The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-01-18

COnLl0onL. uaN lituBtJ1leU luz J1CS Su8t
when e Intelligent masses are once
aroused, and move with discriminate
purpose, they have power to crush
vsnall1y aud perrupsioa = easily ase
glAnt al set feot upon 4 Morm. BID
while n 10 prser 70 rem politics.
abuse 1here It's have heen permitted
% growso Owe hadowine proportioss.
Il is better for the people to keep 50
constantly on the alert NJ ~ give u"
opportunity for such abuses 10 deve-
lop.
Cheap and reliable facilities for the
exchange of products are the last,
though not least important, aids Of
profitable production to which | pur>
| pose calling attention at the present
time. The consideration Of this
question will involve brief discussion
OF the railway problem. And when it
IL understood that during the last
forty years more than six thousand
millions Of dollars Of the worlds
capital has been invested Ia railways.
and that throughout our Country this
mode Of travel and transportati ~ is
fast supsrseding ell others, the import
ance OF finally aud equitably defining
the relation between railways and the
communities can, In . measure, be
realized. Henry Clay, q statesmen Of
prophetic forecast, believed. half
century ago, that his efforts IL behalf
Of the Cumberland turnpike would
connect his name with IN enterprise
Of enduring greatness; aud that II
would specially be remembered TO his
credit by the multitude who would
journey along it in MI the future Of the
Republic. But to day, that turnpike.
and dirt roads everywhere, are fast
passing int, dieuse, except ~ mere
local conveniences whilst the habits
of the people are now CONFIRMED to .
| new mode Of commerce aud colnMuni-
cation, The private citizen who
| could once put his own wagon upon
the road, or boat upon the river and
lake, now finds himself forced, IN
order to keep pace with the worlds
| business habits, 10 entrust his person
and his property. In moving from
point to point, to transportation
monopoly. A consideration Of these
facts cannot but impress thinking men
with the Importance Of the railroad
question.
do not regard the pretensc that
| railways are beyond the control Of law,
/ In respect to fare or freights. as worthy
Of more than moments considera-
ton. 1t will not do for corporation,
when asking the right Of eminent
domain, to avow the purpose II build
ing a public highway. for which
purpose alone II could hope To acquire
this prerogative Of sevreignty;& when
enjoyed, to declare itself independent
Of statutory control Ia the limitation
of fare and freish hts, on the ground
that a railway il private property, II
has been said that both currency
and internal communication between
different portions Of State are ex-
clusively the prerogatives Of sovereign.
ty.n II, therefore. banks owe debt
to the community NJ well IA to their
stock holders, for the prerogative
franchises with which they have been
clothed. there can DO no question ~ 10
the consideration, due from railways
for their still greater privileges. As
an individual cannot conclusively
determine his own rights in respect to
his dealings with the community, 1t is
not to be supposed that vast money-
] ed power subject to the restrictions of
\ common carrier, can assume prer"
/ gatiyes denied, In this regard, To
private citizens. lthss always seemed
to me that railroad men. to rs great All
extent At least IS any other persons.
would have a deep interest in the
effectiveness aud ability Of whole
some statutes as ,s,on pure aud just
laws the perm2i.. ut value Of their
stocks and franchises alone depend !;
yet it 10 . fact that the possession Of
enormous franchises breeds con-
tempt for law. There can be no
clearer duty, therefore, than for the
State to maintain its power over
railway, and all other corpora tions OF
her own creation. Aud II Iowa ever
abdicates this sovereignty, she will
have proved herself unworthy OF the
dignity Of free commonwealth.
Approaching, however, the question
as to how farce and freights shsll be
regulated. ] am free to admit the
difficulties which surround 1t. Many
experiments have been tried In other
States, some Of which defeated the
very end they were intended to pro-
mote. fall railways Were alike in
cost OF construction, operation. and in
their earnings, the problem could
sasiIy be solved; but when the facts
confront us they present unexpected
/ difficulties. That We can, by arbitrary
statute, fix the price Of freigh,s upon
sil articles, and on all roads, aud do
Justice to the community and to the
railways, seems almost an ln,possibili-
ty. To establish like freight upon a
| son Of iron and . ton Of tea, oT per car
for the transportation OF q car load Of
common horses, or the fancy stock OF
tile sportsman or breeder, with the
difference in liability In one case ~
compared with the other, illustrates
the obstacles 70 30 scsiing 8 tariff OF
! freigbts as TO meet the various de-
/ mands OF commercs. When Ne con.
slider futher the difference Of expense
in operating railways; one having
easy grades and running through n
level, agricultural country, with light
expense, and local business profita
BILE to stock holders another through 4
hilly region, with sharp curvatures
heavy grades, and with limited local
business; the difficulties sre Increased
And IL We consider the further fact
that one road may largely supported
by passenger traffic, while another Il
specially freight, coal Or lumber
road, it still further multiplies th.
obs, aelss in our pathway.
Thern ara howeyor some ah,ises