Railway Rates and Radical Rule. By J. Buckingham Pope. (Kegan
Paul, Trench, and Co.)—This is a very pretty alliteration, and seems to show that if Mr. Pope had lived some thousand years ago, when assonance was essential to metre, he might have been a distinguished poet. But it may be doubted whether too much has not been sacrificed to it. If you could connect all the evils of rail- way management with Radical statesmanship, as a former genera- tion of thinkers connected with it the phenomenon of blow-flies, you would achieve a great electioneering victory. But which does Mr. Pope most want ? Such a victory, or a redress of certain crying wrongs ? Of course, it is the latter on which his heart is really set. He makes out, as far as the present writer (not an expert, it should be said) can see, a case against the railway companies. He charges them—with much forcible argument and a formidable array of facts—with injustice, extortion, unfair preferences, and, in fact, all the vices of monopolists. Nor have we ever seen any ade- quate defence. Sir Edward Watkin, for instance, must be laugh- ing at our beards when he poses as the benefactor of English agri-
eulturista by importing lean foreign cattle at low rates. Is it a benefaction to import foreign sheep for £2 4s. 3d., while English sheep are charged £2 14s. 3d., and two tons of foreign grain for 7s. 6d., while the same quantity of English has to pay lls. 8d ? The simple truth is that the railways invite the carrying trade by giving these preferences to the foreigner. These and such-like grievances— for we have taken an example at random—Mr. Pope establishes. But to return to our complaint against him,—Where does he look for redress ? If he were to poll the Railway Association, which em- bodies, we suppose, all that he most hates, would he find the result Radical or Conservative ? Is Lord Brabourne a Radical ? Is Mr. Broadhurst a Conservative ? Which of these two would ho prefer as an arbitrator ? Does he seriously think that, if he could have his desire or one of his desires to-morrow, and change the Ministry, the
cause which he has really at heart would be advanced ? If we may be allowed to give Mr. Pope a word of advice, we would say," Don't mix up your politics and your economics." It is quite possible to be at home in the one and quite at sea in the other.
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