The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-11-06
Ar U.pcndIng Danger--Proposi'ions for

-...ss.u Dauger--PrOpOsilfons for |
n Maine Cesar. |
There is every probability that the Legisla-
ture of 1872 will be asked to take the prelim-
mary steps toward policy OF State aid to
railroads. The constitution must be first
amended, for at present the Legislature is for
hidden to loan the credit of the State, or 10
increase its debt beyond the 100000 limit
for any but war purposes. We have already
called our readers attention to an article in the
Bangor Wing, in which thatpaper, after laying
a careful foundation for specific proposition
by an adroit defense of the general policy of
State aid to railroads, demanded the first in.
stalment of the States bounty for the Aroos-
took and the EasterR shore roads-an ar
rangement in the propriety of which we
should heartily concur, il the vicious policy
supported by the Bangor daily were TO be
adopted. The Wing has since published
second article, in reply to our protest, in
which it declares that if it believed the dan
ger from corrupt legislation and from great
monopolies to be such as we have represented,
1t would shrink from changing the policy OF
the State with the same horror that the
PRESS does. But it sees no such danger. The
Legislature is already clothed with immense
powers, and we are obliged to trust it in max
ing appropriations of large sums; if every ad-
dition to its powers, and every increase OF the
wealth of the State, is to corrupt it, the whole
scheme of legislation is farce, and must in
some way be reformed. As for monopo-
lies, our contemporary cautiously suggests
that they manage to gain foothold without
the stimulus of government charity, and they
may perhaps be placed under needful restric-
tions by the very act OF fostering them in a
judicious and guarded manner. The danger
of harm from Stale aid is not to be mentioned
in comparison with the advantages that are
certain to follow, as it believes. -
We give the Wing credit for perfect sinceri-
ty and fairness. But we believe it to be as
wrong as wrong can be. And we call upon
all our Maine contemporaries, of both polit-
itical parties, to join with us in resisting at
the very outset scheme which, in less
honorable and disinterested hands than
those of the Wing, may, if permitted to get
start, convert Maine, as it has converted
three of the largest States of the Union, into
apolitical organization for the mere purpose
of registering the DEGREES of railroad corpora
tons. 1t is the worst feature ever developed
under republican government of that wicked
old plan of blrdenng the poor for the bene-
fit of the rich. Instead of being progress
i've and liberal policy, it is reactionary, con-
tempating the binding of new burdens on
the back of labor. 1t is the prolific mother
of privileged classes, monetary kings, local
autocrats and other medieval monsters 1t il.
the most insidious foe that genuine democracy
has. OF all the plans for taxing the many
for the benefit of the few, it is the shrewdest
and most uniformly successful.
But these generalities, however true, will
avail little with those who want facts. And
here the facts about government cid to rail-
roads are. When granted either by the gen.
eral government or by individual States it has
First, as we have before stated, converted the
legislature granting it into log rolling, venal
shamefully corrupt body.
Second, it has uniformly built up monopo
lies seemingly too strong to be controlled.
Third, it has facilitated the creation of fic.
titious evidences of property, and all the in
genious devices Of watering stock, tillthe Ia
Dor of this country is already burdened with
an annual tax of millions on millions demand
ed for paying to money kings the interest on
capital that never existed.
Fourth, it has lowered the moral tone of
the people by bringing great moneyed cor
porations in contact with them in the per-
Torrance of their political duties. as.
Fifth, the policy OF government subsidies has
introduced what has well been called ssCesar-
ism" into corporate life. 1t has brought in the
Vanderblts and Scotts-dynasties as awfu
for the contemplation of him who believes ir
the sacredness of human liberty as the Ro
manofs, Hohenzollerns or Bourbons.
1t is true, as the Wing say, that monopo.
lies are not wanting where roads are built
with private capital alone. But it is indis
putable that the hideous scandals we have
enumerated occur almost exclusively in the
case of roads partly built by. public funds
Our local railroad managers are enterprisine
men, who know how to make most of thei1
opportunities, and we are unwilling that they
should be exposed to the temptations that
have brought infamy upon their brethren in
other States and discredit upon the whole
country. There is danger enough already
that the great, imperious iery-eyed railroad
Kings OF other States, who are casting hungry
looks even now across our borders, will swoop
down some fine day, in spite of puny State
laws and the protests Of the people, and seize
o0 our humble possessions that happen to
be links in great international chain, and
so secure valuable prize. The time will soon
come when we shall surely be obliged to meet
such grave emergency. Shall we hasten
to raise up Cesar of our own? Shall we
offer to some one of our own people facilities
Tor playing Vanderbilt on provincial stage !?
The State OF New York gave as naked
gratuity to the Erie road, while it was build
ing, several million dollars The income re-.
sultlng from that expenditure by the State
mas been largely diverted to the personal ag-
grandlzement Of an individual whose vulgar
ostentation, shameless vices, unconcealed de-
paucheries and unpublished crimes raise him
almost to the dignity of a frightful portent-
one of those inexplicable phenomena that af-
fright while they disgust the world This is
condition of things almost as hard to bear
as any existing under despotic forms of gov
eminent. The money that built the Erie
road was largely raised by taxation. 1t
should not be forgotten that all taxes fall ul-
tlmately on labor-a trite fact enough, but
one that is too often obscured by assessment
lists where capital seems to be charged with
all the public burdens. The labor of New
YORK, therefore, built the road. Mr., James
Fisk and his brother conspirato: have seized
upon it. but have invested only trifling sum
OF money in it. They have inflated its securi-
ties by issuing fictitious stock until the public
is taxed more than one million dollars wear
10 pay the interest on an imaginary invest
ment. 10 sum up the whole matter-the la
boring men of New York and of the country
nave paid, and continue to pay, directly TO
Jim FISK and his companions in infany. mill
mons OF dollars for the management of pro-
pefty built with the peoples own money
Inc women that make shirts by the dozen.
working fifteen hours a day, labor ba-der
than they otherwise would, because they have
to support Jim Fisk's mistresses! The bread
is taken out of children's mouths that jim,
Fisk may bny pretty naval uniform, some
State Legislatures and a diamond PIN Ab
~no daSce omnes-from the case of Erie.
learn that of Roetor