The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-08-15
SAN FRANCISCO.

Gov. Booths Great Speech AgaInS
the Railroad MonOpolys.A StTOnI
Statement OF the Wrongs OF The
People.
SAN FRANCISCO, August l3.-The grea
speech Of Gov. Booth upon the railroad
question has been the principal topic o
conversation today and has created t
profound sensation. After reviewing thC
question Of the disintegration Of party
ties, he says the growing tendency to-day
Is the Capitalization Of power aud the ag
gregation oi corporate wealth. From The
Corruptlng influences Of the Credit Mo
bilier and Contract and Finance Company
he passed 10 an illustration oi the absolute
power Of railways to monopoli2e the com
mercial business ol the country and ruin
all competition by systems OF special and
discriminating rates Tor transportation
When touching upon the subject OF The
Central Pacific Railroad and its interter'
ence in the political and mercantile affairs
of the Pacific coast, he said: "That this
statement is not exaggerated, l appeal
to the experience ot every business man
In this community who takes part, or feels
an interest In public affairs. Get together
committee for the purpose Of considering
a question Of public importance, and the
moment it trenches upon railroad ground
how many will feel that 1t is dangerous
ground, luIl Of pitfalls, for their personal
safety. Attempt MI organization to resist
a railroad demand, no matter how bold
or unscrupulous, how many will tell you !:
I should like 10 Join yon, but II will In.
jure me in my business Tho railroad
can take away the special rate, or give 1t
to my neighbOr. They can give orders
all along tho line that none OF their EN-.
ployes shall deal with me. They can
ruin merchants who will not regard their
orders. It may be question ol ruin. OF
bankruptcy, of bread to my family. The
struggle Of his manhood is earnest and
painful, but the yoke Is upon his neck,
the iron in his soul and the ballot box Is
stuffed or the returns altered to carry one
subsidy. Another demand follows. Men
will say, 4 know It is wrong, It Is an out
rage, but my property Is all In the city.
They could not affect its ultimate value,
but It Is mortgaged and they can unsettle
prices by their threats, and | should have
tho sheriff at my door, What interest Is
there which cannot be made 10 feel this
iron pressure? But as II 1t were too te-
dIous to capture these several interests In
detail, they go to Congress and demand
the possession Of Goat Island, still demand
1t, boast that they will get it and will get
II If they carry these elections. It 10 rO-
served for military purposes Incy sC1Icc' TI ~
" intend to change its purposes lhey
only intend to lombard the CITY lnstSaG
of its enemies when it res!sts; Goa
in heaven you are one hundred thou-
sand, they are three! Have they got a
hook in the laws Of this leviathan 10 draw
you as they please? Down In the country
farmers will tell you that rates may be
changed, their depots moved, their &C
commodations restricted, or that they are
upon railroad sections with imperfect
titles, and they too are in the tolls. 10 onV
hopes are held out threats
are made TO another. Go through tho
State: upon every pulse OF Industry there
Is an iron finger counting It's beats; upon
every throat there Is an iron hand that
tiehieus or relaxes its grasp at the inter
cal or CAPRICE Of an iron will. have refer
red but incidentally 10 those twin brothers
Of monatrous shame, the Credit MObiller
and tho Contract and Finance Company
have said nothing Of the two hundred and
tWenty.tour millions Of acres oil public
lands, three times the area ol GREAT BTU
ain, given 10 the railroad companies, ana
at the last session Of Congress bills
were introduced giving one hundred and
millions more; to tho mill
ions, hundreds Of millions, OF which the
southern States have been robbed un-
der the false pretense that The railroads
we're to be built by the proper companies
l have made no reference 10 the three
million In this State, and It's counties have
been asked Tor for railroad companies
legislative action and the
popular vote, nor to the fact that while
The general government Is paying
two million Of dollars per annum
for the bonus OF the Central Pacific and
the State $105, 900 the company can sue
cessiully DEFY the State TO collect It's
taxes, and with an eiirontery that Is sub
lime makes the gifts and largess 1t has
received one of the grounds OF its refusal
to pay. For the fact Is that to-day there
is not a piece Of public property from
China basin and Goat Island to all the
broad acres Of our national domain, from
tho remotest point in the mountains TO
the rolling waters Of the rivers OF the
plains, upon which some incipient or full.
grown monopoly has not fixed It's COW
etous eye, and which 1t does not hope 10
obtain through some kind Of political cor.
ruption ol bargain and SALE"
WAR AMONG THE DEMOCRATS.
SAN FRANCISCO, August 14.-The two
Democratic Conventions In this city arc
at variance. The Legislative Convention
Is packed by Stanford and company, and
made nominations. Tho new municipal
Convention proposes 70 make separate
ticket independent Of tho influence Of the
company. Eight members OF the Demo.
cratic County Committee have resigned.
The reason stated Ia that the committee
treacherousIy sold to Stanford and com:
pany. The Legislative Convention is
packed by them, and there Is much ex.
citement In the ranks Of the party about
the matter. ''-