The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-12-13
Government and Corpora
tlOnS.

Government and Corpora
tiOns.
Governments should exist for the
people. If they do not, they have no
rigat to exist, as the reoplc have no
use Of them. When corporations swal-
low up the earnings of the masses to
crafty their cupidity and swell divi-
dends on stock never invested, it is
time for the State to interfere in behalf
of the citizen. When corporation Of
individuals as the telegraph lines, for
instance, exact for the transmission Of
its messages fee that gives 500 per
cent on its cost, it is time for the gov
eminent to interfere and place them at
the disposal of the people at sum
that pays a reasonable interest on the
stock invested, the wages of operators
and repairs.
The statement is not questioned by
we'll Informed persons, that the stock
issued by the railroad and telegraph
companies Of the United States, repre-
sents from FIVE to fifteen times the
money absolutely invested. Every
dollar of this fictitious stock must pay
a dividend to the owneA
The railroad and the telegraph are
as essential to the business interests of
the country to-day, as the turnpike
and the mail coach were fifty years
ago. The people used the latter for
what it cost to keep them in repair or
to perform the service, they have the
same natural right to use the others on
the same terms. No man or set of
men have right to monopolize the
free use of air, light, water and heat.
When the acts Of corporations become
subversive of just ends, it becomes
the duty Of government to intercede to
protect the individual.
The Legislature of Illinois has taken
a step in the right direction in regard
to railroad tariffs, and the corporations
spurning the authority that created
them, are now before the courts to test
the question Of right. The Chicago,
Alton & St. Louis Railway Company
had a case at Bloomington, Ill. before
Judge Upton, in which the Court de-
cided the law requiring uniform rates
Of freight constitutional, aud of
course that the legislature may, Of
right, regulate the roads. In the
Kankakee Circuit Court, Judge Wood,
on the same question, has decided in
favor Of the corporation and against the
people. Both cases have gone to the
Supreme Court. In the Bloomington
case, the Company charged more to
freight a car load Of lumber from
Chicago to Lexington, ITO miles, than
to Bloomington, which is l2G miles. In
the other case the Company charged a
greater rate per mile for passenger fare
to Kankakee than to passengers going
a greater distance. In addition te
these, there are cases pending in othe,
circuits which will get every point il
the law decided by the higher courts Of
the State within the next year.
Of one fact. the corporations can rest
assured, aud that is this. if the present
Judges Of the Supreme Court rule
adversely to the people, because Of
their convictions, the people will FL
their places at the first opportunity
with men whose convictions are differ.
ent.
The people ask the courts to decide
whether corporations can be compelled
to serve them for reasonable profit OF
their investment and labor, or whether
they may continue to take two third
Of all the grain grown in the west t.
get the other third to market. As j
now is the railroads of the Unitet
States control aud establish the price o
all the grain grown in the west.
During the months of July and Aug
ust, the railroad companies with road'
penetrating the grain growing region
become convinced that freights are to-
high, only to conclude just as there i
some thing for them to do, that the,
are inadequate, and up they 60, t
former rates with perhaps an advance
because Of the loss to the compan,
from reduction when there was not
bushel Of wheat to ship.
n NrNnN n NJ