▁the ▁classic ▁argument ▁against ▁detailed ▁and ▁pres cript ive ▁reg ulation ▁It ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁very ▁serious ▁thing ▁if ▁the ▁Government ▁in ▁its ▁attempt ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁passengers ▁by ▁rail , ▁and ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁working ▁men , ▁should ▁take ▁on ▁itself ▁to ▁decide ▁what ▁form ▁of ▁carriage , ▁what ▁form ▁of ▁coupling ▁and ▁break , ▁is ▁the ▁proper ▁form ▁for ▁railway ▁companies ▁to ▁use . ▁I ▁am ▁of ▁opinion ▁that ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁passengers ▁and ▁railway ▁men ▁will ▁be ▁sa fer ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁run , ▁if ▁these ▁matters ▁are ▁left ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁understand ▁them ▁best . ▁I ▁cord ial ly ▁appro ve ▁of ▁the ▁pressure ▁of ▁public ▁opinion ▁being ▁applied , ▁through ▁this ▁House ▁or ▁through ▁the ▁Press , ▁to ▁railway ▁man agers , ▁to ▁comp el ▁them ▁to ▁consider ▁both ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁and ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁their ▁men ; ▁but ▁if ▁we ▁endeav our ▁in ▁this ▁matter — as ▁we ▁have , ▁in ▁my ▁opinion , ▁sad ly ▁too ▁often ▁endeav oured ▁in ▁the ▁past — to ▁give ▁Government ▁officials ▁the ▁power ▁to ▁decide ▁what ▁is ▁the ▁precise ▁form ▁of ▁app li ances ▁which ▁shall ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁rail ways , ▁we ▁shall ▁not ▁be ▁providing ▁for ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁or ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁railway ▁servants ▁Non eth eless , ▁within ▁ 2 ▁months ▁of ▁the ▁Arm agh ▁dis aster ▁Parliament ▁had ▁en act ed ▁the ▁Reg ulation ▁of ▁Rail ways ▁Act ▁ 1 8 8 9