MR. MIDGLEY S ARTICLE. CONTINUED, 431 



had cost the British railway companies $350,000,000. 

 These expenses are mainly incurred in averting threatened 

 legislation. This single item absorbs a very considerable 

 portion of the profits. Political cormorants long since dis 

 covered it, and worry the funds out of the companies. Then 

 there are numerous lines projected by speculators, with no 

 view to public benefit, but originated simply to prey upon 

 existing companies by forcing the latter to purchase them. 

 Effete politicians and glutted lawyers also oleed the com 

 panies profusely; but it all eventually comes out of the 

 &quot;dear people&quot; in the form of rates. The money must be 

 had, and the public have to advance it. 



These remarks apply specially to the compensation awarded 

 for injuries. No observer of current events will question 

 the assertion that railway companies are &quot; salted &quot; whenever 

 a petit jury gets a chance at them. In such cases the juries 

 are like the Donnybrook Irishman, who could not resist the 

 temptation of whacking every head within reach of his 

 shillaleh, his best friends sharing his most willing attentions. 1 

 It may be &quot; fun &quot; for the time being, but who pays for it in 

 the end ? Every outrageous verdict such as have become 

 common-place exceptions means sufficiently increased rates 

 to pay the costs. The press urges the people to pursue this 

 vindictive policy, and readily have they responded. It mat 

 ters not how flimsy the pretext, the verdict in every Western 

 State is a foregone, heavy conclusion. 



In agitating for reform, the people forget that it must 

 begin with themselves. It is the maddest folly to demand 

 cheap rates, and yet force the railroads into excessive ex 

 penses; and it is the baldest falsehood propagated by the 

 press to say that the courts are corrupted into acquitting 

 the companies. The outrageous verdicts recorded in almost 

 every county in the West prove its falsity and burlesque 



