Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-03-27
Judge D. DIT. Cowen.
Election. Monday, April Z, 1878.
Shall Railroad .fEOnOpOtfsfs
Control the Constitutional
Cos2reuttcns


speakers to clinch their statements by
telling the number Of miles OF railroad
built that year and the total length OF
road in operation in the country at
that moment. With them the railroad
is the test of progress, and the harbinger
of civilization and refinement. 1t is
true that in country of extended
areas and magnificent distances like
ours. that railroads seem to be neces.
sity, but like most things here below,
they are not altogether an unmixed
good; or to speak moreconcisely while
they do much to open up and develop
the latest resources of the country, they
possess a power of evil, which if not
checked by the efforts of the people
will result in financial ruin to the State
and country, and destroy the founda-
tions of our body polite. We watcn
with peculiar interest the skliiiui
maneuverings of the great railroad
kings, Thos. A. Scott and John w.
Garret, and laugh at the success OF the
one and the discontinue of the other,
not thinking of the significance of the
contest. Yet the two corporations which
these two men control represent
four thousand five hundred miles OF
track and a capital of three hundred
millions of dollars. They show ten
dency by concert, combination ana
conso. idation, to erect themselves into
4 virtual empire, to serve their own
ends exclusively, rather than the
public.
These powerful corporations have
their agents Fin Congress, and every
State through which any part OF their
road runs, has in its Legislature other
agents sharp and keen, catching ana
warding off any possible or approach
ing danger, with expedients OF doubt
full morality. Recent events nave
forcibly demonstrated to the people
that herein lies the danger to the State
and republic.
To show the vastness of the railroad
system in Ohio, we present the follow
ing figures from the last annual report
of the Commissioner of Railroads:
"Capital stock paid in, s2l9, l6l, ~;
funded debt, s2l7 III, ,755; floating DEBT,
$40. .738. 1870; total debt, S2Z7 SOY, ,93o;
length of road and branches, laid with
rail. 6. 500 miles; cost of road and equip
ment, 1898, 113, ,494; gross earnings Tor
the wear, SIS, ,603, ,07S; operating expen-
ses. s45. .034, ,708; net earnings, S2O, Dos,
370: passengers carried, 1905, ,S32;
freight carried, 20, ,9S3, ,O6S tons; interest
Maid on bonds, 50, ,726, 1853; dividends
paid. s7,554,032; persons killed, ~;
persons injured, 358; animals killed,
j. .926; amount paid for the same, S4o,-
573; employees q, 1893; per cent. IN In
crease of gross earnings for the year,
1874; average cost (per cent. OF opera
ting, GS. 50; pei increase of rail laid, IN
cluding sidings, ETC., 375 miles"
1t is scarcely necessary for US to re-
mark that there immense interests
carry with them corresponding pow
er for doing evil and that power is ex-
ercised to greater or less degree as
necessity requires. We are reminded
by the action of the Ohio Legislature a
week:or two since, upon Mr.. Wales
bill to compel railroads to pay their
just proportion of taxation, that the
monopolists are seeking to control the
resources of the State and to compel
the farmer, manufacturer and laborer
to pay into the State Treasury taxes
which should have been paid by them.
The bill was killed in the House and
the vampires.of the railroad ring,wh
have infested the lobbies at Columbus
during the present session of the Leg
islature have triumphed.
Appearances indicate now, that these
corruptionists are seeking to get con-
troll OF The body which is to meet in
Columbus in May, to revise the state
Constitution, for the purpose of liking
in the fundamental law some clause
by which they can more completely
filch from the people their hard earn
ings and trample down their most
sacred privileges and liberties.
Money is placed "where it will do
them the most good" Attorneys
sworn to protect the interests of their
employers are nominated, and sought
to be elected, and it makes no differ
ence to the corporation whether their
agent is Republican or Democrat.
Unfortunately for the people of this
county, they are called upon to vote
1or one of these Railroad Attorneys in
the person of ]. II. Collins. Whatever
the qualifications of Mr.. Collins in other
respects may be, we submit that Bel
mont County cannot afford to lend its
influence in behalf of the corporation
seeking to elect him.
1t is time that the people should rise
up and protect themselves from the
rapacity and abuse of these powerful
rings.
The State and National Legislatures
are through the corrupt influences OF
these soullesS corporations, fast becom-
ing as filthy as the Augean stables, and
tine people must sweep them clean,
where there is the least semblance of
their power or influence.
Ex-Governor r. b. Hayes, has been
nominated by the President for Assist
ant Treasurer of the United States at
Cincinnati.
Senator Caldwell of Kansas, has re-
signed his place in the United States
Senate, to keep from being expelled.
The Committee are ready to exclaim,