BAILWAY INTERFERENCE WITH LEGISLATION. 403 



tant enterprises that it excites in every community similarly 

 situated. Hence, the anxiety of town communities having 

 one railway, to add another, on the supposition often a 

 false one that they will thus have competition in carry 

 ing, and relief. 



Unjust discrimination is also a demoralizing evil. It 

 tempts those who fear it to bribe officials, to court favors, 

 and use other undue influences, injurious to their own self- 

 respect and that of the railway employes. It begets the 

 un-republican vices of fawning, subservience, and venality. 



RAILWAY INTERFERENCE WITH LEGISLATION. 







Another evil, that seems to be the special fruit of railway 

 corporations in the United States, is improper interference 

 with legislation and other functions of government. As 

 has been already noticed, it is a widely-spread belief that 

 railway corporations control, or have controlled, the legisla 

 tion of several States, and have tampered with executive 

 and even judicial officers. Unfortunately, there are many 

 reasons for the suspicion, and the fact is not denied. Other 

 corporations have been by no means immaculate, but rail 

 way corporations, for some cause, lend themselves more 

 readily than any other to the base uses of soulless and con 

 scienceless power. Some say it is in self-defense, but an 

 examination of the facts disproves that statement, or shows 

 it to be, at most, but partially true. 



The railway corporation invades the halls of legislation, 

 seeking, first, special privileges, that shall give it the ad 

 vantage in the race for gain over individuals ; then exemp 

 tion from its responsibilities, the prevention of the extension 

 of its privileges to its rivals, and the addition of new privi 

 leges and gifts to its own existing privileges. 



