The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-01-16

WI AOAA0o AA0y O7A4y OtJSt0I6,
but, all things considered, it would per-
haps be as well if unpacked it myself" =
Warne's Christmas Annua1
The Camden and Amboy Rail.
road Monopoly.
The recent decision of a State Court,
which closes an important thoroughfare
and mail route between two of the
largest cities In North America-that Is
the Delaware and Raritan Bay Railroad
causes wonder among the people of thirty
four States. Nor will the wonder abate
when it is known that the ground Of action
which formed the chief ofense of said
road lay in transporting troops on the way
to Washington while that city was threat
ened by the armies of the Confederacy.
Of course, the action wss brought by the
well-known Camden and Amboy corpora
t on.
The origin of this monopoly dates back
as far as 1882, when, by act Of the Legis-
lature of New Jersey, it was declared that
8 1t shall not be lawful to construct any
other railroad in this State between the
cities of New York and Philadelphia for
the term of twenty years." 1t should be
remarked that this company was the sue.
cessor of a certain steamboat monopoly
originally granted to Livingston & Fulton,
nearly sixty years ago; but its most active
life Is included within the last thirty five
years, and Is mainly represented by the
Stevens aud Stockton families. Properly,
1t is relic or representative Of grants
made by English kings to their favorites,
and, of course, bears with it whatever is
corrupting and anti-republican in their
tendencies. Although the charter ex-
pired in 1852, by some legerdemair i was
construed to run till 1863, when the Legis-
lature granted an extension for ten years
longer-that is, to the close of 1869 As
remuneration, the State received 1000
shares Of the stock, without cost, and
guaranty Of revenue of $4,000 year
on the basis of tax of ten cents on each
through passenger, and the passage money
was not to exceed three dollars between
the two cities. Still, the people
of New Jersey by no means cheer
fully submitted to the monopoly. During
many years there have been protests, pub
lie meetings, pamphlets, various agitations
and outbreaks; and during the last thirty
five years the Legislature has spent more
time in discussing the affairs of this road
than any other matter whatever But, to
tell the truth, this was more for the pur-
pose of making the road fulfill its part of
the contract, and to prevent the State
from being defrauded Of its dues, than for
any hatred to the monopoly as such. When
the road crossed the Delaware river at
Trenton, the opportunity was improved 10
evade the obligations imposed by the char
ter; for they charged 81 in addition-that
is for the distance through Pennsylvania.
Then the Legislature passed law that
one-h half of this over, charge, or 80 cents,
should be paid into the State Treasury,
which was assented to as settlement. SO
far Qo he
the road has never paid q cent of this toll,
and it is alleged to have been proved that,
during II years, the State lost between
$2,000,0O0 and $3000,000. Meanwhile,
immense troubles grew out of excessive
charges for freight; litigation followed !;
when 1t was asserted that there had
been tariff Of from $50 to 800 a
ton. To avoid penalties, there was trans
fer of responsibilities. In the investiga-
ton, it was made apparent that there was
King" OF managers, who accumulated
vast wealth. Such was their audacity
that they refused to share with other
officers, and denied access to the books,
and, when hard pressed by impending
prosecution and consequent disclosures
they compromised with the claimant BY
buying out his stock at s. ,45O share, the
original value of which was $125 On
the whole, nothing seems clearer than that
the State, by taking subsidy, instead of
havir & the power to tax the property of
the Company the same as any other prop
erty, was made, and is kept, poor. This
is particularly noticeable in the fact that
New Jersey has hardly any school fund,
being in this respect as destitute as Arkan-
sas or Florida.
Nor have the people been Ignorant of
these things. They have struggled man
fully to get their just dues ; at times they
seemed on the point of being victorious,
but in the end they submitted to defeat.
1t Is alleged that copies of journals, bear
ing upon the subject, have been cut from
the files, and that important documents
have disappeared Repeatedly have Leg
islative Committees, known to be resolved
to report against the assumptions Of the
road, suddenly changed their minds, and
presented warm eulogiums. Men who
were elected members for the definite pur-
pose of defending the State, soon forget
their duty others were assisted to votes
by the company because it was easier to
manage them at Trenton than to defeat
them at the polls. iA
BY means of passes and other favors,
particularly In the way of nominal freight
charges, it is understood that majority of
the influential men In the State have been
enlisted as defenders of this company 1t
seems as If they had also secured partisans
on the bench, and 1t is certain that they
have retained the best legal talent. At
one time, only two lawyers were found at
the capital who loved good name more
than the money of the Camden and Am
boy Railroad. So long ago as 164S, Henry
@. Carey wrote series of anonymous let
tersin the Burlington Gazette, making these
and other charges, for which the company
threatened prosecution for libel but when
his name was announced, and an investiga-
ton was about to take place, the whole
matter was hushed up. Generally the
newspapers of the State have not dared to
express other than favorable opinions of
this company and, If any ventured to be
outspoken, q change of sentiment, for some
mysterious reason, was sure to follow. 1t
,e hardly possible for any people to reach
a depth of degradation lower than this.
In one instance, however, when the
State undertook to tax the New York and
Erie Railroad, which runs through frag-
ment of New Jersey, Camden and Amboy
fashion, it did not succeed for, the case
being carried up to the Court of Errors,
the Judge, being a new man, and having
regard for the dignity of the bench, de-
cided that "the State had no power to pass
law interfering with, taxing, or in any
way burdening, Interstate commerce.
If this decision does not equally apply
to the Camden and Amboy, there is no
longer such a thing as logic.
The most painful impression which one
receives from this brief review is, that, in
the hands of this powerful corporation,