New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-15
POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
GOV. BOOTH ON RAILROAD RAPACrrY.

GOV. BOOTH ON RAILROAD RAPACTrY.
THE RAMIFYING INFLUENCE OF THE GREAT RAIL
ROAD CoMPANIEs-TERRoRIsM EXERCISED OVER
MERCHANTS AND FARMERs-A VIGOROUS APPEAL
TO DORMANT VOTERS
SAN Francisco, Aug. 13.-The great speech OF
Gov. Booth upon the railroad question the princi
pal topic of conversation in all circles and has ere
ated n profound sensation. After reviewing the
questions of the dsintegration of party ties, the
growing tendency toward Capitalization of power,
and the aggregation of corporate wealth, and to the
corrupting influences of the Credit Mobilier and
Contract and Finance Company, he proceeded TO
illustrate the absolute power Of railways to mo-
nopolize the commercial business Of the country
and to ruin competition by system of special and
discriminating rates for transportation. Applying
his remarks to the Central Pacific Railroad, and re-
citing its interference in political and mercantile
affairs on the Pacific Coast he showed that his
eral propositions were neither exaggerated nor sen
sational. He said
appeal to the experience Of every business man in
this community who takes part feels an interest in
public affairs say II they can get together committee
for the purpose OF considering any question OF public
Importance without instantly feeling the encroaching
power Of this railroad monopoly Tho moment such
committee trenches upon railroad ground now many
feel that II dangerous ground full OF pitfalls Tor their
personal safety. Attempt to create an organization 10
resist railroad demand no matter how bold and nn
scrupulous and how many will tell you, "Ishoud like
to join you, but 1t will injure me in my business the
railroad take away special rate or give diScrim
mating facilities to my neghbor; they can give out all
along the line that OF their employees shall deal
with me they ruin merchants who VIII not regard
their orders. 1t may be question or rum Oh
bankruptcy, OF bread to my family" The strug-
Gle Of his manhood ia earnest and PAINFUL
but the yoke upon his neck tho iron in his soul
ballobox ia stuffed or returns altered 10 carry on
railroad subsidy, and then another demand follows.
Men will say, ~ know 1t Is wrong; 1t Is an outrage
but my property is all in the city. They cannot aHect
Its ultimate yalue but 1t mortgaged. and they can
unsette prices by their threats and should soon nave
the sheriff at my If resist their demands what
interest is there which cannot be made to req TINS
iron pressurei But II it too tedious to capture
these several interests detail they go to Congress
and demand the possession Of Goat Island; they sui
demand it, and boast that they will get 1t II they carry
this election. Reserved though IL is Tor military
purposes they scarcely intend TO change Its purpose
They only intend lombard tho city from It, instead
OF bombardng the citys enemies. until their demands
are conceded. III Gods name look at 1t! You are one
hundred thousand they but three men. Have
they cot hook in the laws OF this evathan TO draw 1t
as they peasei Even in the country the farmers VIII
tell Won that rates Of transp may De changed
their depots to their disadvantage or their &C
commodatOns restricted. Or they tell you that they
owe money upon railroad sections OF lana WIN inper
feet titles and that they too in the tolls TO one
community seductive hopes held out threats are
made TO another 10 sway both to the monop0ys Will
Go through the State and upon every pulse OF industry
there ia an iron finger counting its beats upon every
throat there Is an hand that ughtens or reaxes ltS
CRASH Mt the instance or caprice of an iron will.
have referred but incidentally TO that twnbirth OF
incestuous shame the Credit Mober and the Contract
and Finance Company / have said nothing OF the
2Q4 900 acres OF public lands-three times the area OF
Great Brtain-given railroad companies and at the
last session Of Congress bills introduced giving
700 more have said nothing OF the millions ana
hundreds of millions Of which the Southern states nave
been robbed under the false preense that the raroas
were to be by the paper companies to whom theSe
millions were granted. 1 have made no rel
erepce TO the S3o,OOOOOO that this State and Its
counties have been asked to appropriate ior
railroad eompanes through legislative action ana pOpu
lar votes Nor have cited the fact that while the Gen.
eral Government is paying g. annum interest
m tbe bonds of the Central Pacific Railroad Company
and the state sos more the Company can success
fully defy the state TO collect its taxes With an eront
cry that is sublime it makes the very gifts and argesses
IL has received one of the grounds OF its refusal to pay
To such infamous indebted for the fact
that today there is piece species OF public prop
erv from China Basin and Island TO ali the broad
acres of our national domainrom the remotest point
in the mountains 10 the rolling waters OF the rivers OF
the plains upon which incipient or fulgrown mo-
nopoy has not fixed its and winch does
not hope to obtain through kind of political cor
ruptioH, or bargain and sale.