The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-04-21
vANDERBILT AND Drew.

Somebody has said that II IL blessing to
mankind that rich, very rich men, do NOT i've
forever; for as riches give power, the more a
man has Of them the more overoearing ana
despotic does he become. Though this may
be true In the majority OF Instances, IL 10 moi
always q correct conclusion, because there are
some rich men whose life and deeds make their
stay on earth blessing to mankind. Great
riches. however, are very likely to corrode
mems hearts and to make them overbearing,
proud and reckless, and to inspire the desire
for more, till ike the horse-leech, their cry Is,
give, give!
1t may, therefore, be considered a wise ar
rangcment Of Providence that the years Of
nan are numbered on the earth SO that their
power ceaseth and the riches which they sc-
cumulate are dispersed, and as q general thing
are divided among their heirs, and thus the
power of great fortunes to produce mischief
and oppression Is proportionately weakened.
Just now very bitter and intense quarrel
sgoing on between Vanderbilt and Drew, two
railway kings in New York, who arc seeking
By their wealth to monopolire and control the
great railways OF that Commonwealth very
much to the injury and especially the safety
of tho public.
While the community can have no other
wish than that these men may live out their
allotted time on earth, they must, neverthe.
less, be DESTROYS that in this war they may
both come to grief by using each other com
pletely up. A Kilkenny cat fight Is q consum.
nation devoutly to be wished as the end OF
this conflict.
Cornelius Vanderbilt is a man OF immense
wealth, and he Is seeking to grasp all compel
Ing lines of railway communication, and to
hold them in his own hands for his own es-
pecial gains and that of few Of his satellites,
who constitute the rings formed by him. That
he may not succeed In achieving this purpose
and establishing this monopoly must be the
general desire Of the public all over the land.
Such absolute control over these thorough.
fares as his plans contemplate would work
disastrously to the public veal.
There are those who wish Mr.. Vanderbilt
success because, as they say, he will run the
roads for the benefit OF the stockholders; but
If he caa control the stock the roads will be
worked for his own benefit and will be man.
aged for his benefit. Neither public interest
nor the safety OF those who travel can DO pro-
NOTED by giving this man supreme power, the
thing which he seeks. He may say give me
this control which ask and will take care
of the public interests. The reply to this Is
conclusive, 1t is too much power to place in
the hands OF any one man. And besides, the
public Is already too familiar with the man
agement Of Mr.Vanderbilt In his own interest
and In that OF his immediate friends to place
implicit confidence In his promises. with his
gains in the shape Of fat dividends in one scale
Ald the wages of his laborers and empIoyees
aid public welfare In the other, II requires no
prophet to foreten which will kick the beam,
The management Of Drew is so plain that we
need not enlarge upon 1t. He who runs may
read what has been and is the policy Of Mr.
Drew. He has grown immensely rich, while
the road over which he exercises control has
grown poorer and poorer. He 10 known to
have speculated In the decline Of the property
which has been left to him TO protect, and his
purse is now plethoric to OVERLOOKING with
the illgotten gains. He has sacrificed the In.
terest OF stockholders, worn out the road, put
In jeopardy the safety OF his passengers, issued
an enormous amount of stock secretly, and
without authority-or report states falsely
and has done all In his power to deprecIate
the stock for his own private speculations
md those OF his friends.
Time and space would fail US to state all
the schemes and plots OF these men to which
they have resorted to consummate their own
private ends, and enrich themselves and their
friends at the expense OF the public and the
ANAL stockholders. The best thing, therefore,
Is that their power should begin to waae, and
grow beautifully less, till 1t shall cease for
ever. II these men can destroy each other the
public will be the gamers.