, 1873-08-15
THE CHANGERS AND POLITICS.
Can the Former Ignore the
Latter P
Some Facts and Figures in Regard to
Railroads and the Tariff.
Necessity OF Changes in tho MAJ
tionnl Legislation.


CANTON, Ill.,, Aug. 0, 1873.
IL The Editor " Tho Chicago IribHnc:
S1R: Whilo there III n Btropg effort on tho part
Of aomc of the loadors or tho vnriouB orders Of
Patrons Of 1lusbanlry, Grangea, Farmers Olubs.
etc., to ignore tho question Of politics, 1t III owl
dont, from tho late movements in Mclean, Dl-
reau, and otlnr couutlcs Of CTR State. TINT tloro
ts too much intelligence among the real farmora
to be hoodwinked by any such tomfooery.
Tho substantial cnuso of complaint aR mado
by The farmers is, TINT ralroal companies md
other forms Of organi2od capital eau, 'i't'or tho
operation Of lnw, oxsort from, discrin-
inato ngainst, and genoray opproas thcm
as class. How, then,. eau theso
extortions and expressions bo rometlicd or ro-
level except by change In tue law; aud how
can tho law bo changed without a change In our
National md State legislation ? and how can this
change bo brought about without discussing tho
principles involved, and voting for mon who,
whom elected, will ombody tile principles neces-
sary to correct thoso abuses, iuto and give tho1n
tho forco Of, law? II YOU, or " amy other mar"
know how to bring this desired result about
without entering into politics. / wouldliKo to
know it; but havo too high m opinion Of tho
intelligence of our farmers as clasa to believe
that they will make Of themselves political e,1-
ultGlb ~ lut CoIAtlAlA III alGkhSlOlA W Auu uuaa
Centre " or Genoraiissi1no Of tile Order.
10 show tlnt the cauBes Of complaint aud
their somody are to be found in National rather
than State legislation is tho objoot nf this arti
clio and that tho necessary cl,auge can only be
effected by fermors discussing politics, and vot-
lug for members of Congress- vino will bring
about the required change.
Lot ,1s BOO how ono form Of law embodied In
our highly protective tarin bcars directly upon
tho question of freight chargcs on our railroads,
by roaaon Of tho greatly increased coat Of iron
Steel and copper. which entnr 40 largely into tho
construction OF railroads, locom0tiycH. cars, &c
Tho duty noder tho proAout low ID OIL pig iron,
27 per ton; iron rails, 914 per ton stcel rails,
polished sheet iron, 500 por ton; pig aud inBot
copper, 500 per ton; locomotive tire-hox shouts
and manufactured copper, IS por cent al ya~
lcrem and SO OIL through tho whole list, rang
ing from 35 to CD por ceut duty OIL tho cost.
Now, what in tho effect Of thcAo high duties
uroil tho cost of the articles above nlentioned2
Tho present price of Scotch pig-iron in Now
York Is ~ Per tou. Tho average price Of tho
1861, 20, and 'G0 was S25.1G. Hero is IN ad-
iron in quoted III Chicago, Aug. 4. 1878. at 55G
per tou Price of bur iron in Now York. July II,
Ney s Yos Sd 5as la5 us Is per tour ~; price @ o
ingot copper, July II, 1875 9570 per tou; price
OF ingot copper, July, 1860, $3.50 ror ton; md
20 OIL through tlo list. ranging from as to loo
per cont advance on NIL these articles alnce tho
paAaage OF our present thrift laws.
That this increased price Of NIL these staple
articles of railroad mo materially increases the
tirat coat Of raiiroAd, none will deny; Lut fow
to tllo cost Of repairs and running expenses,
thereby udding largely to tho froight-chargas
how 1ai;;oly, NC will now attempt to show:
III 1850, as reported by State railroad officials.
railroad In Massachusetts returned $9,771, ,s78
groHs receipts; IS, 5G1. .274 expenses mailing tho
expenaes 5514 per cont Of gross proceeds.
~ ,l7tl m'los 81 raroAa j ~ IT. 7Tenneaee, 49,
,.la3 miles of railroad in Virginia, including
287 mlles Of Baltimore K Ohio llaroad, 5s2,81s,
2t8.s2 gross rcceipts II ,25o, 1o7. expenses
- Eew s % York Central and branches, c21 miles,
rcnses.-or ' ii por cent. inns wo 500 that
tho ratio of expenses TO groaH incomo
be eafcly assumed thnt in lBG0 the average per
cent oi expenses to groas receiptB. OIL all well"
managed railroads did not exceod 30 por cont. :,
But how is it now will not 80 into detail,
that the ratio Of expenses to gross receipts is
from G5 to 70 per cont; probably GUS per cont
would be below thH avorago. Now, how does
this inercaso Of ting working axronacs OF rail-
sarninns ,a afyn,t thn NH nroj,,cor in 1noretp2 lis
,Tn1mrsp Hsfora answering. ills question. lot
r,asny LhAt Tiara il n force in n,ccllancn called
tic ,.on,uouud lever sometimes used in crushing
nrorausnn. and }hi,llf / will bo able to proyo
Hist this ;ncraasel coHt in tho CON
atrnc,;o,, oouimncnt. nnd roI,a;rs of railroady,
iv rrsaon Of oir Liul uyotectyo torjir lawa. acta
Viii, Tho rorru Of a compound lever il crushing
ont tha vnl,Ies Of farmors' urot,nce,
i think nll viii admit tint tic late Increased
cost nf ir.I n,lM, necessarily Increase tho lirat
cost IF railroads. at Icust o5 nor cent md hayc
shown Iy actual STATISTICS that tho average
ratio of EXPENSE to gross earni,lug has Increased
iron, 6D 10 t,Ba5 nor eout,-eu1lni to m advance
of 39,l ner cent.
MN t,our in mind TINT onv roilroad co1npan,
vheyo tho cxDc,r.oa mrs 60 vcr cunt OF tho gr,st
income, must enru md Feceiye 50 before Tic,
esnansos nro Gi;3; rer cent thoy must CAR, a,,t
Tecoive s3 boforc t,oy Tan in liko ,uannor divide
81 1n lin al n"lhn1ior. 0