The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-19
will say THAI Pennsylvania is not in an incipient
state Of revolution?


The Central Railroad.
The approaching election in this State presents
s,me very novel features Not only is it Presi-
DENTAL election holly contested by three rival
candidates, but in the contest is involved a
great moneyed oligarchy which has lately matured
its profits and perfected it's plans by grand con-
sOlidation Of interests. The managers Of the
Central Railroad-for that Of course is the cor
poration we mean-kave conjoined to control
the politics of the State. They have undertaken
to render subeervient to their interests all the
party journals at Albany, and all the leading
newspapers in the villages and towns on their
route The Albany Ece,ing Journal is wholly in
the interest Of the railroad and its political
movements; its candidate is Morgan, who is an
atlas and Argus is under the same influence, con-
tends for the same interests, and brings forward
candidates pledged to the same purposes and the
same projects
The subject of the members Of the next Legis-
lature of Albany-who exercise all the real in
fluence in railroad matters-is now beginning to
attract the attention of the leading political
olSdDLa,loHs VI all Minus. IHe last HuiuDcl u
the Albany alias and Argas says
VI II have other presented in exchanges
Hcr Goyernor) prominent among which are Erasus
Coming Addison Gardiner David L. Sey mour, Fernando
Wood and John Vanderbilt.
OF these the name that is first mentioned
hat of Erastus Corning-is the one that is most
likely to be successful at the Convention. But
which ever party wins, the railroad is safe. 1t
has men pledged to it in every party, and can
look forward to the contest with comparative in
difference. 1t cares nothing for the President;
they may elect whom they please; what it does
care for is the consolidation of the Hudson River
Railroad with the Central, and ultimately the
profit to arise from the sale and purchase Of the
State canals, which will enable it to control all
The avenues Of the politics of tie State to the day
of judgment.
This is not the first time that moneyed corpora
tons have attempted to control politics in this
country. In limited sense the Safety Fund cor
porations were organized by Mr.. Van Buren, with
Q view to political effect and political power,
during the tendency of the Albany Regency.
People reyolted against them refused to be held
in tic shachles of moneyed corporation and ut
tcrly broke down the system by throwing open
the business of banking. A similar project to
this one Of Mr.. Van Buren's was the attempt of
the late ambitious and accomplished Nicholas
Bddlc, who wanted to create power that would
control the government of the Union. His
power also was in the shape of bank: the reader
is aware how it disappeared and was finally
defeated by the memorable will of President
Jackson. There have been other attempts since
to create moneyed oligarchies; but the railroads
are now offering better opportunity than ever
for creations Of the kind. They have lately as
sumcd enormous power and obtained great wealth
Some Of them have been judicious The infu-
ence Of the Western and other railroads in Massa-
chusetts has been moderately exercised and has
created no alarm. The case has been different In
New York and New Jersey. In the latter State
railroad monopoly manages State politics and
controls parties, as We all know to our cost from
the badness Of the road, the high rates of travel
md other inconvenience. In Illinois an organi-
cation has been effected similar to the one in
New Jersey, an1 an effort is being made to in
troduce il here. The New York Central has
prepared everything for the assumption OF pow
er, and has subsidized all the party presses not
only in the State capital bat in all tha towns
and villages in the neighborhood Of the roads
and canals.
1t i absolutely necessary for all Independent
men to rise up and look the matter in the face,
unless they wish the State to be handed over DO.
Oily to Thurlow Weed, his coadjutors and asso-
ciatcs, to levy contribution thcrconas thcyplcase.
Yet 1t is difficult to tell what Is to be doac But
what we have sccn Of the railroad indicates suifi.
GENTLY that Il designs to make itself an indepen-
dent anpotuA IN impeio-a power behind the
tlrone-and TO secure for lis oligarchy control
Of the elections Of the Legislature and Of the
finances Of the State.