The New York herald., 1870-10-31
The Influence OF Railroad Corporations In
Political EJaffcrs.

Important rs was the cotton interest in pre-
try, the railroad corporate influence is becom-
ing every day more and more powerful. The
consolidation of railroad corporations, with
thor immense capitals, in all sections Of the
country, and the pret~nsions power they exer-
cise afford indications that the policy Of the
managers of these corporations is to grasp
control not only in State but in the national
legislatures. Take few examples Com
modore Vanderbilt holds in the palm of his
hand three such great railroad institutions as
the Hudson River Railroad Company, the
Harlem Railroad Company and the New York
road with it's gigantic proportions, is managed
by an a9roit railroad manipulator named
Gould, with an untiring adjntant in the
shape of an opera 6ouDFe director, the maniG-
cent Seiior Jim Fisk. The Pennsylvania Cen
trail is huge political machine, one Of whose
branch Offices may be said to be located in
the Senate of the United States where the
New Jersey Camden and Amb)y monopoly
has had a central bureau for more than quar-
ter of century The Baltimore and Ohio
corporation has about as much to say in regard
to railroad transportation to and from the ma
tional capital as Congress itself; but its en-
croachments upon the prerogatlves of the
people to the fright of way over their own
domain have not been quite so extensive as
some others of orr large railroad corporations.
| a heavy political influence; while the rebuild
ing of the Southern roads gives to the railroad
monarchs in that part of the country--whose
| operations, however, are largely based on
Northern capital-no little political power.
| Then we have the great Pacific Railroad corpo-
ration, with its iron bands spanning the CONT
nent and pointing the way Of the whole worlt
to the riches and commercial wants of the once
ar Indies. Anon we shall have the stupendous
Longitudinal Railroad" stretching in time pl
the way from Behring Straits to the Isthnths
ofDarien, the veritable backbone" of the Con
tinent, and uniting its extremes in the embrace
and imparting on its Titan-like mission th'
healing influences, Of civilization and Chris
tianity to people now almost hidden from the
lights afforded BY the wonderful progress o.
the present age.
Now it is possible the American people may
not be alarmed at the probable effects com
bination Of the capital and influence Of thes
vast railroad corporations may have upon tn
future of the country-upon the permanenc
Of its institutions and the perpetuity of its po
litical liberties; but, in view of possible con
tugencies, we think we are justified in eau
tioning the people against the possible creation
of a railroad oligarchy here that may prove
dangerous to the nation in times to come a
was the Southern cotton oligarchy in time
past.
This subject is one OF considerable interes
to the American people, and the elections {
members to the next Congress should b
graduated accordingly.
|
KING WILLIAM OF PRUSSIA acquiesces
the right Of the Spanish people to nominal
and choose an Italian prince as their KIM
His expression has been conveyed to the Cal
met In Madrid in the most graceful terms.
| Ia 'lawfal to learn from the enamKS