The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-03-07

/1ne lion. NJ. N. WAiQen, MEMBER
of Congress from this District, on
the 18th Of February made a
lengthy speech in tho House upon
the subject Of National Legislation
to control railroads in their
tariffs ON freights and passengers.
The speech is an interesting one, and
evinces much research, quoting
high authority to show that the
power to regulate these matters lie
clearly with Congress.
We give below the concluding
portion of his speech
What are the evils of which we
complain !? Men possessed with
sufficient brain and energy to win
success in airy department of life
have combined together and seized
the railroad as q stepping-stone to
wealth and power. Less than
score Of these persons meet in secret
conclave and resolve TO increase she
rates OF charges on every line of
road represented by them. The tel
egrsph informs the station agent of
this edict, and q new schedule of
charges at once goes into effect. But
the farmer who is shipping his grain,
to market receives no more than be-
fore, and is therefore compelled to
substraUt from the proceeds OF
his harvest this additional tribute
levied by owners of the railroad.
Indeed, the entire inland country Of
the West IS, in sense, at the mercy
of these railroad operators. We
read in history that the barons Of
the feudal ages owned the lands, aud
at their pleasure levied tribute on
their subjects and history repeats
itself in the fact that these monopo-
lies accomplish the same end, only
through diffsren, channel.
1t has been argued that the con
struclion of new roads would tend to
destroy these combinations by Great
ing q healthy competition and to
that end the People have involved
themselves in debt and given freely
of their means, while Congress for
the same purpose has made princely
grants Of land. But each new road
as soon as completed at once com
bines with others, and thus relief fails
to come. On the contrary, the mo
nopolies are on the increase from
year to year, and competition is thu
diminished. To-day the railroad
lines between all important points
throughout the country are no more
nor less than monopolies.
| But it may be said that the rail
roads have developed the country
and rendered valuable large tracts o
land which otherwise were entirely
worthless. This in y measure il
true and am free to admit theil
fright to control the vast tracts o
land which have been ceded to then
for that purpose; yet / deny thei
right to control directly or indirect
| ~, by combination or otherwise, tn,
land reserved by the Government
and now cultivated by settlers.
| These capitalists also have othe
means which enables them to collec
and control more completely tn
commercial and industrial interest,
Of the country. They have mothot
of creating fictitious eapitAl, whioh i
termed watering the stock" AMI
which enables them at pleasure Il
levy tribute on the country. Thes
are facts which cannot be sue
cessfnlly controverted !; and clos
observers are beginning to fear lest
day may come when these restless
energies, having mastered the com
merce OF the country, will seek I,
gain possession OF the Governmen
beSded ThsHH EN- coSmabriSstit6nsh Are r form
I'd which have tho capacity TO tos
at will d million dollars into thi
scale or shat. with all the corruptin
influences that follow2
Wealth may ba q blessing whe
not aggregated in large quantities j
the hands III INSCRIPTIONS men.
ia like the rain which revives To
fields when graeiously given in th
form of o shower, but which bring
loss and destructioa when collecte
In an uDgovernablc torrent.
In central lows, whore, - befor
shown, the genial sun and profit
soil combine TO reward the farme
with bountiful harvest, the remar
is common that sit costs one busht
. of wheat to send another to market;
, 80 that grain becomes . drsg an
the development Of the State is oil
structed. l am told that corn 10 no,
, used as fuel even in the region Of th
great Iowa and Missouri coal-felt
and our vast coal interests also il
, idle for the want Of reasonable rate
IF transportation to market. Tbi
should ao3 be 80. and would not b.
If our freights could be transporte
TO tho river ut a fair price. Bot tb
rates of charges on the railroads ar
SO framed that grain from centrs
Iowa can be laid down in Chlcag
almost as low as at the Miseissipp
river, aud in this wsy the rive
towns are crippled and the develop
ment Of the entire State obstructed
Thus is commerce retarded an,
grain left to rot in the crib. Tn
cost of freight from lows to New
Orleans, by water. should not be owe
ten cents per bushel on grain, 40 tina
just rates from the interior TO tn
river would enable us to ship on
products to q southern market, wher
the quotations are above those O
Chicago and the East. For thes
evils think relief could be found il
3 IA law to prohibit railroads from
, charging more for given distsnc
I than greater distance, as between
competing points. Such law woul'
at once increase to large extent tb
value of every bushel OF grain in Ger
: trail Iowa. 1t would promote th
. prosperity Of the farmers, thereb.
creating an increased demand to
!. merchandise and building material
! and thus commerce would be advsu
ced and the increase OF trade woul
in measure compensate for the pre-
posed reduction OF charges.
, Mr.. Speaker, in conclusion hav
3 only to say that in my judgment thi
> question affords the greatest prot
n