San Andreas independent., 1858-03-06
Corporation Encroachments.

LIZ Is dangerous policy In any State to
encourage the acquisition of large landed
interests In corporations; and in speak
ing of this matter, whilst we frankly con-
cede the great utility of Ditch enterpri-
ses in developing the mineral wealth of
California, we can never lose sight of the
maxim, that " corporations have no souls"
The common principles of humanity, pa
triotism and benevolence that square the
conduct of individuals who acquire power
through the medium of property, are not
natural to these " soulless bodies" and
are therefore not to be counted on In
this eminently speculative and CONNER
cial age, the money power is the Macedo-
MAN Phalanx, and the Roman Legion of
the State. Show us the body that wields
1t, and we will show you where the true
sovereignty resides. What did it signify
If Henry VIII acas "King and Defender
of the Faith" in Great Britain and Ire.
land, so long as three-fourths of the real
estate In the realm belonged to that in
side power-the giant corporation-of
which the Pontiff of Rome was President,
and Cardinal Woolsey, Secretary? The
people were the subjects of the King, to
be sure; but the real power was in the
corporation. The King could declare
war; but the church held the sinews of
war. So, like bold man, and true
Englishman as he was, he did not scruple
to break the back of the church for the
good of the monarchy and the cnfran-
chisement of his people By high-church-
men, this forcible reclamation of church
benefices from the great spiritual corpo-
ration of Rome, has been denounced as
an act of unjustifable tyranny on the
part of the King; but statesmen regard
it in different light.
In our own country, under less COM
pllcated and less chronic form, during the
administration of General jackson, the
same battle was repeated. The United
States Bank had become dangerous and
formidable power, by which foreign capi-
tai would soon have controlled the whole
machinery of the government The old
hero broke its back by coup de main,
which has established for him with the
majority, the character of stern, infex-
ible patriot; with the minority, that of
an unscrupulous tyrant. Nearly all of
the States have skirmished with the same
enemy, presenting himself in some form
or other; sometimes under the " Bank"
question at others in !" Railroad" Z" Ca
naP' or turnpike enterprises but always
with the smiling face of friendship for
the " Peoples interest-professcdly for
the development of the resources of the
country.
With all the lights which history lends
to the subject, California legislation can
claim no exemption, in this respect, from
the errors of other States. Our Legisla
ture has already entailed upon the people
the curse of one oppressive corporation,
from which we see no legal escape. The
Steam Navigation Company are our
masters in the valleys, and the "Ditch
Companies" are shaping their tricks for a
like commanding point in the mountains.
If the bill of Senator Merritt, of Mari
posa becomes fixed law, and remains SO
for three years, we believe that these
corporations will be the virtual owners of
all the valuable property in the mines
They are already in the full possession of
one element-water, for by running their
bitches parallel with creeks and ravines,
they manage to cut off the sources of sup
ply, In most streams, within week after
heavy rain, thus laying their contribu-
tions not only on the beds of the streams,
and the SHOWS of the mountains, but on
the very clouds. themselves. The miners
can obtain no practical redress against
this wrong, for the plain reason that
single handed poverty cannot contend
against combined wealth, even in our
Courts. But this does not suffice; they
want the land as well as the water.
Most all of the bitches of this State
were built on borrowed capital A good
deal of 1t borrowed in London. at high
rates of interest-seldom less that twenty
four per cent. per annum. The first cost
of most of them was from three to FIVE
times their real cash value, after compile
tion. In many instances, the laborers
who did the work never received their
pay but the ditch, after hundred or
two hundred thousand dollars in worth
less paper securities had been pledged by
she original projectors to the laborers