The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-09-28
Uhe geuus1ta Sete0raph.
KENOSHA, WIS. SEPTEMBER 28.1871
HORACE GREELEY ON MONOPO.
LIES.
THE PEopra.sUPERIoR TO THE RAIRoADs

address at the Minnesota Agricultural
Fair. from which we extract his argument
for the SUBJ lection of railroads to the Will
and interests of the people:
Iepeak, therefore, as friend not only
ofrailroads in general, but of the land
grant railroads in particularly, when ID
sist on reconstruction of the policy
under which they have hitherto been 'eu
thorized and often subsidized. That re
form can har41ly be too sweeping, ana II
cannot come too soon. / can but outline
some of its broader features.
A dozen or so of railroad anagnates,
summoned bv private message, meet
from time to time in one Of our great
cities They consult in secret dine and
wine satisfactorily, adjourn and go their
several ways. Next morning the Ceie-
prarb wir~s villa have flashed across the
land their decision that every bushel 81
grain going to market, every bale OF
goods passing inland shall hencetorth pay
twenty to thirty per cent. more freight
than has hitherto been paid. In effect,
this bevy of taiIroad kings have arbitra
rity reduced the value of every farm,
every quarter section, every bushei OF
grain in the great West. If they owned
the whole country, and all who live an It,
thew could nor lord it over us more tyran
nically. And perhaps they will proceed
next day to make scrip DIVIDEND, or
additional issue of stock, representing
nothing but their own rapaclty, SO as to
conceal from dull or careless eyes the
fact that they are exactiag from their Gus
toners an annual profit of fifteen to
T., nrtv FIVE per cent. on their actual In
VeeGment.
800, am asked, "may not man do
what he likes with his 0wn?
answer, within certain limitations, he
may. He may inhabit or lock up his
dwelling house he may not Set fire to it.
He mag arrest the stream flowing ami
Drawing across his farm, but If he should
wllIfullE open his food2ates and let IF
his pond so as to damage his nelghbOrs
below him, he would be legally RESPONSE
bic 70 them for the value OF their crops
or other property destroyed. We must
30 use what is indisputably ours as to do
no wanton injury to others But rail-
road is not private property In the same
sense, to the same extent that house or
farm is. It is public highway. which
company has constructed ON certain CON
ditions, some of them expressed, Others
clearly implied. II a mailman should
buy up majority Of the stock of a
rOilrOad, and tlereupOn decree that III
one but himself should hencetnrth travel
on it, he would soon be authortatiyeiy
taught that the road was not his pro
perry to that extent and for that purpose.
He would be made t. understand thai
the public had rlghtful interest III that
road, which he could not be allowed to
defeat.
A private citizen, after giving the best
part of his life to the requirement of a
competence, sits down to converse and
enjoy it. He builds or buys commodl-
Gus, elegant dwelling and surrounds it
with gardens, arbors, greenhouses, shade
trees, aud whatever he deems essential to
comfort and natural beauty. He hopes
never to be disturbed in his possessions,
and could not be tempted to sell them by
an offer of twice their appraised value.
But a railroad company's staff run line
directly through mansion, garden, green
houses, and a commission which be has No
voice in selecting, appraise lis damages
with no regard to sentiment, and he must
tumble out his furniture and take him
self off,. though the sum awarded him IS
not half the value to him Of what he Is
compelled to give up. He is not at lio-
erty even to move his house off the track
and get out of the way. unless by th
c~nspnr Of the representatives of the EN-
bryo railroad.
IL tnls light? Certainly it ID, for those
who represent the railrCad represent alst
the State and the community They
represent that public interest in The con
struction of facie highways of transpor-
tation and travel, to which individual
convenience and individual choice mus,
give way. Every ones ownership of land
or houses is subject to the right of emf
nent domain iTrevocably vested in the
State, and liable to be practically assert
ed whenever the public welfare shall re
quire it. Il
The right of the landowner IS not
then, absolute and indefeasible still less
is that of the stakeholder, The railroad
chartered by the State and enabled Il
take such land as it requires at yalua
ton by virtue of the States right of emf
3D. nent domain, has no legal power to exac
from the community rates of freight anC
fare limited only by its fear of driving
away business and thus defeating its owl
greed. 1t is bound to be satisfied witt
moderate and reasonable charges ifitl'
not the State should Interfere for th'
protection of it's citizens aud the encour
agement Of productive labor.
have traversed, in other years, good
many turnpikes. Though nov general,
outgrown, they were useful in treir d..
more advantageous, in the average
to their patrons than to their stockhod
ers. l cannot recollect one which baC