, 1866-03-02
Speech nf Col. j. ". Shnher at the
Rock ford Convention.
fFtom Ibc Rockford Regixter.l

Rockford Convention.
[From The Rockford Reei<ter.]
Nr. Shailer, Of Stevenson, said An invita-
tien WIS extended to the people Of Stephen
trtl somewhat out Of place, for tho reason
that our people live In the valley Of tue Peca-
tonfca; yet We feel great interest In this
Improvement, and are ready to aid all We can
in it's accomplishment. Our Pecatoptca
river requires no improvement TO make IT
uow built. We eau iloat from Wisconsin TO
Rcckton a craft Today, Of as great drnft rs
will be able to 70 down Rock River after the
improvements contemplated are made. Ma
ture has done the work for us. More than
half the volume Of water that now passes
your city comes from the Pecatonlca- But
ills beautiful stream Is at present Of no prac-
tlcal value to Ms for purposes Of navigation,
owing to the fact that We can 70 no farther
thdn Rock River. As to the feasibility Of im-
proving Rock River, take 1t no sensible man
who has examined the subject has auy doubt.
that would slackwatcr The river from Rock
Island to NatertoWu, Wis, for the additional
water poTer TINT would be created, making
no charge for toll except Just what would be
required to keep locks In order and pay lock
tenders.
vast importance that should receive your at
tention. You would think but little Of q
farmer who would exhaust all his means and
resources ID putting In large crop without
making any provision for the support Of his
family while the crop was growing, leaving
that while NC arc employed making these
improvements, that our people will be robbed
to poverty by the great railroad Inonupollcs
Of this State. We are today paying rates
that will ruin our country before we can i'm
prove the rivers. Something must be doue
,-tAJ. 1s 1.t1f3f Enc
ern capitalist, and ! take It We arc all willing
that they should te paid III they nlanage
their roads economically fair interest on
their Investments. They say the stock does
not pay at even the present. his b rates. Now
let us examine this matter and see what the
md Chicago Uniou Railroad, that road Ens
built and a tariff Of rates fixed that satisfied
all our shippers, and rates that paid large
tividends to stockholders, and under this ar
rapgemcnt our country Improved and mn
tual good feeling existed between the people
thing had advanced, the stockholders
Insisted that rites must be also advanced.
The people said amen, we wnnt you to have
fair price, consequently tfeishts were i'd
rnnced to what WAS called war rates, much In
| advance Of old peace rates. This arrange
| mcnts continued until June, 1861, when the
road went into present m0nneement. Nov
under stand, the rates that were being charged
when the consolidation took place were suttl-
cieat to pay good dividends With gold 40 per
cent higher than now; but they were not
| high cn8rgh to satisfy the cornorants who
| mcdiately new tariff was tixe.t, and l will
| eive you q few of the figures from Freeport to
| G.Sc.C: :nR. c.1S: y: r r.
| War rates. Wal. rates.
| Whcnt. I. 100 ns.... 10 =
Corn, Z 1go bs..... - y
Enter in kegs, do. g s
Dry Hfd:s. T 100 Ds IS s.
ss1S M1G'l LenSsr. : ~ NV ! a..ss.s te::@
sott SOIL. Lumes6; 9, e, Y 1n,.. a9 ;9o,,.,d 5,@
And ret. gentlemen, they tell us that these
rites don't pny. Ifthat Is SO, there Is soAle'
thing rotten in Denmark; for certain itlis. the
old rond paid diridcnls at half these rates
with gold 10 per cent higher than now. Who
is to blame1 I will tell you. Railroads ar
not now managed IN the interest Of either TIL
people or stockholders, but for the Interest Q
The managers. Take the great Union Freight
lne Us m example. This company u organ
lied with IN immense capital. They owl
their own cars, and the stock is principally
owned By railroad managers, who contract tt
run these cars over their respective roads at st
much per mile per car: and the Union Com
aud goods, about one third Of which goes t.
railroad stockholders, and tho balance tt
stockholders of-thc Union line, who are al
managers Of railroads. This Is the case will
all these Express Companies. You nsk VIII!
do these stockholders keep these managers
viii explain that 10 you. Jnst before NJ
election for Directors, these Immense outsid
corporations raise purse Of several hunare
thousand dollars, 60 into the market, shoy
up margin, and on that, control enong
stock to elect themselves then they max
| report (generally false) and sell out an
ea1e. their marein. Then they procee
With the same money to buy stock In th
. next road, and all stockholders who bough
stock In eood faith and are holding it as @
Investment, are thus neecad. want the re
! portcts to take down what am now goin
to say. The citizens Of Illinois and EFlsconsi
In convention here assembled, do now ca
. | UPON all stockholders, wherever they may b
to Investigate carefully the management {
tAese roads. and ascertaIu what interests th
managers have in outside freight lines ,wha
. !. interests they have in lines Of STEAMBOATS,
what Interests they have In grain elevators
. what interests they have with certain prod1e
| dealers what interests in stock yards; whs
= interest with coal dealers; what intercs
; t In lumber yards; what interests with sa
!, dealers; yes, whit interests even In Il
shipped to Chicago. l tell you, If this
done, II viii disclose where one half of the
J. GLAD to learn that tile work OF Investigate
i | on the Illinois Central Railroad has cor
uenient ~ u 1esia3 , and NAM @ 1nore % wif :; -
also learn that that Company Will be able
. ~ 1noirTntir re1nre their ,artff and mar larv
= d5uidemds tnan now 1 nav % tbc u ea1od r. Tor IT
,,.srslr an reod wItb sora ,nte
. W. reror+ IF thn co,nnn;tt.s a
: a...a5h I az Roar;1 ,s T,oJa ~ Ghs,o- :.
= pom,tsa ,a%ae;tste " tn fhe.e ,huses Th;s ~;
milte was composed of most honorah
menm.Gh .no .ahuzas "hu ~ comn,o;ncJ ~ ~ - =,
co'ISct at W at1s aF r,;naan ~ A. ~ ~ ~, !"
tor the interest OF LMcago 70 90 SO. Tue