, 1873-12-25
THE RAILROAD LAW.

ElR: In9 rGtf lof3 viii long Do fcn6mper9a
as one bcstowing upon tho huHbandmau the most
bountiful harvest known in the history Of our
country.-Sta.e limos, in thia case, not being tho
limit Of Natures gift This crop, whom gather
cd, vas launched upon the market in such vast
quantities as to demoralizo 1t, and finally utter
ly byoak 1t down. Warehouses; wero filled to
oser1lowlng, aud transportation bocamo slow
aatl exceedingly difficult. OF oourso, nndor nil
the4o circumstances. prices would rulo low,
and tho margin to tho producer be
tho pressure in this city that all
tho newspapers took up tho matter, advising tho
producer to withhold bis shipments. Did this
havo tho desired effcct' Dy uo means, But. AZ
long rs I'LL empty cur could bo obtained, it wus
loaucd and run into market, regardless OF re-
suits.
When tho crop wss finally all scnt forward,
and housed on docks, In cars, bins, etc., tho
farmer folt happy for had he not sout forward
q lurgor amount Ct grain than eyor before
But, when final accounts were rendered, tho re-
suits to him were 80 unsatisfactory that Ae
sought for d cause boyond lis own
acts. Aud who so guilty as those
grcat transportasion-oompan which Lad
strained every energy III supplying tho ur-
gent dcmand for menus to moYo this crop ? Had
not their rates Of freight remained tho aamo
Aud, from tins cauEo. had not their trcasurica
boen nountifully lllcd; aud this, too, while tho
plico to tho producer was becoming less aud
less Hence. were they not monopolica /?
So grcat was tho agitation Oh this sub
ject TINT it became tho chiot topic Of conyersa-
tiou, the expressions Of the companies being
deomcd tho only aud solo causo OF all tho farnl-
crs' troubles, and llis through the medium Of
exorb liant changes for transportation, - the
torn monopolicB thus far being applied only to
railroads.
SO por slstcntly WAS this humbugging dodge
played, aud hucA clamor was raised, ~ 10 oxer-
clBo and WELD ali influence over the members OF
our Legislature. And, ahen bil Ind boeu pre-
pared which it WAS popularly supposed would
corr ect this evil, it was passed without that In
yesIigatioa that should iIayo boeu giyon it be-
fore receiving Legislative sanction. Lint act has
proved to be bosn sweeping mud arbitrary III ia
MouBures, with AoAvY petlAilios attached tor ylo-
la.lons; III dno, erecting around the borders Of
cur btute surt OF Uhlueso will, by establishing
| pro-1uta rates LII tho rule governing transporta-
| linn. Wul tho law haH boon iu operation
| slx months, aud what nre tho results? ID
competition Dutwoen lines gloater, or aro rail
! road rales less tl.an bclofo9 Aud how lone Aau
| tiliB law bcou in operation bof0le commerce la-
oano paralyzod from its ofects3 Aud, TO ra'
lIGFD luis plCHauft ii u u0t u 1aGt tuak tll1 Cuna-
nassaionols appointed undur this act to onforCo
It's measures woro compelled to stretch point or
| too IN thoir published op!nous Of tie rights OF
| tho railroad companies unler il?
kuw, it must not DO forgotten that tlore ara
within our State certain localities wllol, by
thoir geographical position, IlaA become stl onY
conpotiug points. TaGe PeDria, for inntallce,
ut that flme ono OF tho nloat thEly--
Ing mud prosperous Of plncos in our
btAto, with different roads strongly coinpot'
lug for iiB busi1.eHB,-tno OA,uugo, ltock
lhl!lnu j. Paclno nal,oaa Company handling
iii average or fifty to sixty oadeu ours FROM thiH
uink daily. SIX WeollH Ia.or, what WaH tho ntlnl-
ler? Haray QUO. Was there lcsa produces and
merchandise 10 DO 4anloa thu bofore3 u
wore trelghts less? Mother; but thls road
hauling u greater dlBtaLc. than othorH, could uo1
comply with tho terms Vi lAo law, and loceiya
HlIulu of tao public patronage. Did tic framers
Vi llis act llopo to bonoti1 lho producer by cut
tnE 0tr ooMlatltion, aud ostabllshlng cartaii,
lulEitndiual lines beyond Which tlattio should bu
hubjcct 10 cortain prorA1a or aatllllollal ln;eH
Aud whut clsl 10 aaid Of peorln Gun pD Aaiu oil
uu1oua Of other localities.
OF lato, Tho Antl-hlanOpoata Aaye another
point ut issuc, c,-aId thIa tilao with sonlo hnw ol
truth: They how ulpin tnat tha agricultural
element IaVo beon the prime movers III Tilt
wilulo ByB&ell Of iHtornat improvements; tla
their original subscriptions to stock llAyo beol
the eurlor.atoua upon whsun tho whole rniisoatl
fabrlc Aasl been e!poto.; that, 4lylnB honestly
pala lholr HubHcr ptt0us, lhoy aso ontitlod to 4