The Placer herald., 1868-02-22

PROPOSED TARIFF FOR FREIGHT AND PAS,
sENoERs ON THE PAcIric RAILROADS.
Washburne Of Wisconsin offered q joint
resolution in the House Of Representatives
on Monday to establish tariff of prices for
freight and passengers over the Union Pa
c6c and Central Pacific Railroads; but it
met with opposition and went over, under
the rule, even though offered a second time
by Window Of Minnesota. We cannot un-
dsrstaud why such an excellent proposition
been opposed. We know Of no cause Cor
this, except it be found in the fact that a
| large number Of tho members of Congress
are stockholders or otherwise interested in
the railroads, and that consequently they
wish to maintain tho enormous profits this
vast monopoly enjoys. 1t is surprising bow
any member could venture to oppose a
measure to regulate the tariff Of prices for
freight and passengers. Why. these rail.
roads are . positive gift by the Governments
and people to the Companies. The Govern:
ment furnishes hundreds of millions Of capii
tai TO build the roads and makes a gift OF
forty to fifty millions Of acres Of land besides
that il, the Government builds the roads
and then makes a free gift Of them TO the
Companies, with the additional present Of
forty to fifty acres OF land. Yet the friends
of,bs companies in Congress have the A..
assurance to oppose tariff Of prices being
fixed by law. 1t is the imperative duty OF
Congress to fix the tariff, both for freight
and passengers, al the lowest rates possible,
and see that there ba no Ioophole by which
these gigantic monopoIies can cheat or op-
press the people. There should be a law
passed, too, to prevent such grinding oppres-
sion. OF settlers on the companies' lands rs
the Illinois Central Railroad Company have
practiced- some such law, perhaps, as tha,
introduced on Monday BY Lawrence OF Ohio,
to secure to actual settlers the right to buy
lands granted to railroad companies at a
price not exceeding a dollar and twenty-five
cents an acre. Something must be done to
hold in check these vast and graspiDg
monopoles, and to prevent them from hold
ing sort of feudsl tenure, through mort
cages, over the soil. and an absolute power
over The settlers. Let Washburne and Law
renee press the excellent aud necessary
measures they have proposed.
The RETIcENcE OF GENERAL Grant
Several of our contemporaries. piqued by
the reticencs of General Grant, are ransacking
literature for parallels TO him. The New
York World compares him TO Ulysses; the
New York Times compares him to Harpo.
crates, the Egyptian god Of Silence; and our
neghbor Of The Courier, less ambitious but
more felicitous than either, compares him to
Tom Pipes in SmoIlstts peregriue Pickle.
The parallel which We shall propose is even
less ambitious than our neighbor's. Whether
or not it more felicitous we will not say.
But here it is:
Once upon time, boy who was Ounce
went TO a party, accompanied by his mother.
who on the way anxiousIy snjoined him not
to open bis mouth to any Of the guests, for,
added she. If you say q word they will
find out that you are fool" Promising faith
fully to obey bis mothers injunction, be was
permitted, on arriving, to mingle with the
guests. Presently one addressed some ques
ton 10 him. when. true TO his promise, he
stood ysticent Soon after, another did the
same thing With the same result, and 50 on.
until at last one. provoked beyond the bonds
OF civiIity, exclaimed: Why, you are fool!"
Spying bis mother at that mome,t sitting |
on the opposite side Of the room. The dunoe
cried out at the top ofhis voice: smother!
mother, they've found it out, and never
said wordv'
With ell due consideration for everybody,
10 think that General Grant. whether the
motive or The fate Of bis so-caIed reticence
is considered, resembles this Ounce more
than he resembles any other character. real
or fictitious. with which va are acquaiutsd.-
Lovisvils Journal