The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-30

ing that al The time of his publication,
the watering OF the stock.of The Hudson
, River aud New York Central railroads,
amounted 10 e57s 500 which exceed
The capital actually paid in by s1.3bs.4oc.
. He also states that tie wartering ot the
stock OF the Lake Shore Railroad
TO s20.OO5 97O, making S71-
G4257O OF bogus railroad stock repre-
scented in one OF the lines of transport
between Indiana aud the EASTERN sea-
board. ! estimate that Indiana pays : 49,
10000 wear on watered stock in tolls
no railroad companies Tor passenger AMI
Freight between hcr eastern boundary
and ihe scaboard. which yearly loss is
equivalent TO a depreciation of the value
of her real property OF $22O,OOO,OC0 We
charge thar managers of the railroads
4 no have been interested in speculations
ia western products. have obtained pc
culiar privileges. enabling them 10 gain
unjust I'D Vaniagcs over al oth@r~ who
depend upon railroad transportation for
ithe tIan-actiNn Of their business. III is
also charged the accommodation has
been refused TO those who have made
themselves obnoxious 10y exposing the
unjust proceedings above specified.
Finally. that bv means OF unjus; and
what we consider TO be Illegal combina-
lion. amongst the different railroad cor
porllion-. they have been able to destroy
that natural competition between the
different lines upon " vhich the people
can alone rely for defense against the
most unbounded extortion; that these
ronspiracics against the rights OF the
people are in direct antagonism 10 the
interests Of the whole country. injurious
alike to its domestic aud foreign trade,
greatly interfering with the legitimate
industry of the country, and giving for
eign producers an advantage over our
citizens. II j. alleged that some of these
railroad managers have packed conven-
iions, bribed legislators, subsidized
judges, and have obiaidcd. through 9TH
er corrupt means, an influence subyer-
siye OF the rights of the people and dan
gerous To Republican institutions.
The several States seem TO have sur
rendered the privilege of righting their
own wrongs upon the understanding
that Congress having power TO regu-
late commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States" will do it for
them.
We claim that tariff Of rates which
shall secure To the railroad companies
fair compensation for the amount Of
capital actually invested, the labor per-
formed and risk incurred. i ali thar
these corporations are entitled 20 ara
that whatever they demand and receive
beyond that IS extoricd irom the people.
We understand that the supreme
Court of the United States has held IN
plain and emphatic laguage that railroads
are public highways; therefore we think
the power conferred upon Congress by
the Constitution, 20 regulate commerce
among tie several States tsave ms il Is
limited in the Constitution itselfl is an
absolute power Of regulation, aud the
national government, has the ability TO
remove an evil. co-extcnsivc with the
national boundaries. Congress is the
only body TO which the people can look
for redress. ard we confidently expect
sueh immediate and absolute relief as
we arc justly entitled 10.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANKLfN &. JOHNSON,
In bchafof the State Grange.
T. kecmc. ex-Secretary of the State
Grange. IN speaking Of The above report
says, ~ heartily endorse all of the re-
port and believe the plan presented the
f.ua nnlfrv tn ha Ynrupal {"