New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-04-03

This immense power Is beginning TO be used
in the most arbitrary manner, and TO the
great wrong and injury of the people Their
rights are absolutely disregarded, and tae
companies are Influenced solely By their own
interests. The farmers Of the west nave
been made 10 feel their selfish and grinding
policy with ruinous effects. Against them
the oppression is exercised with relentless
severity. By the exorbltant freight charges
on wheat and corn, these products, in many
parts of the West, are rendered utterly worth
less, except for fuel, for which corn is largely
used. The charge on them is from fifty to
seventy per cent. Of their value in market.
As an instance, corn, which sold for - cents
in Boston, only Noted the Illinois farmer %
cents-the railroad company pocketing the
fifty cents.
Even this extortion, however, is not the
only ground Of complaint against the monop-
olists. The manner in which the tax is im-
posed makes it still harder to bear. FreiShts,
it is alleged, vary from month to month, and
one-half the year they arc from one-third to
double what they are the other half the year,
so that corn, which can be sent from Chicago
to New York for sixteen cents in June, by
water, and which the railways will carry for
twenty-five cents in August, the same rail-
ways charge thirty-six cents for carrying in
January, when navigation is closcd; and this
is believed to be in one case twice, and in
the other three times, what would Fairly COM
pensatc the roads for carriage.
The ability thus to extort with IMMUNITY
from the hard earnings of farmers, and to
perpetuate these glaring outrages, is the
result, rs we have stated, of the combina-
tons they have formed among themselves.
1t enables them TO break down all competi-
ton, to monopolizc the whole carrying trade
of the country for at least one-half the year,
and dictate their own prices. And this cnor-
nous power is exercised under the form of law.
Every privilege they have ever demanded has
been granted them, and very few safeguards
erected against their abuse. They, there
| fore, don't hesitate to use the liberal fran
chise so freely granted them for the opprcs-
sion and robbery of those from whom they
were received.
These powerful combinations, however,
arc not satisfied with expressing the peo-
pie, and warning upon their rights and
interests. In the pride of their strength,
they seem disposed to exercise it against the
General Government, and force it to submit
to their selfish and exacting demands. Their
recent threat to withdraw fromit the priyi-
lego Of continuing the postal or mail car ia
cilties on their lines unless at an enormously
increased rate, is still more striking instance
Of their grasping disposition, of their over
grown and dangerous power, and of their Of
fensiye insolence. 1t shows that it won't do
for the Government to depend upon these
companies to extend any facilities either to
it or to the people, unless upon the most
ruinous terms, and that it is quite time to be-
gin to curb this monstrous monopoly. The
people, through their Legislatures, must take
hold ofthe matter before it becomes too strong
for them. 1t must in some way be controlled
for the public good, rather than for its OPP
preston. The remedy is in the hands of the
State Legislatures and of Congress.
The Senate Of the United States, at its re-
cent extra session, we are gratified to state,
took step which shows that Congress is be-
ginning to comprehend the necessity of some
restrictive action. 1t appointed committee
to investigate this whole subject of railroads,
railroad combinations, and railroad policy,
with power to sit during the whole summer,
and visit all parts of the country, examine
witnesses, and do whatever else may be
deemed necessary, the result of these labors
to be submitted at the next regular session OF
Congress. The report Of the committee, and
IT'S result upon Congress and the country, will
be looked for with great interest. We think
it ought, and we hope it will, form the basis
of such action as will check the growing, and
diminish the already dangerous, power OF
these insOlcnt monopolies.
Besides this significant and important
step, the farmers of Illinois and other West
ern States have resolved to remedy the evil
under which they are groanins, if in thcil
power. They have entered into combina.
tons in self-defense, to resist the extortions
of railroad monopolies. And thus is a pow.
erful reaction against them springing up al
over the country, and this spirit ofresistance
to tyranny will increase until railroads arc
made to know that, strong as they have be-
come, the people are still stronger. If wise
they will abandon their ruinous policy. L
they do not do it voluntarily they will, sooner
or later, be compelled by force to do it.
THE New York Tribune has despatched
one Of its corps to the South for the seeming
purpose of writing the negro down. His up
ward and onward tendency excitcs the jcal