, 1866-01-21


The current Of popular indignation Is at
present setting strongly against railroads and
the abusees connected with their manage
nent, and there seems to be disposition on
the part Of many to charge all the evils with
which society In general, and Chicago In par
ticular, is afflicted, upon these much abused
corporations. Judging from some Of the ar
ticles which have appeared on this subject,
all that is required IN order to revive business
and bring about state Of general prosperity,
Is for the railroads to reduce their rites Of
1relghts. Now, while there are, undoubtedly,
many evils connected With railroads which
need reforming; and while 1t Is very easy to
assert and, perhaps even to prove, that rail-
road charges are too high, It Is equally easy to
show that excessively high prices orc the Or
der Of the day in au other kinds Of business;
and submit that however natural 1t may
be, 1t Is hardly consistent for those who them
selves practice extortion, to cy out so loudly
against Its practise by others. We have had
preambies and resolutions from farmers
meetings, mercantile bodies, ETC., aud even
from the Chicago Board Of Real Estate Bro
kere. Now let the landlords aud the wood
and coal merchants Of this city give vent to
their outraged feelings BY series OF where
ases" and s'rcsolyes," md the climax Of in
consistency will have been reached
While I disclaim any intention or desire to
which railroad officials may be guilty, allow
me to nsk those who are so i1ercel5 denoun-
cling railroads and a1l connected with their
management, this simple question. Are rail-
road charges, either for freights or passengers,
any highe. In proportion than other charges
generally? 4 careful comparison WILL think
convince nny impartial person that they are
not. With the exception Of grain there Is no
! important article Of farm produce which has
not advanced in price as much or more In
proportion than railroad Eeights. Take but
Ter, eggs cheese, meats, poultry. and IN fact
| if this is not the case. And with regard to
manufactured goods and merchandise Of a1l
kinds, think It would be difficult to find any
article which has not risen in price much more
than the rates Of freight, and many Of
them two or three times as much. Is It reason
able then to require, and cndcavor to compel
railroads alone 10 reduce their rates, and per-
nit everything else to continue enormously
high without word Of protest. It may be
true, as alleged, that rnilroads are making
high profits, but arc they the only ones who
ter what Kind Of business, salfsfed with what
used TO te considered ordinary and sufficient
protltse know OF no rallro1d In the coun-
Try which Is paying such dividends as are de-
clarcd By many other kinds of corporations.
Look ut the annual dividends ol forty, iffy
end sixty per cent declared By manufacturing
corporations, or the triling 1natter of from
ten to twenty-five per cent per month of the
American Screw Company, mentioned BY Mr.
Hunt tie other day. Now, it cannot be
crime for railroads to charge enough to cna-
bic them TO- declare dividends Of seven, ten,
or perhaps Gfteen per cent, md at the same
time be perfectly right for other corporations
to sell their goods 90 high as to enable them
to pay four times Is much as the old saying
for the gaDder."
ais. Figure up the profits made by our wood
md coal dealers, our. landlords, our whole
snle and retail merchants Of all kinds, md /
venture to say the per centaGe they receive
on the capital invested will be found to be
much greater than any dividend 1atelY de-
clared by any railroad, at least in the West.
Judging from the conduct Of others, and
especially when We consider the facilities
which railroads possess In this direction-bc-
ing, as 1t were, "a law unto Themselves"
and practically holding the power IN their
4 own hauds-it Is not 50 much q matter for
they are not good deal higher 1t Is pretty
cerlain that many Of those who arc formost
in denouncing them, would not, II they had
Possessed the saEne power, have exhibited an
equal degrees Of fotbcarance. The truth Of
the matter Is, that monopolies, combinations.
ent almost universal, and It Is not only incon-
sisteut, but positively unjust, to single ont
railroads, or any other one interest, ns the es-
| pecial object OF attack. Neither should It ba
| forgotten, especially by the people Of Chicl-
60, that, unlike other corporations, the profits
made by most Of the raflroads which centre
here arc In good part expended in improving
and extending the lines Of communication be-
| tween Chicago and all parts Of tho North
| wcat, and thus directly tend to increase the