Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-12-22
The TRANSPORTATION Question.

]
breaking up the oppressive freight mo.
nopolies which now so sadly affiict the
prosperity of the Northwest. So long rs
the Great Rebellion remained unsubdu.
ed the people had other fighting than q
war on monopolies to attend to. TIL,
best OF every thing-though the good
may have been very insignificant com
pared with the wrong-had to be mad,
till that little job" was finally dispos
ed OF. Crawl to man and he will kick
you, II he be at all disposed to kick
Just so with corporations. The peopl,
| were helpless. Their hands were tied
The mean spirit of monopolists rose up
| and took possession of the advantage
and the industrial interests of the
country became the cat's-paws of bulls
and bears. The monopolists grew inso.
lent with their fatness, and remon.
strances only effected indignities. The
controllers of transportation came TO
believe the people were their helpless
slaves, from which abject condition no
effort would ever avail their rescue
They virtually kicked men around and
spat in their faces. They pursued sucl,
course as would everlastingly ruin any
private business, and secure its propri-
etor not less uncomfortable personal in
dignities than were wont to attend en-
terprlsing Yankees I'M occasional South
ern visits. Their prosperity had ate the
heart out of them, and it were as useless
to appeal to hungry Caribee Island.
ers Tor mercy, as to them for fair and
honorable treatment. Memorials and
petitions and circumstances and reso-
iutions and all that no more DISTURBED,
them than paper balls would rhinoce-
ros. They remain proof against all such
ammunition. TO accomplish any thing
of moment, it is necessary to get near
er the root of the evil. Touch the in
terests OF the monopelists, and, if they
are not too blinded to see it, you will
touch their consciences. Any thing
short of breaking up the monopolies
viii have but few good results, and
none but such as are temporary.
Take men and corporations as a whole.
and the quickest and surest way to OBJ
tain justice or favor is to touch the
mans or the corporations interest
The world is selfish. Alas! that it is
so very selfish. Chicago is becoming
deeply interested in destroying the
freight monopolies. She sees her own
injury, and desires to serve herself by
relieving the people. She takes long
look ahead and sees st. Louis prosper
Gus and herself in decline. So long as
the people said nothing about being
robbed, Chicago said nothing about rob-
bing the people. The people begin to
talk about st. Louis and New Orleans.
and Chicago begins to talk about mo-
nopolies and robberies. Selfishness !.
That explains it. Chicago was touched
in the right spot.
Conventions are being held in various
parts Of Illinois for the discussion of
this question. Resolution are adopted
and all sorts of things recommended
Legislation, canals, railroads. But so
long as they end in talk, but little good,
if any, will follow. They must make
a move to provide transportation that
may be placed in competition and con-
trolied by the people, and then the mo-
nopolists will begin to open their eyes,
and inquire into the causes of dissatis.
faction, and take some steps toward
removing them.
Nothing has been used more effect
lively with the people of Iowa as an in
to the building of the Iowa
Central Railroad, than the heartless
Had the east and west
roads in the State dealt fairly and hon.
orably by the people, it is doubtful
interest enough i'm the north
Ind south road could have been created !
o have built it. AS it is there can be /
10 question in regard to its speedy con-
truction. For large portion of Iowa
will break up the freight monopoly.
chicago and st. Louis will be fighting /
heir rivalship battles along its whole
inc. The people of Iowa have SET
Ibout building the Iowa Central none !
90 soon, and they will do well to open |
Is advantages to the State at the earli- !
st possible moment.