The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-09-04

EuL. ATE likely 10 EuDNELL
ly endanger the liberties of our peO-
pie. Injustice and exactiOn will be
tolerated until they reach q certain
point, and then the evil will be swept
away with relentless purpose and 8
strong hand In country and under
q government like ours, the people
are patient of exbOrtion and wrong
only until it presses hard upon them
when once aroused, they throw of
their burdens with determination and
vigor.
Railroads, and ali other corpora
tiOns, are the creatures Of legislation,
deriving their privileges from the
people, and responsible to the people
thar the rights so acquired shall be
used for the accommodation and bene-
fit of the public. The contract i'm
piled in 3 grant to and acceptance of 4
charter by railroad corporation is,
that ia return for special privileges il
shall so use its authority as to pro-
mote the comfort, convenience, and
material prosperity of the power that
grants the chatter, namely, the peO-
pie. III the railroad company seeks to
violate this agreement, it would be
strange indeed if there were no au-
thority, anywhere, to restrict and con-
troll il. That such power exists, 1
have no manner of doubt. Our
trouble has been, and is likely to be,
not so much with local roads, having
their termini within the limits of q
single State, as with the through
I trunk lines, extending far across the
country, and holding charters from q
number of State Legislatures. What
\ is everybOdy's business is nObOdy's.
AS no one State can control the whole
line, no one attempts to control any
part and 50 the railroads do as they
please. without let or hindrance. In
the first place, have no doubt that
Congress, under the authority to regu-
late commerce between the States, has
| full and ample power TO fix rates OF
transportation, and to make such 9TH
.er regulations as the courts of justice
would pronounce fair and equitable,
under the contract implied by the
charter. In my judgment, therefore,
the simplest and probably the most
satisfactory way to remedy the evils
complained of, would be to have the
whole matter disposed of by con-
gressional enactment Mr.. Shellabar-
ger, of this State, introduced such =
measure into the last Congress, and
when the Ohio Legislature was asked
to strengthen his hands by resolutions
] faVoring the bill, the Democratic
members put themselves sOlidly
against it.
But it might happen that Congress
would fail in this duty, under infiu-
ences such as have been known here
tofore sometimes to affect Congress
4 men. What then In such case.
undoubtedly the State Legislatures
which granted the eharters would
power to provide q remedy. It is GER
tainly a matter within the province
of the people to elect such members OF
1 the State Legislature and of Congress
as can be trusted to do their whole
duty, and with intelligence enough to
know what that duty is. II the peO-
pie themselves are careless or indif-
ferent as to the character Of those they
elect to represent them, they have. no
right to complain.
One cause Of dissatisfaction has been
the lack of uniformity in the rates OF
transportation. Many railroads are
accustomed to transport passengers
and freight for long distances, between
mile than is charged for intermediate
points there is generally in such eases
Il competition, and consequent cutting
of the rates to secure business. The
rivalry is often so great as to leave no
margin for profits, over and above
running expenses. In order, there
fore, TO secure dividends for the stock
i holders, this loss has to be made up
by excessive charges for shorter dis
tances, and between points where
there are no competing lines. This
evil ought to be remedied.
But in my judgment there is a great
er wrong than tAIs. mean the little
Credit Mobilier organization, inside
the railroad corporations, composed
wholly or for the most part Of the
officers of the company, who, under
the name of Fast Freight lines, or
other designation, contract with them
selves, realize enormous profits, and
enrich themselves at the expense o.
tina stockholders or the public, or both
Such organizations ought, il possible
TO be prohibited by law, and the Of
ficers of railroad companies should bC
prevented from specializing out of the
trust positions they occupy at the ex-
pense of the people who are at theil
mercy.
Among the ways proposed to secure
cheap transportation, is the opening
up of the great national highways
the rivers and the lakes, these being
improved and connected, where ne
cessary, Oy canals. The improve
ments of the Ohio and its Tributaries
is certainly worthy of our efforts
! Whether q grand canal, or system o
water communication, reaching Il
the ocean, would bring to US in Ohio :
return equal to the cost, has yet to b'
demonstrated.
There should be no indiscriminst,
and Wild crusade against railroads
They should be encouraged, and al
: lowed fair compensation for the capi'
: tai invested, and the risks encounters
] ed. They have been, and will COLI
tinue to be, of incaleulable benefit Il
our people. They should simply not b
permitted to abuse their privileges, Ol
TO Oppress those they Were intended Il
| assist. What would the great State ol
} Ohio have been to-day without the in
production of railroads We yani
more, and We must have them. W.
are ali anxiously waiting for the com
pletion of that grand enterprise, tht
Cincinnati Southern Railroad, which
, is to open up for our farmers, me
, ehanics, and merchants the ready
markets of the South, nDR eOrnplete-
ly cut off from US. The products o
our coal fields aud iron mountain:
must be brought nearer to purchaser
: anxious to buy. Our rapidly increas
} ! ing and swift growing towns ana
: tcities must be put in easy communi
cation with the trade centers. Thi
!. farmers in the agricultural district
! must be able to reach with their pro
Z duce the mechanics in the town. A
; the cities grow, the country thrives
: The most reliable of all markets is tn
; home market, and it will not be man
: wears before the Ohio farmer can sci
, all he raises, at fair and remunerativl
! prices, within the limit Of his owl
. State. We already import wheat fol
1 home consumption. Soon we shal
a want corn and other articles of food
g Not many years hence the question
= with Us will be not where the farme
E shall find a market-and how he shal
get there at cheap rates Of transporta
+ ton, but how We shall increase pro
D duction to supply the local demand
1.-The science OF agriculture will b
studied and pEacticed until the cart
shall yield her bOunties fourfOld to tn
: thrifty, intelligent, prosperous, an
: happy Iaborer5 in the fields. There
5 no war between the farmers and tn
: mechanic /; there ought to be no con
f1ict between capital and labor. Fac
: should help the other, that all Nigh
I prosper together.
8 FARMERs' CLUBS.
9 Politicians have looked with NOR
{ or less concern upon the organization
of farmers clubs. in the Westerl
: States, lest by some possibility the
!, hereafter be used for or against som
, aspiring statesman. am free to sa
3 1 can see no reason why such assOci
ations should not be formed. w
e have legal and medical, miDisteris
and trade associations, and why nc
: farmers as well ? 1 have cOnfidenc
9 that the agricuiturists are as sensibl
:. as other people, and I do not believ
: they can be used by designing men fc
personal ends, or for any purpose othe
than for their own and the public gooC
p NUorff,u q MI ranutabI Ia Dubiic men nee