| Show WHO PAYS PATS THE FIDDLER In the enormous destruction lOt of railway cars care and freight just reported In the dispatches from Chicago the qUe question of liability tor for these losses as- as asi assume assumes as assumes i sume a grave gratt and important Interest not only to the parties concerned but butto butto butto to the public as well The common rule role is that where a railroad company has bal issued its receipt for freight turned over to it for transportation it enters Into solemn COD contract tract to deliver deUer such Buob freight to the consignee In good condition and aDd without un- un unreasonable un unreasonable reasonable delay Strikes washouts wrecks fires and aDd all aU the Incidental accidents and disturbances to which ralla railway business Is subject ha have never been deemed heretofore a release from this contract conraot For any property de- de destroyed de destroyed while In It its I hands hand every eelY rail rail- road has felt itself called upon to tl pay and except for the usual delay In reaching a valuation and other agree agree- agreements a ree-ments ree ments necessary necessary to a settlement such payment has bas generally been made with promptness Even in the great gleat losses sustained during the Pittsburg strikes and riots ot of some seventeen years ago this was tb the course pursued Free from responsibility for tor that outbreak as the railroads claimed to be they nevertheless saw the propriety of making their patrons goon on all aU losses lossel the latter were wre forced to 0 sustain and did so without U unnecessary D necessary troa trouble ble The same line of action is fore fore- foreshadowed foreshadowed shadowed in lD the latest telegrams from Chicago the scene of the terrible des des- destruction des destruction traction of at rolling stock and freight now alluded to it is stated that the railway oom companies propose to hold the city re responsible presumably for insufficient police protection against agal the fire bug bugs and thereby rioters rioters Intimating that while they expect to pay for tor the freight destroyed in their carp care they intend to recover from the municipality which should have given but did not give them protection So 80 Sotar tar a as can be learned from legal gentle gentle- gentlemen gentlemen gentlemen men who have bave given the matter malter study this rule is the correct one the oWner ot of tb the freight claims it or Its Ita value from the carrier company which mu must t satisfy satley his just claim the company in turn must obtain such redress as it U may be able to t from the city county or state as the case may be where the unchecked violence of lawless mobs made the destruction possible In ID this connection connection connection tion it may be observed that no rail raU railroad railroad road running into Inte- Chicago can at prevent sustain for any length of time timea a loss lose of a million or more dollars per day that being the figure given ghen as a the cost to one road of at the latest outbreak If nothing can oan be recovered from tb the city or state complete bankruptcy and ruin would be only a few tew hours bours dis- dis distant dis distant tant tanto If It however the city or state can be he made to 0 pay the bur bur- burden burden burden den will come swiftly and ana heavily back upon tb the taxpayers themselves w who bo whether or not they were wre sympathizers ers erl with or participants in the riot would have bave the duty and pleasure of paying for it The thought Is II worth remembering by every community that wishes to save its money and aDd be abiding law abiding it ought to result in a readier willingness s to uphold tb the officers of the la law in their efforts effort to restrain turbulence and preserve peace at t any cost and under any circum circum- circumstances circumstances stances atance whatever |
