The Grange advance., 1874-07-22
=. ~" = =
Railroads..

Editor Of the Grange Advance:
My attention was called this morning
to letter from President Drake to
to Judge Kiester, setting forth such a
deplorab]e state Of alleged facts
and imputations, that: if true would
brand the name of our fair State with
infamy and the inhabitants as horde
of dishonest repudiators, which I be-
lieye to be false, and that Mr.. Drake
knew were false, and intended to con-
vey wrong impression when making
the statements contradictory as. some Of
them are, and unworthy gentleman Of
his position and abilities. But to illus
trate, he starts off by saying, / am
deeply mortified to be compelled to say
see no possible mode or plan for rails
ing money to build your road until our
public sentiment shall undergo an en-
tire change" Thus attempting to sus-
tain the position already taken by him:
and other railroad operators. That ad-
verse legislation, and the hostility Of
the people toward railroads generally,
had prevented the building of this,
(the Blue Earth branch Of the Wells
road,) and other contemplated roads
throughout the west, and in the next
sentence directly contradicts the state
ment and imputation by saying, "The
best informed of US in railroad opera
ting are just waking up to the fact that
no possible income Of railroads in Min
nesota can make them desirable prop
erty until the population becomes more
dense, and the people ADLER to travel. .
And had he added to the last state
ment, until premature enterprises,
stock watering, dishonest officials, ex-
orbitant salaries permitting the rail
road officials to revel in luxuries, and
general misnlanagement Of railroad at:
fairs is abolished he would have made
a true and complete statement Of the.
facts as they are. The fact is-and
even President Drake partially admits
it-that owing to the reasons mentioned,
Notwithstanding the exorbitant rates
of tariff and transportation, railroads
generally are not as profitable to the
bondho]ders as they were supposed to
be, while the people are groaning under
oppressive and extortionate freights,
which naturally result in the people de-
manding justice, while capitalists refuse
to advance money for new enterprises.
The railroad managers, finding them
selves in jeopardy, and likely to be ex-
posed, are trying to screen themselves
by raising false alarm, by crying
"adverse Legislation" and 9 hostility to
railroads. Thief crying stop
thief"
There is also another purpose in all
this fustion, and the threats Of taking
off the trains. Labor is directly inter
ested in the building and operating Of
roads, and in the pending struggle they
hope to secure their laborers' votes by
Tweed.like making them believe that it
is to their personal and financial inter-
est, and by frightening them into the
belief that it is their only salvation.
But laborers and consumers should bear
in mind that they are more directly in
terested in an equitable adjustment Of
the question than even the producers
are. For the producers, holding as they
do the food, the very lives Of the labo-
rers in their hands, can easily place
themselves in a position to shirk all re-
sponsibility and leave the question with
the consumer and railroads to settle.
As to the threats of taking of the trains
(as some companies have threatened i:
may be we'll for them to bear in mind
that when their charters are forfeited,
the people will then feel justified in
adopting Donnelly's plan Of .confsca- |
tion. But what is all this cry about
onnressive lepislation2 IL ia frne