The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-02-18
Ulle Urlbuue.
WITH SUPPLEMENT.
LUTHER S. DIXON.
THE RAILROAD LILLIPUTEASS AND
THE AMERICAN GIANT.

Under this head the Chicago lost OF
late date treats on the subject of railroad
monopolies 1t takes the same general
view expressed by ourselves last week,
viz: that the country is IN very great
danger of the Railroad Kings. 1T seems
an effort is being made to strike OF from
the statutes of New York the general
railroad law, and Jay Gould was called
upon to testify in regard to its workings
Had it not been for the exercise OF the
power conferred by this law, MIR. Gould
declares that Vanderbilt would have long
since obtained control, of the Erie stock.
"Once," he says, ''put the Erie and
Central under the same control, and their
connections would extend to the Pacific,
and they would control the prices OF all
Western produce in the New \ ork mar
ket. They could make -four S5 barrel
one day, and SO the next .5f
After some remarks as to the power OF
money In railroad matters the Rost, says
''The country may well tremble when Its
greatest interests are guarded by such
mercenary sentinel as a New York Leg
islature. What legislation aud judicial
interpretation, money cannot procure IN
New York, it would puzzle Omnisclence
to ind out.
We of the West perceive the danger,
but it is of such comparatively recent Or
igin, and its proportions are so gigantic,
yet of such wavering and indistinct out
lines as it come stalking towards US, that
we are almost transfxed with amazement.
But this amazement will soon yield to
earnest activity in preparation to give the
enemy battle. How shall he be met :?
By Congress, by State Legislatures, or
by the judiciary, or all combined? We
have no doubt of the rightful power OF
any people to protect themselves against
such enslavement as Mr.. Jay Gould de-
clares is in the close future for the North
west, and he might say the whole country,
if the Erie Road shall prove unable to
retain the General Railroad law Of New
York upon the statute books But
whether they look to the courts, as Gov
ernor Palmer suggests, to give efficacy to
those laws guarding public rights which
Legislatures even may not contravene, or
seek relief in restrictive statutes, they
will be compelled to contend against the
corrupting power Of money. Unless
there is public virtue enough to make IT.
self predominant in all the branches of
government, so that Legislators, judges
and executives, shall be beyond the reach
of bribery, it matters little where the alb
stract legal power to compel railroads to
reasonable rates of charge, lies. But it
is certainly worth while to ascertain
where the legal remedy is, in order that
the executors of the popular will may
know what is expected of them, In view
of the danger that few men richer than
Creesus or the Marquis of Butte, may con-
troll all the great highways of the coun-
try from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
through them control all the great mar
kets likewise, and above all subjugate to
to their behests the very Government it
self, it is not possible to speak too strongly
in urging the people toa prompt, earnest,
and enlightened consideration of the mo-
mentous subject. A glance at railroad
map reveals net work of apparently
harmless and benefcent lines, but it may
be, that like the threads of the Lilllpu-
tians, they bind down giant.