The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-10-22

decision OF the supreme COurC IN
their favor in their controversy with
the people of Georgia. Notwithstand-
ing decision of that august tribunal
in their favor, they were obliged to
abandon their ancestral hunting
grounds on the banks of the Tennessee,
and find new homes beyond the then
limits of the white mans avarice. The
decision of the same court in the bred
Scott case overthrow the very constitu-
ton it was designed to perpetuate.
1.-The voice of the people is the voice
Of God" was motto Of Rome, in the
days of her power. The roice Of
the people Is the lav Of
the Iand,-must be accepted
as an ultimate truth in the ciril poll
| ty Of @oalr times. Those persons greatly
err who see in present political asita-
tions only momentary discontents; who
believe:a few meddlesome politicians
have caused all this widespread COM
motion.
The Autobiography movement had
its oeigip in wrong as clearly defined
and as indefensible as slavery. Like
slavery this evil is complete antagon-
ism; will admit of no compromise and
there can be no end to this controversy,
| except in. the complete ascendency of
the principles for which we contend.
| Without discussing further the legal
/ principles involved in this controversy
let us briefly consider the aim and pur-
pose of those favoring independent po-
litical action and who oppose the pre-
! sent administration.
First, They wage no warfare against
capital, but on the other hand believe
that all capital, including that invested
in railroads, is entitled to the protec-
ton of law ana should yield just re-
turn on the investment and as a coral
tary to this they believe,
Second, That the capital represented
by the stock and bonds of railroads
should be limited to the sums honestly
invested, and that freights should be
levied only to pay proper expenses and
dividends on the actual cost of roads.
Third, There should be no unjust
determinations against persons or
places.
| A simple statement of the case re-
veals the fact that this controversy is
not between the people and the railroads,
but is rather a controversy between the
people and the present unwise, impru'
dent, and, in some cases, dishonest man
ayers of these roads. 1t requires
but limited acquaintance with the
management of railroads to cite Id
stances where railway directors and
their favorites have suddenly become
rich, while the railroads they represent
fail to show any signs of prosperity.
Perhaps no other department of bust
ness admits Of such systematic dishon-
eSty.
Besides such favoritism, by rebates
on freight, fast freight lines, elevator
companies. rolling mill companies,
sleeping ear companies, car manufac-
turing and repairing companies, bridge
and ferry companies, are some of the
| many devices by which railroad direc-
tors acquire great wealth, while the
roads they represent sink into bank
! rpptcy.
| The more We examine this matter
the more clearly will it appear that the
interest Of the capitalists who build,
and the interest of the people who use
railroads when built. are identical.
1t is for the interest OF the people
that money represented as capital
should be actually invested in railways,
and that railways, When constructed,
should not be used to despoil them Of
their property by charging exorbitant
rates of freight for its transportation.
1t is for the interest of the capitalists
that mony should be so invested as to be
remunerative and that freights wien
collected should be honestly applied to
paying proper expenditures and the in
terest on. the investments. While the
issue thus presented is plain, clearly de-
fined an. easily understood, the conse-
quences involved are almost beyond cal
culation. and before entering upon their
consideration it is important for us to
remember,
First, That we are grain exporting
nation and that the price Of grain in
our home market is regulated entirely
by the price in the foreign market.
StCOI1, w e-NaNe never Ueeu dDie TO
consume all the grain we produce, nor
are We able to:raise the price Of grain
in the :fcreignf snarket;-consequently
any increase in the cost Of production
or transportation must fall on the pre-
Queer. When. therefore, few railroad
magnates in New j ork, by simple re-
solution, increase the freight on wheat
from the mississippi river to the
scaboard three cents per bush.
ell, they levy = tax of that
amount on every bushel of wheat raised
in our State which is carried to market.
A tax which the producer must pay
and for which he cannot reimburse
himself. Estimating our surplus at
twenty millions Of bushels this is equal
to tax Of six hundred thousand dol
lars on the chief industry of our State.
A sum greater than our taxation for
State purposes and nearly equal to one
dollar per capita for each Of our inhab-
itants.
When We reflect that in 1870 over
eight millions of bushels of cereals,
weighing over twenty-one millions of
tons, was raised in che ten States north