Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-09-13

States viii approximate 100 200, 900
souls, its property values 100000, ,000,-
900. Do you think the wheat is going
to rot in the field. the fruit on the trees,
the vessel at the dock, and that all com.
mercial and industrial life is to stag
nate if the administration of the govern
mentis not given up to railroad compa-
nies and their allies? / do not believe
the future of California, with all its
illimitable Possibilities, should be mort
gagged now to any set of persons with
power to appoint guardians and receiv-
ers for all generations to come. To this
complexion it will come, unless we
burst the bands wherewith we are
bound, before our locks are shorn.
FOR THE WHOLE QUESTION NO ADEQUATE
SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND.
For the whole of this great question
no adequate solution has yet been
proposed. The evil has struck it's
roots ( deeply and their
ramifications are wide; to eradicate
it is a work of courage and wisdom, of
patience and time. But the work must
have the beginning; the time to begin is
now.
SHALL THE GOVERNMENT TAKE THE
ROADS?
One solution proposed is, that the
Government take possession of all the
roads. That this would involve con-
centration of power in the General Gov
eminent. and must be preceded by a
civil service reform of a nature of which
| as yet we have had no experience, none
will deny. 1t has lately been urged in
newspapers of wide circulation in this
| state that we must vote for legislative
| candidates who would go into caucus in
order to get appropriations for our State.
The logical conclusion of this argu-
ment--if it have any--is that we must
vote a particular ticket, designated in a
particular way and i'm well-known OF
| flee, or our forts may be dismantled and
our mails be stopped. Charles the first,
in his boldest moments, would not have
dared to use such words to the Commons
of Great Britain. and if Louis XIV, when
he said''I am the State" had acted upon
such a policy, he would have lost his
head. do not believe any administrat-
ion ever elected by the American people
ever deserved such a reproaeh--if so we
are already slaves. But the very use of
such an argument by an intelligent man
in public newspaper. must fgive us
pause" upon the question of comforting
additional power until we have addi.
tienal guarantees. we have at least reach
| ed the point, however, where we can
say: s5s
| WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DOES BUILD
THE ROADS IT SHoULC Own THEM AND
OPERATE THEM OR THE PUBLIC Coop.
| And where the Government has loan
ed its credit and given its lands to build
road and been ~defrauded of its secur-
titles. it has the right and should exercise
the power to take possession of the road.
If no man has vet been able to 6uvise
soIutionfor the whole question, every
man knows the first step which must be
taken before anv solution can be reached
The political power and dictation OF
tbese corporations, whether they COM
prise three men or three thousand, must
be broken. That tyranny which is SO
potent when exercised upon individuals
and interests in detail must be DESTROYED
by general uprising of all individuals
and interests, heralded by new decla-
ration of independence.
| The sAmerican people are just peo-
pie, a law-abiding people, debt-paying
people; and it is not necessary for any
corporation to own the government in
order to protect its rights-that only be-
comes necessary in order to perpetuate
wrongs. The time has come when the
people should assert their right through
forms of law to exercise that control
over railroads which will secure uni.
fOrmity, fairness and accountability
The issue is fairly made up between the
people upon the one side, and railroads
and allied corporations upon the other
Which shall govern?
L have done. Standing in this pres
ence-loving order as l love life, sworn
to maintain it and ready to redeem the
oath with my life-eonscious of my re-
| sponsibilities. and weighing niy words
looking the future earnestly in the
face, l solemnly believe that the choice
OF the American people is between re-
form now and revolution hereafter! Ani
[ adjure these corporations for their own
sakes as well as ours not to involve us
in the ruin which their madness
threatens. Justice is the only sure
foundation upon which our feet car
| stand.