The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-16

Ing the FEDERAL government 70 step forward
and aid In the construction of the Texas and
Pacific railroad is rather anomalous. The
grange has always been considered as the
sworn foe to corporate monopolies, as the
can't of the day designates railroad COM
psnies, and the formative idea of the
organization was its hostility to transports-
ton companies, which, after receiving state
aid, were absorbing to them
selves the profits of the pro-
ducers of the states. The railroad
war in which the Credit Mobilier exposure
was such an important incident has brought
about strange results, If its victories
are to close in a demand from those who won
the battle for new subsidy to build up an
other gigantic corporation. The ar
guments with which the action of
the grange is justified are those
that. have always been employed in such
cases. The need OF new routes of competi-
ton is urged, the inability of private enter
prise to cope with the great task under
taken Is set forth, and the duty OF
the government to assist in the de-
velopment OF our natural resources is
argued. The voice of the granger in
such cause is like that of Saul among the
prophets. The suggestion made by the
grange in regard to the construction of a
double steel track railroad from Washing
ton to New York is of different nature,
probably, as it implies, according to the tele-
graphic report, the ownership of the trans
portation line by the national government
and the state ownership of railroads might
be regarded as granger doctrine, since it is
legislative control which the grsngers
seek to establish over corporations. The
movement to free tobacco from taxation,
which was likewise inaugurated at
Charleston can be considered only as an en-
deavor made in class interests. 1t is purely
selfish. So long as the necessities of the
government demand large internal rev.
enue, so long will 1t be appropriate to
tax those articles OF luxury which yield
the largest revenue, and can
be most readily dispensed with by those who
feel the oppressive weight of the tax. If
there are any products fit to be taxed they
are tobacco and whisky, and the grange
should be ashamed to move for the freedom
OF the former, at time when the govern
ment is compelled te increase the
duty upon many OF the necessities of life.
The suggestion made as to inducing foreign
countries also to show special favor To
tobacco Is strangely absurd. In one point
put forward by the committee on transpor-
tation the grange is sound, namely, the pro-
priety Of doing something to preserve the
navigsbility of the Mississippi river. This
is one of natures most magnificent water
ways, and when God has done so much in
msrkirg out channel of trade 1t seems the
most incomprehensible improvidence on
the part of a nation TO permit his
handiwork to fall to decay. Men
cody talk of expanding millions OF money
to tunnel the Virginia mountains and lead
q petty rivulet of water not seven feet in
depth up and down great declivities by
locks that must succeed each other
like steps of stairs, and yet we
have permitted the greatest network OF
water communication in the world, with
perhaps single exception. to choke up
slowly at its outlet. How much capital in
the shape of canals do the Mississippi and its
tributaries representa-