The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-14
SL.J .JV'ENOLDERS ar TO-D.9I.
n E'ennsDicanfa LorpOrGtfOH-.g s'O~Cr
TitHfH tHe Stdte greater than tHr
state UsriG.-- what thc West
CrH Farmers iHiHG Of it.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press.
just now, when the rights possessed
and the wrongs inflicted by coraora lions
are matters which every day become Of
gravcr import, review of the annual
report Of one Of the richest corporations
in the State, the Reading Railroad Co,
is very far from being devoid of interest.
The Reading Raiirold Company, as
this report shows, isa corporation suiii.
cient uuto itself In the name Of the
Reading Coal and Iron Company an
inside corporation, it owns or controls
100000 acres of anthracite coal lands,
upon which there are % collieries, yield.
ing last year $780, $50 tons Of coal - it
has purchased valuable iron mines in
its own name, IL owns rollingmills in
which it manufactures its own rails; IL
owns car shops in which it manufactures
its own cars, freight and passenger it
owns machine shops in which it manu-
features and repairs its own locomotive
and stationary engines it owns several
acres of wharf property in the northern
PoruTn ol tn's c'Iy' a' "u.o" ''S own
vessels are ioaueu WIN l'I oMn '0', II
transacts its own express business, hav-
ing compelled the Adams Express Co
to vacate its lines it proposes by the
establishment of retail coal-yards. TO
uisPense Win hiudiemen' We nope 10
tue ultimate advantage OF consumers II
proposes curing Tue coming year 10 Pur,
chase d sh'P-ynrd' at whlch to ouiio ana
equip a large NUMBER OF Seogoin9 col
lers''n addition to the 1eet by 1t already
? SsesSed' a yaTG at which It's fects may
IN ! lHt''re Dc aodea 10 ana repaired and
hnai'y' oy the purchase or lease OF all
ineS OF railroad or c'naI competing with
ir coutrols the entire carrying trade of
rhe section Of the country which il COW
ers. which, 20 all practical PURPOSES. il
owns.
From this statement It viii be seen
tha- the Reading Railroad Company.
while entirely indcpcudgnr as q corpo.
ration. rc.uiripe aid for the transaction
Of its vast business from no outside
source whatever, has depandenC upon it
the ueople and commerce of ono Of the
richest portions OF the State. a portion
embraciu, aa area Of many thousand
square miles: bas, in fact, assumed
control over thi, area which is far more
real, and lays AMI collects a tax that Is
far more heayy than that Of Tic State
government. Practically, the coruora.
tion holds in ITS hand the busines. pros.
perity Of the laree section of country
through which il. line and branches
pass: can raise is freight and passenger
charges ani check this PROSPERITY. or
can lower these charges and give 20 tins
prosrer;tv adii-;anq' impetus
! iolm .,,i ''9 NJ a. @'.'''-e,
The Shareholders OF today ~" the
controllers 0. 5"e gFeat railroad ines OF
the Ini'ed states oa' their 7 "er Is
mUan greater ana more destructive ihan
was that OF tle Negro owners Of the
south. Or It lnauences tIe whole val
ue OF the labor OK millions OF Inhabitants
OF the great " est 1y arbitrary rates
OF fare ana freight they can so dePreSs
the value OF TINS labor that oa5a bare
subsistence VIII DC ieit to Ihe farmers
indeed, by Their favor or dlstayor they
can build up one settlement and destroy
another, ana py threatening 70 iaVof
one portion OF the country or certain
places at the expense OF others, they can
make whole sections OF the country ae-
pendent upon them.
The inhabitants OF the W est, ana es'
pecaliy the farming community, nave
constantly growing realization OF the
oppressive power OF the great railroad
capitalists an' their demand Tor the