New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-02

Persons qualified to Judge estimate the entire
amount given to railroads in this State by individual
farmers in this way at least S6000,000! And here
they have been for years trying to release them
selves from this incubus of debt, Some years they
have been able to save enough to pay the interest
and perhaps little of the principals; other years
they have made nothing. Hundreds Of these mort
cages have been foreclosed, and the farmers driven
from their homes while others have only been able
to save their places by the most pinching economy.
On the other hand, tho farmers complain that the
treatment they have received from the railroads has
been most unjust. Tariffs have, in many cases. been
regulated not according to any just and equitable
system but for the purpose of squeezing the people
to the utmost limit of endurance. Certain towns,
which by refusing to grant aid in some other way
have offended the railroad managers, have been
ruined by discriminating rates, which have diverted
trade from them; certain merchants have been
driven out of business by having to pay higher
freights than their neighbours; farmers have not
been allowed the benefit of good crops for the price
charged for transporting them to market has been
SO fixed to give the extra profit to the railroads.
In short if the assertions Of of the most intel
ligent farmers whom have met in the State are to
be believed the railroad managers have treated the
farmers very much as country store-keeper once
knew in New gland treated one of his customers.
~
man more for o barrel of flour than he asked other
customers the store keeper replied: " Oh. do that
as a favor to John himself. His wages amount to
$40 amonth. After paying his house rent and few
small incidentals get the rest for groceries, dry
goods, and the rum John drinks Now, the more he
pays for groceries and dry goods the less rum he
gets, and the better it is for him. And then, you
see, save the rum"
But this individual aid which the farmers have
given to the railroads is not ALL Almost every city,
and village. and town through which railroads have
been built has taken the stock and issued its bonds
for them. Finally, the counties have done the
thing. All Of this stock has been wiped out, like
the other by the sale of the roads, but such of the
bonds as have not been paid are still outstanding
| and drawing interest at from to IL per cent l
| find in the Legislative Manual of this year table
that is far from complete the reports from many of
the counties being missing. This states the total
amount of town, city, and village bonds given TO
railroads IN this State and outstanding Jan. 1873,
| at SO ,672 The whole indebtedness Of the same
towns cities, and villages contracted for all other
| purposes including bonds issued for constructing
| ting all floating debts, il only S2,328,679. From
another table find that the counties from which
reports were received had outstanding JAN !, 1873,
| county bonds granted to railroads amounting 10
COS 49, while the total debts of the same counties
for all other purposes amounted TO only $706 oS.
| very moderate estimate OF the county town, and
individual aid given in this State to railroads would
| place it at Sl2,0O00O0! This is money from which
the people have never derived one cent OF income
| but upon which to-day they are paying interest al
the rate of 10 per cent per annum, money PAID, 100
| almost exclusively by the farmers Of the state