THE FARMER'S WAR AGAINST MONOPOLIES. 103 



" The conductor replied, ' That coupon is good from 

 New Haven to New York, but it is not good from New 

 York to New Haven. My directors ordered me, three 

 years ago, not to take such tickets, and I shall not do 

 it.' I then said, ' My position is this ; I have paid this 

 road a certain amount of money for a certain amount 

 of service, and I think I am entitled to that amount of 

 service, whether my face is turned east or west. You 

 say this ticket is good from New Haven to New York, 

 which is seventy-four miles j I think it is good from 

 New York to New Haven, which is also seventy-four 

 miles ; and I cannot understand the distinction which 

 you make.' A gentleman who sat before me remarked 

 at this moment, ( If there is any meanness which has 

 ever been discovered upon a railroad, it is sure to be 

 found upon this one, for it is the meanest railroad ever 

 laid out of doors.' I replied, ' If this is so, I hope they 

 will make an exception in my case, as all I require are 

 the common courtesies of the road and an equivalent 

 for my money.' The conductor said, ' I see you are all 

 linked together to make me trouble.' And he went 

 along. 



" The gentleman who had spoken to me requested 

 to see my coupon, and remarked that he had never 

 heard the question raised before, and certainly had 

 never heard the case put in that way. He further re- 

 marked that, ' Whether it was law or not, it was com- 

 mon sense.' A part of the Board of Trade delegation 

 of Boston was in the car, returning from the Philadel- 

 phia Convention. Among these were Mr. Curtis Guild, 

 Mr. Eugene H. Sampson, and a prominent railroad di- 

 rector of Boston, Mr. B. B. Knight, a cotton manufao 

 turer of Providence, and other gentlemen from both 



