National Republican., 1876-02-05
GIGANTIC MONOPOLY.
What the Huntington Central Pacific Ring
Ssek, ia Aetom Dlish
Seeks to Accom- plii

Correspondence OF the RIchmend Enauirerl
Mr.. Huntington and his associates now own
and control the only line of railroad to the
Pacific. Until last summer it had little COM
petition in the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany, via Panama, but during the last Con-
gress the Huntington combination, or s:ring !"
in modern parlance succeeded in procuring a
repeal of the subsidy act, which had kept
alive this opposition steamship line, and when
thus broken down the "ring" got control of
it, and throttled the whole country by their
monstrous monopoly; proof Of which is found
in the fact that they Immediately increased
their charges between New York and San
Francisco as follows:
On flrst-class freights, from SS.o5 to sc per
100 pounds, or from S65 to Si20 per ton of
1000 pounds.
On second-class, from So to S. per 100
pounds, or from $40 to 500 per ton.
On third-class, from s1.90 to 81 per 100
pounds, or from S3S to $50 per ton.
On fourth-class, from 81 so to S3 per 100
pounds, or from $50 to $50 per ton
On class GA" from S1.70 to $50 per 100
pounds, or from SS4 to $50 per ton.
On class "B," from S1.60 to So per 100
pounds, or from $50 to $40 per ton.
On class &C." from s1.50 to S1.75 per 100
pounds, or from $50 to sS5 per ton.
On class I'D, from 81 40 to $l.50 per 100
pounds, or from S2S to 80 per ton.
The direct result of this removal of compc-
tition was, that in the first seven months, to
September so, 1916, the two companies earned
SIS, ,107, 133, against S14, Oh ,173, being IN in
crease of 50, 3,162, $50 for the CORRESPONDING
months of the previous year, which is at the
rate of about IS, 500 600 year, q larger sum
than the whole interest on the proposed cost
of the Texas and Pacific road. This excess of
profit TO the Huntington ring" on their mo-
nopoly represents, at o per cent, nearly $780,
900 eco, whibh Is the capital thus put into their
pockets and taken from the people of tho
United States simply as the result of no COM
petition, for If the Texas and Pacific road Is
built, as proposed, and rates brought down
only 10 what they were year ago, these mo-
nopolists will have to let 60 this 500, ,O0O, 900
which they hope they have gained without any
consideration under the sun
Now if Mr.. Huntington and his friends can
kill off the Texas and Pacific scheme, even at
the expense of having to build the road them
selves, they will have secured the means to do
so in this SliO, 600 COO caDital created in their
hands 10y the destruction OF competition, and
thus will own two lines to the Pacific, instead
of one, and he able forever to defy the con-
siIUciiOn of any Cthcr, and by this means will
have fastened upon tie American people a mo-
nOpoiy 10 tax at will ali travel and trade; nay,
the very Government mt ITSELF its mails and war
service, from ocean to ocean, and from the
Arctic 10 the TOIrid zone, and SO gigantic In
its proportions, so monstrOus in its power for
mischief, 80 rIniiied in its details, so rapacious
In its demands, 80 heartleSs in their cXaction,
and so bOurdless in its wealth, and VIC may
well fear interruptions in its employment, that
the very Government of the cOuGtry will be in
danger Of sUhyersion from bribery and corrup-
tion.