Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-21
RAILWAY CORPORATIONS.

One Of the greatest agencies IN the
fsrtherance Of civilization, the devel'
opmcut Of trade and commerce, is be-
coming too powerful for the safety Of
republicanism. In republic like ours
nothing is to be feared as much as cen.
tralization Of power, whether it be gov
ornamental or commercial. The in
creasing wealth of railway corpora
tiuus-the induceuent which single
corporations End to unite with others,
thus forming gigantic combinations
uniting under one management im-
mense values and instruments Of CON-
mercial power, have become the anxiety
and oppression Of the people. Let us
look for a moment at the difficulties
and dangers which are apprehended
from railway monopolies. The N. Y.
Central Il. r. controls nearly thou
sand miles Of railway in the State Of
New York alone. Its capital amounts
to over sl00,0O0,000. In addition TO
this. it has its various combinations and
organised connections, which make one
continuous line, from N. Y. city to
Omaha. The Penn. Cen trail has aug.
mented its capitol from $2o,oo0,ooo to
over slOO,000,O00, within the lust
eighteen years, with a firm grasp on
100000 more in New jersey, with
lines Of innumcrable value running
throug bout the vest.
The other day, there was a meeting
Of the railroad kings, to perfect an ar
raugement for practical consolidation
Of all the great cast and west trunk
lines, and the creating Of united in
tercst, which is to control some 10000
miles Of railway and 100000, 900 o.
capital. Four years ago, the distance
between the Atlantic and Pacific wa.
distributed among five leading railways
In two years, they we're virtually re-
duced to three by system Of ingen'
ious combination, and to-day, one near
" overshadows them all, reducing theu
practically, to complete uni6cation
Who will but concede that this comb
nation Of commercial power is dan
gerous.
There is greater aggregation o
power in the New York Central rail
road alone, than there was in all tn
corporations, 80 tenderly fostered BY
Charles LIST, of England, which subse
quently grew to such huge proportions
as to excite the fear and jealousy o.
the industrial classes. When Jame
I. saw that they had become too opu
Lent and powerful for the safety Of hi
Kingdom, he abolished them. Mr.
Hume, commenting on this act, said
"it was the magma charter Of Englist
industry" II these petty corporation
excited the fears Of the laboring classes
in England, what ought TO be our ter
TOR, when We witness the appalling spec
tacle Of seeing Cornelius Vanderbilt
Jay Gould and Tom Scott, wield'n:
this aggregate Of commercial power
trio, in whose hands enlightened PEG
pie must cntrust their interests a trio
whose fingers are around the throat Q
our ohole system Of internal commerce.
Here we behold triumvirate. as ava
ricious, selfish, INSCRIPTIONS. as dis
creditable as ever domineered owe
Rome, holding in their hands the bal
ance Of commercial power. 10 20
ask how came they with this power an
opulence 1 answer that it was throug
false, treacherous men ia Congress s,wh
betrayed the trust reposed in them
men out Of Congress, rspacious an
greedy for wealth; who, seeking on|
the enhancement in value, Of their ow
property,lost sight, entirely, Of the be-
interests of the State. 1t was not nal
ural nor purely commercial cause
which placed in their hands this oowe
1t was chiefly through legislative f;
voritism. The right Of eminent d
main, and the taxing power, were Gale
into use for the benefit Of railway CO..
porations. These corporators wei
forth armed with the extraordina,
power to take lands for reasonab
compensation, with or without the CO..
sent of the owners; in fact, they ha,
become enriched from the public land
and public treasury.
Tho tree which was so tcndcrl
cared for, by National State and Nun
c;pal aid, has become the poisono,
Upas. Congress has donated lands
the amount Of 100000 Of acres,
large share Of which has gone to raj
roads. At the last session Of Congrc
there were no less than ono hundre
railroad companies lobbying for Ian