Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-26

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The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Very recent events rapidly maturing, have
lifted the veil from the relations existing be-
tween the Baltimore and Ohio railroad COM
pany and the Chesapeake and Ohio canal with
its dependent thousands. For a time the people
saw through a glass darkly, but now the sad
facts confront them face TO face. If the road
has for many months past been permitted prac-
ticaHy to dominate and direct the policy OF the
canal authorities, with purposes we submit too
rigidly selfish and grinding, the question sterny
arises, Is that domination to be understood as
having the sanction of the ruling powers of our
mother state? IL so, then not only the canal
and its dependent thousands; but the whole
northwestern region, nay, the whole state has
been passed into bondage. IL not or only
measureably 50, then il is time that the many
or the few who control the affairs Of MARYLAND.
should so partition rights and advantages,
privileges, and duties that all the great interests
Of the state and people, there and here, should
enjoy and fulfil their just sLare,-no less and no
more.
In the name of the honor and dignity Of the
principle and common justice, let the mammoth
road loose its hold and be satisfied with the vast
incomes continually accruing to it; Naboth's
Vineyard 10 must fOregO, or sooner or later its
glory and power will trail in the dust. There
is spirit arising in the popular heart that will
not be trifed with or cheaply laid. Ii conf
dence is calmly repOsed in courts and vested
rights for the defence of monster mOnopolies
let IL not be forgotten that that is not all the
law, for the Anglo-Saxon history from its early
ages treats plentifully enough of the legislative
means by which forestallers, engrossers regra-
tiers, and the whole tribe of monopolsts, small
mr. ha 10 -.
career.
The earth and it, treasures belong to its in
hsbItsrts Tor their subsistence and comfort, and
rich companies, combinations, or "rings.- will
never be allowed permanently to monopolize
them. III wealth rolls on in Overwhelming
streams, let it be expended in mansions and
gardens, and minister, As it WILL to the luxury
and splendor of Its pOssessors; but from the first
necessities of the people, from their bread and
their fuel, let the grip of opulent monopohes
forever refrain.
The whole system by which rich companies
like the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and others
use the vast sums they have collected from the
people to buy up the stores laid by nature in the
hills and mountains of the land, so as by and by
to make the nation purchase these God given
resources at whatever price they please, is a
system unholy, inciFistic and perilous. Not one
dollars worth OF stock in any mineral company
of Maryland or elsewhere ought such associa-
tons TO own, and 10 cannot be long before legis-
lation must be directed TO that end. Already,
at the very outset, the deadly consequences of
such stOckhOlding manifest themselves, for tens
of thousands of honest and worthy people are
put in danger of losing their daily bread.
One Of the first things wanted to render the
canal independent of the great and growing
influence of the road and other Inimical interests
Is that the board OF directors should be taken
mainly from that part of the state which is most
interested in the canal AS it Is now, the policy
seems to be TO NIL the board with persons who
reside at the greatest geographical distance
from the canal, and can, therefore, be most
easily svayed against it. 1t is a startling fact,
showing, tso, the boldness brought to the mat
ter, that not one Anegany man, nor one from
Washington county, il upon the board. Why
was this? Accidental? Who believes it? And
If not accident, what was the scope of the
design? Let the results in the diminishing
trade and decreasing revenues answer.
The casual reader might not fully understand
the bitterness or the blow dealt by the canal
board at the work in their charge. IL may eem
that an increase Of toll of five cents per ton is
not 80 much TO raise an outcry upon; yet il has
proven enough TO paralyze the ability of the
canal to compete with the railroad. Freights,
like water, flow along to the lowest levels, and
tnc erect OF tne raise mas been 10 divert rade
from the canal to the road so decidedly that one
of the coal companies, which was last year
among the heaviest shippers by the former, has
drawn of almost entirely to the latter. The
reason and only reason is, il ( TO their interest
to forward t1eir coal by rail. But the pretext
for the raiseDf tolls was that CT the necessity to
put tes canal in better condition and to pay
on interest OF certain bonds the result has been
to annihilate the ability to pay any thing and
TO stagger the vitality of the canal itself. What
fstuity was il. in this age of keen competition,
when cheap transportation is the loud demand,
TO seek to increase revenue by raising tolls?
Small thanks do the bondholders owe the board
for this,-canal revenues may, indeed be in
creased by trade, and the only way to that is
by greater cheapness of transportation.
IL, therefore, the present canal board would
show themselves the true friends, and not the
surest toes, TO the work confided to their trust
they will sink all weak and selfish considera-
tions connected with the past, and by ope brave
and righteous act save the canal from ruin,
yindieate their own integrity, and carry hope
and JOY to thousands OF hearths and homes. Let
them, then, dorm lcih the oils