont,—since the pnusego of tho Logal Tondor ack in 1801, the gonerad charga for transportation to tho communily has not boon increased, ond on many lines_of railrond it lins been greatly diminished. There is no singlo laige elo- wont in tho cost of subsiatonce in Muay- sachusetts that has beon kept so noar the specis Y‘ricc of 1860 s tho prico of railway servico. ivou tho much-sbusod Boston & Albany Rail~ road carried morohandiso in 1872 at n- chavgo of 2,016 cents per tou por milo ngainat 2,034 conts per ton on the Westorn Itailrond in 18569, und the nverage chargo on grain from Chicago to Boston is now about 1,2 conta per ton por milo, . + Your romonstrants vbeorve frocquont roferonce to tho fact that corn is burned for fuel in somo distant parts of thoWeat; but it should bo borue in mind that tho setflors who find it chonper to burn corn worth onlf $3 to §6 per ton, rathor than to transport coal or wood, are chiofly thouo who live upon Jines of railrond, tho construction of which bas boon mainly inducod by largo . grauta uf Jand fruim (b "GOUGILT AUVOTRMONT ;° aud it might, Perlmpfl, bo hold that, had not tho Governmant thus causod n promatire aud nrtifl- clnl diffusion of population, such au apparent, i not resl, wasto ml};ht not have ocourred, Your remonstrants furthor urge the consideration that tho conutruction of railronds tondu to withdinw capital from othoy usoful enterprisos ; and that,’ whilo 1o impediment_ought to bo placed in (ho way of private onpitaliats who wish to construct tho Tunnel line, or any othor prospoctively prof- itable lino, yot, to foree gapital from the pockets -of tho peopla’ into n railrond lineof uncertain profit, by moans of taxation, mny seriously fm- pair the prosperity of or oripplo othor outer- Pprises of even greater utility, If the examples of Franco and Belgium aro cited 1 sapport of tho 2,000,000 or 30,000,000 oxperimont now propogad, wo respectfully nuk thut the differont charagtor of tho paoplo be gon- sidored, and the methogd of appointmont to plase and position jn those giuntries; aud, wo nlso allirm that if tho cost of Lranaportation—notably in Bolgium~be comparod with othor cloments of tho cost of Froducllon and subsistonco, and os- pacinlly with tho provailing rates of wapes thoro, t rany bo found to bo relativaly higher than the avorago rato of transportation in this country ns nnmflnrod with othor chnrges liere, but wo have not hind timo to vorify this point, of which wo aro slmost cortain. Ihia fuck is covtnin, that tho not proflt on railwny enpitpl, last year, in Bel- glum, was 10 por cont, whilo In DMassschusotiy it was losss than 7 por cont. THU QURSTION OKL TOR WORKINGNEN. I would by no menus bo considered as speal- ing in the intorest of cnpital. Every tyrein eoonomia olenuo knows thut capitnl will always protoat itsoll agninst (Lo hurdship of unwiso oglulation, thongh it may suffor much, eithor by oblaining an oxtrn profit in componsation for tho risic to which uniwise and unjust statutes ox- poso it—or if tho statutes bocomo tooonorous, it will leava that plnoo and flow whore it is noedod and cun got sura componeation for ity uve. On tho othor hand, thoe unjusb tax diffusos itnolf and falla ot in proportion to ability to bear, bub ins diroetly and most hoavily upon thona lenat ahin, i and who cannat encapo, nbsorbing thelr 1litlo; " ninrging whichmight bo thelv savings, thus koep- Inig. thom howern * of wood and drawers of wiitor; without liopo of rolief. i S R A PENN YAN SENSATION, Fha Defanlting Treauurer of Yaten County, No Yo Capturedes«Eloping with Blis Wardes'Sravels About the “AVoild, and minelly Arvrested Ban Erancise Zemn Tun, 2. L Qe ; Tor, four : succossivo texms Jamen XX, Burny hnd Loen-oltcted to' il tho pdsition of Tronutiror of thiy county, Iownsn man of soro than ovdinary loval influcuce, of excellont family, splondid attainmonts, and was held up as nmodol in oyery. partioular fu this community, o was tho hodd of rmullf' .consisting of a, wifo and throg sons.” Hin wito wan o lady from Nowark, N, J., wharo hor connections aro of the higheat, I'he Burnsees lived in n fino stylo hore, aud tho craeh Lhat proved thelr ruln’a yoar ago could lmrrl‘ly-lm renlizod by oven tho most confirmed oBBIpS. : . & A fow yents ago o nojghbor of Mr. Burnn, nomed Qooley, died,.and soon nftermard My, Cooloy followad her fiusband to the grave. Thoy woro in comfortablo circumstancos, and left yov. oral children, My, Burnn was appointed guar- dian of thoe minor Cooley childron and oxccutor of tho estate.” Cynthia Cooloy, 25 years of ago at the tima of her parents’ doath, was the onl | (Mareh l); Colrralflamlmflfl of the tho Blierift to know whon ho would bo going through Chiengo with hin father, and, lonrnin, tho timo, mot thom at {ho train. Tho Bhoril wan ngaln foreod to witness n most henrt-ronds fug Aceno at tha mooting of tha fathor and non. 1o loft them noveral hourn togothor, Inylug ovor for that rnqmnm An if thore wero a ningular nnd fatal atlrnction ntlondiug -the femalo mambaya-of--the-Coolo; fomily, oit {hio vory doy thal Lha Hlierilt Jusic through Blmim with tho unhappy Burns, brought Lo raiu by an wnfortunate infatuation, iy Cooloy, n younger nistor of Oyntlilis, was & party Lo tho, doalruction of tho happinoss of & amlly in that olty, Albort H, Huvoy,~an em- ploye of tho Elmira cer shop, deserted o wifo and threo ohildron, and eloped witlk Lucy to paris unknown, 'Whero hnd existed-n criminal | ntimaoy hotsseen Lo Lwo for some months, and Hovey lind tho bratality to introduo hor tnto-hin family, and kopt ber thore. Thi flually bacame w‘;};;::;ntblo 'flg L[lru,lllu\'uy, l’xmfl sho farced .tha 0 quit the hiouso, wheroupon Hovoy. o his pramour oloped, | i THE NEW DOMIRION... Oponing of Parlinment=-Spocoh 0F tho Y raovnmor-n moeat, TTAWA, March: 6, 1873, —Tlo nocond Parlin- mont of tllo Domiuion assomblod 659 o'clamt, 1oe qn.y., Aftor the unual coremoulen, tho Governor- Genernl dolivored tho following specchs Honorabla Gentlenton of tho & X2 norable Gantleven of tho Segate : Gantlemen of the In ndidressing for the firat time (ho Parliamont child who wad of ago. Bl wad A romnr]mbl{' bonufil’u!'ymmfi Iady, & blondo, and highly ac- complishod withal, “Mr. Burna was then about 40 fmu-u of ago, of fine bearing, and one ‘of tho handsomost mon in tho county. Botweon him and Miss Qooloy, who had bogomo o momber of an tmelo's family since hor paronts ‘dlod, thero sprang up an intimacy which ripenod info the wormest attnchment.” If Burns had been o oung, uumarried man, Le, could not have oon moro dovoted - in hin attentions to Miss Cooloy, This naturally gavo riso to much meandal, dostroyed the hinppinoss of the Burna family, ‘aud drove Misa Cooloy nuth‘cl( from no-' cloty. | Boon Burns romembered cortaln friends and relatives of his in tho Lnatern Btates, aud onrly ovory sumuor ho would loave Ponn Yan for tho p\u'Pono of vlnltlufi..thom . Simultane- onsly with his departure Mian Cooley would dig- appenr, and somo weelka would pnsa by boforo oither of them was soon again. Tho condnet of: Burns bogan to createii.ia among bis friends, oud ho was remonatratod with in vain, Hig Doudsmen becamo uneany, and -investigation in-' to:his aceounts.was being talked of, -when, carly in Mny last, ho went nway, saying that ho was going to Rilodo Island to too Lifs frionds, ns usu- al. \Whon lio dopnrted ho lots a senled lotter ' with his doputy, with inetructions thet if “ho tvas hot.. baok - by:the’ latter: part “of June it should be given to Judgo Briggs, ono of his bondsmen,- a8"it .containad information about matters ho wantod tho Judgo to attendto.- Two weoks ‘aftor -Burns wont liast, Cynthin Cooley lolt town, Tha last of Juue camo around, snd noither-of them hnd been hoard of. CGrave whispers wero hoard on evory side. _The lotter Burna hiad lott waa givento Judge Brigg, nnd thon it was for the first time rovealed. hia. tho | County Tressuror was o dofaulter to the amount of 812,000, The letter also utated that hohad left to return no more, and grauted n power of attornoy to Judgo ]}riggs to_sotllo his affalrs, and said that the writor hed. left on sccount of domostio unhnppinoss, - o Although it find baon genornily folt-that - im- onding ovil'awnited Burns, the naws of his de- nleation could scarcely bo bolioyed, but an ex- | awination into his bools proved that tho nescr- tion waa {ruo, Of tho nmount of deflcionoy over $18,000 waa duo to the Stale, - His' ngsdts were found to amount to only 818,000, leaving 824,000 ta ba mado gaod by hig bondemen, * % Bome offort wos made to gat track of Burns and hia fuir but frail comprnion, but* to R0 pur- poso. Photographs of tho pastles oo sout to diffefeat poinds, Iy hopo that thoy might bo do- tected theroby. - Nothing wnu licard of the fugi- tives until tho 8d ultimo, whon Sherift John L. Dinturft recoived tha following dispatch s . .. Bax FRaNcico, Fob, 3, 1673, Sheriff of Tates Cotinty: Burus, the defaulting Treasurer, is horo, Do you want hiin? If so, sond particulnrs, dato of orime, awmount of money stolen, . P.CrowLer, Chief of Polico, The Shoriff responded, and told the, auth ties to_hold Burna: 'On tho 4th of February othor dispntcl was recoived from .Crowley, sny- ing that Burps had gone crazy. Anothor dis- patoh’ stated that $6,000 in gold and Govorn- ment bouds had been found upon hi.a. _ On tho 12th of Tobruavy the Sherilt and tho Ilon, Guy Bhaw, onp of Burns' bondsmen, started for San Francinco, and, nrriving thero ou the 20th, took Burns in custody. .. The monting betwcon tho da- foulter nnd former . friend is said .to have been most affocting. ..1o.grasped the hand of Bhoriff Dinturff and wept Like a obild. - As soon as Lo could articulato a word, ho exclaimod, ** I'm wo gind you. have como!. I'm so glad you linve como1”.” Ho was then seized with convnluions, and it was #omo timo boforo he waa restorod to reason, .Durng is a mnn about 45 years'of ngo. Whon lie loft’ Penn Yai Lo wors & lieavy blaclk board, roaching elmoat. to his waist, nd his hair wasg vory black. When arresied, ho had chayed off his board and his hair was very gray. His apnearanco now la that of & man of 60. Tho nenner in which . bis. nirest was bronght about as ns follows ¢ The nows of hia defaleation and -flight had reached two rosidonts of San Franciuco, formor- 1y of Penn Yan, named Lawrenco and Leo, Tho Inttor ad been n schoolmate of Miss Cooloy's, and both know Burne woll. -~ Lawronco, in the Intter pert of Jaaunry lost, mot Burns in the ntrocts of Ban Francisco,-and recognized - him, dospite- tho _gront charge in bia appearanca, TFollowlng Lim, ho. found: that ho was stopping at tho Brooklyn Ilotel, _Booking Leo, Lawrenca told him of his discovory, and the two. procooded to tho hatol to' make cortain’ their ‘suspicions. Thoy .mot both Burns and Miks Cooley, K Lea called tho Inttor by hor namo, but ofié ine sisted that ho- was mistaken in Ner idontity, of Ganda, I deaita to oxprosn tho satistretion fael in rosortivg to yollrpmlvlco and nsuh;taun‘nl a8 woll ny my doop: denso of my good fortune § ‘y’g{:‘gml’;fl:“‘l}lil‘dh to nsnuoln’to i nmyuelf with our Inbora nnd aapirations \\'eIlfnm xof l‘his‘il}i)o‘m(;\lon. B foy ?he rajoice to think that my nssumption of offico should have takon place n{' o porlod whon the flrospccta of the country sppear so full of prom- 40, vilien ponco and amity provails amongat nll neighboring natious, and whon so many indica- - 'tgonu are afforded of tho succoss with which -Coundn hovself s consolidating her . political uuity nnd dovetoping Lier materinl renources, . Tu accordanco with tho.deciston of Purlinmont, and to earry inlo offact tho leglelstion of lagh session, I havo caused n chartor %u Lo grantod to & body of Canadlun _capitalists for the constrite~ tionof tho Paciflo Railway. - Thio Cormpnny now formed Lies givon nspurancen that this groab worle.will bo vigorously proscouted, and n.favor- able atato of tho monaoy matket in England af- fords ovory hope thut atiefuctory arrangements may bo mado for the required capital. ‘I'he pa- pora and correspondonce relating to this subjoct will balaid before you. % During tho past yoar tho survoys for the im= provement- and extengion of our systom of ca= nals, for . which nplpruprinflcun wore_made lnst sosston, linyo hoou in aclive proparation ; and % am filn to inform you that the plans and spect= fications for tho onlargement of tha Welland and tho coustruction of the Baio Vorto Cunals havo Voon comploted, and that the. works can now bo put under contract, Tho surveys for tho 8t. Lawrenco Canala will, I nm asgured, bo finished in timo to commenca tho worku at tho boginning of noxt yoar. Thia _will insure the complotion of all theso groat un~ dertakings ab the same period. & . It ia gratifying to Lmow that tho offorts mado to onconrage immigration have mot With o groat ‘monsura of succons, and that . the nimbers dcok- ing s home in Canada have boon . grontly.aug~ -mented during tho Inst -yoar, I do not doubt your reediness to malo amplo provision for tho wtoadily incrensing stroamn of- sottlera that may horoafier Do annually oxpected to add to tho opulation, wonlth, and strength of tho Do- minion. ‘Tho compilation of tho flrat consns of the Do« minfon approachos complation, and this would, therefore, neem & ftting timo to provide for the establishmont of a proper nystom for the accu- rate colloction and sciontifie arrangoment of -statistical information, I commend this pubject to your attontion. e - Tt is important that provision should be mado for- tho consolidation and amendmont -of tha lnwe now in force in (ho several Drovinces, re- Inting # tho voprosentntion of tho pooplo in Parlinment, A mensuro for this purpose, ond ona-for the trial of controvorted elections, will be submitled for your consideration. “Your'attontion Will bo invited to measures for -tho amendmont of the laws relating to pilots, to salvage, and to the Frinity - Houses of Moutrenl snd Québec, 08 woll ns for tho improvemont of fixm Iaws genorally, afccting our morchant ship= ng. y ngpariennn has shiown that tho duties now per- formed in the oflices of Secrotary of Stato ‘aud tho Secretaryof tho Provinces may bo rendjusted with advantigo to tho {mbliu sorvleo. A bul ou tho subjoot will bo Inid boforo you. Amoug ofher measures, bills will bo presented to you relating to tho crimiaal Juw, to'woighta and meavures, and to tho amendmont and con- solidation of the inspectiou lawm Gentlemen of the Liouge of Commans ;. Ihsvo given divections that. tho accounts of thio past and of tho first six montha of tho proa- ent iinnneial year ohall bo laid heforo you with- out dolay, You will bo gratified Lolearn that tho finances of the Dominicn aro in s prosperous condition, and that thera is no renson to doubt thet the rovenuos will bo snfliciont to meot al contemplated clinrges upon it. . T'he eatimates for tho ensuing yeer, which wilk bo snbmitted to you, have beon preparoed with pa much mPnrd to “oconomy a8 is comspatible witly the eflicienoy of tho publiv soryico, and I von~ turo to hopo that you will be of opinion that tha supplios which my Governmont will sk you ta yoto, can bo granted without inconyonicnce ta tho p(\ng}o. < Ionorable Gentlemen of (he Senate, Gentlemen of “ the House o5 Convmons : : < Many of.tho subjects I hinye enumerated aro of tha groatost importance. 1t iy with full-con= fidenco in your patriolism and wisdom that I commend ‘thom to your conuideration, oud E trust that & Gracious Providenno mny glude your counsols in whatover way may hest promoto tho heppiness of the peoplo of Cannda, and the wel+ Biirns, howover, st onco oxclaimed, I toldyou so, Oynthin ; Tknow they would find us ' and burst into a violent fit of wooping. The po- lico authorities being informed of tho presenco of tho fuy 0 rofused to tako hiold of tho mat~ tor, although Burng mnuifested. o dosire to be takon into custody, Word coming from the Bhoriff of thia countyto hold Burns, hd way taken in chargo by Ohief Cowloyaud refusod alt intorference of the lnw in his cago. Mies Coo- ley, whon hor companion was arrested, desarted him and started for Elmira, A tologram preced- ed hor, and shortly aftor sho arrived in that city pho wag aryested. Hor trunk contnined a quan~ \(tity ‘of clothing - belonging o Durns, butno Bonds or money wero Iound and khe Was rolcan- ed. Bho is nt present in Elmira, at tho houze of hfr brother-in-law, o prominont citizon of the “ place. 4 L On tho 224 of, February tho Shoriff etarted ‘home with Burns aad arrived in Pon Ran on Sat- turdny last. - Ho was admitted to bail in the sum of 2,000, A fow minutes after it becamo Jmown in tho villago that Burns yaa baok, hundroda of Eonpla flocked to the Bunham House, whors he had boon conducted. _ It was imposible to get with- ina block of tho house,” Ouo qf the rons of tho defsulting’ Tronsuror was the first person at tho hotol, and the meoting iz doscribed a8 hnving . boon touching- in tha exiromo. Tho Loy throw hiis armas obout his father's nock, and the com- mingled tears of tho two moyod {ho stouteat: honrts; The Sherilf was oblized to,uso force o eparats _them, and locked Buriss in a room by himgolf,. Shortly thoreafter ho Liccame delirious, and imagined he was ntill in higcoll in San Fran- cisco. o was romovod to the homio of liy brothor-in-law to-day, whore ho lies in a eritical stuta, attonded by tha wifo he “go eruclly and shamefully treatod, Bho unys that if he recovers and does right hereaftor shie will forgivo both Lim and his paramour, ‘Procoedings in bank- ruptoy will be comumenced s goon ng Burns g ablo to ettend o henring. | 3 Iu response to mfiumcu mado of him in San Tranciveo by Shorift Dinturff, as Lo whera he had DLeon pinco Lo loft, Burnu stated that he and -Miso Cooley loft Now Yorl for Qontral America, whero he nnguficd in mercantilo pursuits, ‘w'ho knowledgo of his orimos, boweyer, disubled him for business, nnd ho dotormined to travel, think- ing; hiy mind might bo quioted of hiy guflt. Ho wont to Eugland, Irclud, Wales, nud ollior Luropeen countries, but could nuj'oy nothing. From Eum{w ho wout on n voyngo to'the Band- ‘Wiioks aud Barbadow felsuds, and, finally, ou the 10th of January lnst, landed in Ban Franclsco, n heart-brokon, choorlous man, In all his waudor~ fugs ho was accompauied Dby Miss Oanlor, and was haunted continually by tho thought that ho was pursued, 1o had a perpotual Jonging to re- turn to Ponn Yan and give himpolf u{» bub was roslrainod by his paramour.” Ho enl d that ho nover ccused to Dbollove that lo would, gcooner or lator, bo mppro- lounded, and mrived abt {lab stnge ibat Lo was impaliont of tho delay in Ihnsucu avertaldug bim. “Tho happiost momont ho ox- porioncod sinco ho loft Poun Yun was that whon }m v Bhorlf Dintuvft ontor lif coll, and know that at Inst tho droadful susponso was ovor. 1lo told tho Bherilf that ho could wcarcoly wait to faro of the Empiro at large. —_—— * A Cannibal in frcland. . . Ennistillen_Correspondence of the New York World. A horrible scone of cannibalistn wes enacted in Trales & fow days sgo. 'Lhe prineipnl actor in it was o pig-jobber wholiad long boon complotoly abrorbed in the gratifieation of noimal desirea and passions, This two-footed bruto camo homa drunlk to his pum,old mother, who has pnsso;l ko nllotted ' thrce-scorn years nnd ton," -and tho old creature remonsiratod with him. A row onsited; in which the mothor was knocked down on'thetloor, and by sheer forco one of her'logs wna brokeu in two places. ‘Lhin not sntisfying Lim ho commoenced to oat tho flash oiX hox arm. A watchmdn nnmed Mara, who was pnsslng al tho timo, was ttracted by tho woman's. scroams to tho houso, and on Mara forcing open the door Le snw' Lim notuslly ~eating the flosh, as if "he had o tasto for it. -Tho watchman not being ablo to roscno tho poor crarture Trom hia'savage giuttony, he wan & off for another watohwmen, and, on their return- ing to the liouse, Lo was ot the same {nuuman feast, nud Lia face aud broast woro all smeaged with blood, Word was gent to tho polico; and tho night-patrol, on coming to the houso,.ke- cured him, 'Flie coolnes: of the rufiinn weg ex- - traordinary, for ho had tho_andacity to prefor a chiargo of arsault ngainst dlarn for attempting to mako him desist whe ho flrst eniored and snw the Lorrible ropast o was indulging in, Tha paor woman was convescd to tho CountyIn- tifmary and placod underthe caro of Dr. Iairlor, whoro, on oxamination, her body wan found td bo frightfully lacorated ; tho bono of onoarm up to tho olbow was quite bars of fioul, and tho sinews o? tho othur wore quito ozposed. It Is ‘thought she can-hardly survive tho troatmont of her oruol son. Her dopositions ware, of courgo, takon, and the prisoner, who Lad beon in the Bridewell, was transferred to the county-jail fox trinl at tho Asuizes, ¥ 4 e g s EEnocking Down e In Boston for sovoral yonrs tho Metropolitan Btraot Railyond Company. has proved n perfeot mine for dishonost employes, and stealing on this rond had reached such an oxtraordinary dogroa that tho manngoment found it necossary to maintain o »e'stum of datectivo survelliunco in councotion with, tho couductor's department. Somo months fgo tho company introduced m patent alarm punch for theusa of tha conductory, aud for » wlile tho conductors wera thwarte in the pracess of * knooking down ;" but within o fow 1nonths it camo to the ears of tho auperin~ tondont that the *dang punch didu’t amount to mucl ;" and so_tho company installed Major Joues, formorly High Stalo Constablo, and a sharp officor, a8 doputy superintondent, and told him to neloct his mon for dotective worlt, The other day several conductors wore arrestod for stenling the company’s monoy, sud en invostie gotion ahowod that tho said conductora had boen using & bogus or imitation alarm punch, only it was variod just onoiigh in itn mechanical con- gtruction no nsslub tho ugors of it to “knock down.” Tt o Y’unxcd that ono of the company's punches had boon rotglned by o dischargod em= ploye, und false Instrumonte nenrly pattornod aftorit, Onoman let out tho bogus thing for roach home, so that ho might confoss Ll erimes, recolve hig punishmont, sud agoin commeuce a now lifo, T'ho cldost non of Mr, Durns 18 a tolograph op- oratar in Chicago, When thoe Chiof of Polico of Ban F'ranciuoo sont tho telegrams to Shorif Din- turll young Burns transforrod them all and know hig fathor's situation, Mo at onoo tolograpled lor§8a day to puch conductors as_chodo to liro thom, and he Led ovidently mndo o good thing out of it T'ho young mon ‘urrested wore not olty-brod, but cnmoe to Doeton frum tho rural rclroats of Maiue, whoro Lomse-cars aud P knouklu‘finduwn" are unknown, The Judge ]flméd the dlshonost men, sud then gavo thoma eoture,