Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-10-16
Chartered Monopolies.

Robert Hare Powell Of Philadelphia
has taken the field against chartered mo-
nopoiies with exclusive privileges, and in
one of his recent letters favoring a con-
vention on the subject, utters the follow
ing home truths:
If the anxious inquirer into this impor-
tant subject will travel through Pennsyl-
vaIlta aud carefully note the extent and
condition of the private manufacturing
and mining establishments which are dis
tributed along the lines OF the great Rail-
/ road and Canal monopolies, exclusive OF
+ the extensive and prosperous enterprises
controlled or owned by Railroad and Ca
nal managers, and spend sufficient time
in the investigation la ascertain the sem
timcuts OF their pTopFietOrs, as we'll as the
POLICIES under which they are obliged 10
succumb, ample evidence viii be acquired
70 convince the most obdaTdte, that while
the rights and interests of the citizens OF
those portions Of Pennsylvania in which
the Improvements OF these transporting
companies are situated, are most seriously
impaired, the general prosperity of the
Commonwealth * actually imperilied by
the inauguration OF the system under
which such corporations haye been crea-
ted
The crushing feet Of these monster mo-
nopolies, Ike the impressions of the vul-
ture', claws upon the sand. point IN al
most every direction. Trades against
item will be heard from the inhabitants,
many of whom, from a desire OF develop
ing the res burccs Of their farms ana nllli-
eral possessions. have lost earnings OF
wears in their lateral railroad investments,
which have been unscrupuiGuSly gcbbIed
up by these legaIiZed absnrbers.
They will be discovered in their arbitra-
n policies ana extoTIIOnate charges,
which, while in some cases, are Instituted
i'm order To be lefit Stockholders, are IN
other instances im posed upon the cOInmu-
Hity with View - depress independent
enterprise. so as 70 secure for their mana
gers greater gains from tie establishments
with which they are secretly and Hefari-
nusly connected. The paraiyZiEg effects
OF petty sovereignty wifi be disceTned III
the restricted facilities which are extend
esi 20 the la1oFiHL classes and capitalists,
who are, and seek 10 be engaged in indi-
vidsIal pursuits accessible To improve
ments-they Will bc betrayed in the dis
mantled furnaces, in the neglected coal
mines, In the uncarcd for farms in the
partially employed rolling mills, in the
langUishiug gTi>t mills, IN the efforts 10
Withdraw capital from investments, and
ii the almost constant immigration Of the
workingman III search OF employment.
The demoralizing influences OF monop-
oily VIII Oe recognized in the ballot box,
i'll the Legislative halls, and in efforts TO
subyert the tribunals Of justice.
The above picture is a true one, but it is
all idle to attempt 10 remove the yoke so
long Is the people will FOR party sake vote
for whoever is put up as candidate. We
had an inst9nce OF this in the recent SEN
atorial election in this district, where the
republican candidates were pledged in IA
vor a ! free railroad law, and although il
was known 10 hundreds that at least one of
the democratic candidates was a railroad
attorney, Yet We doubt whether either
Robson or McEitty received a single
democratic vote OF that account. Instead
Of this, We know numbers who are fire.
quently railing at the Pennsylvania Rail-
road as a monopoly, extortionate in its
charges, aud caring for nothing but its
own aggrandizement, who spent both time
and money in electing the railroad can
didates.