Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-10-02

road companies hayes ln*tDe west,
where there was no competition in the
carrying trade, charged most exhor
bitant rates for freights, and that there
ought to be some limit to their rates,
fixed by law, where there is no provis-
ion of the kind, and a speedy and
easy mode Of redress for violations OF
these limited rates could be had Rail
road corporations are monster insti
tutions, and rather formidable for sin
gle individuals to combat
We ought to have cheaper local
freights, ard when We are granting
privileges to mammoth corporations,
the rights and interests of the people
the whole people-not merely one class
of our citizens, ought to be carefully
guarded; but, when we are doing this,
we should also be careful that we do
not adopt policy that will recoil up
on US and defeat the great objects we
wish to effect
Now, the question is, can we accom-
plish what we wish and what the great
interests of the people require, best
by organizing secret combinations ?
In other words, can we reduce the rates
of freight by forming secret class
combinations and declaring a war up
on railroads? We think it doubtful
The carrying trade, like nearly every
other branch of business or trade,
may be regulated in their terms by
competition, as may be seen now be-
tween the great competitive points. 1t
is owing to the competing lines be
tween Chicago and the Eastern cities
that makes freights so much cheaper
! between these points than it is between
5 points where there is but single line
t of road to do the carrying business.
But, in order to prevent extortion, ii
seems TO US, that it would not be un-
e just to railroad companies that law,
D applicable to all roads, fixing a liberal
t maximum of rates, should be enacted,
f where such is not already the case.
: The natural result of the combined
effort that is now being made against
! railroads in the West, it does seem to
US, must be, in some measure, to check
b the building of new lines, and thus
stop the making of competing candi
d dates for the carrying trade. This
Il must of necessity be the case because
II when the bonds of railroads are put
is upon the markets abroad, they will
J. find it difficult to get purchasers a
! long as there is a powerful combina
ton against them, throughout th'
lr whole length h and breadth of the coun
1t try through which it is proposed t.
le build those roads. What one of ou
readers would be willing to invest hi
means in the bonds of an enterpris
. where -fourths ofthe people wer
banding themselves together in secre
= organizations against the enterprise
as 1t does look as though the kind {
= opposition that is now being mad
against railroad companies, must hav
- the effect to prevent the investing o
u means in their stocks. But, perhap
there are railroads enough in the coun
81 try to do all the business required, 8
. fair rates, if some measures can b
- adopted to secure this latter resul
u but we do not think it can be affecte
!. through secret organizations, or b
y legislation, for the especial benefit Q
oi a class. Legislation must be had wit
a view to the interests of the Who'll
~ community and not merely to clas
|. y or profession.
,ei The sixth resolution of the. Republi
u can platform, adopted at the Republ
ne can State Convention, at Columbus
ue in May last, on the subject of chea
'sS transit, ETC., reads as follows:
II That the producing, commercial an
ed industrial interests of the countr
m should have the best and cheapes
in modes of transportation possible, an
~. while capital invested in such NEAR
-; of transit, whether by rail or othe
oll- wise, should be permitted the right
as a reasonable remune ration, all abus
not in their management, excessive rate
,ve oppressive Determinations against
:. calities, persons or interest, should
corrected by law, and the people pr
hs' tected from such wrongs, and all il
to proper and arbitrary use of the gro
the ing power of railroad and other co
to porations.
Re This, undoubtedly, expresses t
no sentiments of every one who Civ
is the subject fair investigation, an
what we need, is laws to this effe
and the necessary laws and efficie
for officers to enforce them. But, in t
OF election of Legislative bodies. the pc
OF pie should be careful to send none,
lelr make their laws, and none to execl
We their laws, but those who are pledg
that to the policy indicated in the reso
'eg ton above quoted That embrac
SEN everything in relation to railroad
an. other monopolies, that is necessa
Of The policy there indicated is just a
its practical results are what the
l1eu terests of The whole country seems
MT. demand.
ady
SEN - We find the following very bl
/ to paragraph in last weeks Register: