The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-17

Railroad Mouopolies.
1t becomes apparent, more and moro, every
day, that the concentration Of railroad inter
ests in this country 10 developing power
which win prove both dangerous and ire
sistible, unless Congress soon interposes Its
authority to restrain and control 1t. We are
constantly hearing Of new railroad combina-
tions by which the smaller local lines are
swallowed up by the great trunk lines. In
| fact, In some instances, nearly all the rail-
roads of State are merged in the monopoly
Of one or other Of the great corporations. We
have seen what has been going on lately to
bring the Jersey railroads under the control Of
the Pennsylvania Central We hear, too, Of
the negotiation pending to turn over tho Erie
Railroad to Vanderbilt, the Great Mogul
of the Central and Hudson River and
Harlem railroads. The tendency every
where is to place the whole railroad
system OF the country under the control Of .
few companies or men. 1t could not we'll be
otherwise. Railroad combination facilitates
communication and the transportation of pas
sengers and freight, and 80 far 1t Is useful
even to the public. But it destroys rivalry
at the same time, and enables the great rail-
road corporations to make larger profits. Be-
sides, the concentration of SO much capital and
influence with few men is mighty political
power, which the railroad magnates fully ap-
preciate We see, then, how many influences
are at work to consolidate railroad interests
and to make them superior to local or State
governments, or even to the federal govern
ment ITSELF
In former times great deal was said about
the gigantic power and monopoly Of the United
States Bank. Mr.. Biddle, who had control of
that institution, was compared to monarch,
and he welded vast power. It was question
at one time which was strongest, he or the
President of the United States, and had there
been a man Of less vigor and determination
than General Jackson in the Presidential chair,
then Biddle might have been victorious. We
have seen also the great power of the present
national bank organizations, especially over
the legislation Of Congress, though these In
situations cannot have that concentration of
action or influence through one individual or
few individuals that the old bank had. No
doubt the United States Bank was dangerous
monopoly, particularly when 1t became a po-
litical machine; and the national bank associa-
tons are monopoly, not less powerful, over
the industry and means of the people, and,
where they have common object, little less in
political affairs But neither the one nor the
other possessed the influence of that new power
which our railroad system has developed. A
few railroad magnates-kings, as they have
been not improperly called-control municipal
authorities, State Legislatures, governors, the
judiciary, capitalists, politicians, labor and,
in great measure, the material interests of
the country.
Vanderbilt, with the New York Central
and Hudson River and Harlem railroads;
Gould and Fisk, with the Erie and Its
branches; Thomson and Scott, with the
Pennsylvania Central and its ramifcations,
and Garrett with the Baltimore aud Ohio
and its connections. WELD power over
States and statesmen and the community
greater than that of the President of the
United States or than of most monarchs in
associated or interested with them they COM
mand the votes of an army of employees; and
if their political influence should not be sufi-
cient to control government they have enor-
nous wealth to buy their way through all
obstacles. The five or six railroad kings we
have named control in capital, stocks, bonds,
railroad and other real estate, rolling stock
and other property, sum greater than the
revenue of the federal government. Over
five hundred millions Of dollars of value, prob
ably, and gross yearly income approaching
hundred millions of dollars are 10 their
hands. OF course we include In this estimate
both the great trunk railroads and the con-
nections which they control. This is the
mighty power that science, the progressive
civilization of the age and cupidity have de-
| veloped.
We have not yet seen or felt the full extent
| of the evils of these monstrous monopoles.
They have grown up rapidly and almost in
sensibly. We only begin to see and feel them.
The trouble between the laboring miners and
their employers In Pennsylvania has thrown
some light upon the grasping cupidity and
oppression Of the soulless railroad corpora
tons. They, in fact, more than other owners
of mines, were at the bottom Of the trouble and
resisted the claims Of the workmen. Had it
not been for the railroad managers the miners
would have obtained long since the trifing
advance demanded and would be at work now.
While they charge enormous and most unrea-
sonable freghts for transporting coal-three,
four, or more dollars ton-they have COM
bined with other capitalists and mining com
panies to resist the miserable advance Of a
few cents on the wages Of the workmen. The
people who consume coal and have to pay an
extravagant price for it should know that the
railroads, and not the Woodworking miners,