Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-01-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
REPLY NO. 3. TO STEEL RAIL

REPLY NJ. 3 10 STEEL KALI
EDITOR HERALD Il am in receipt |
of urgent solicitations from patrons
of your paper to reply to "Steel Rail-"
| had laid aside my journalistic pro-
clivities, hoping that a moro facile
pen would advocate Legislative re-
striction" in behalf Of the people. |
do not believe them as ignorant upon
this subject as "Steel Rail- seems to
think they are, nor claim that can
educate them upon this important
question. AS "Steel Rail- seems to
be an expert in railroad management
and an educator of the people, will
"Steel Rail- please take the stand as
a witness? In behalf of the people
l desire to ask him a few questions
You say in your last article, "Does
Mr.. L. know that the Hollanders
have loaned the Chicago and North
western railroad twenty-eight millions
of dollar" | answer, yes, do.
Now the people want to know how
much money the Northwestern road
has paid these poor Hollanders on
their stock or money loaned of them q?
The people can see boards of man
ayers and officers by the dozen, that
have retired from the management of
this road with snug little fortunes
varying from a quarter to two or
three millions of dollars. Has the
Northwestern road ever paid dime
on its common stock, since it absorbed
the old Galena road from Chicago to
Freeport How much more than the
paper it is printed upon would you
give for the common stock of this
road after the preferred stock and
other Indebtedness is taken into &C.
count? Will "Steel Rail- please
write short biography of this road,
giving its past and present history,
with managers and officers fortunes !?
If the stories are true, the money
squandered in the mismanagement Of
this road rivals the operations of Fisk
and Gould in the Erie road. They
have the credit of starting the first
Credit Mobiier operation ever known
in America. 1t is not year since
the road laid before the public assur-
ance that since the passage of the
Potter law in Wisconsin, they had
made no money; that it was losing
money in consequence Of Legislative
restriction p a few weeks since, the
stock was attacked in Wall Street,
and the showing is that the road was
never in a more prosperous condition,
and in no year had it made as much
money as in 1878.
If they have not paid the Hollander
principal or interest, who frightened
foreign capital away? Is it the Pot
ter law, that calls railroads to ac-
count for violating their charters
and protecting the public from ex
tortion? Will "Steel Rail' tell the
people why in the States that have as
many lines of projected railroads as
the State of Wisconsin, and have no
Potter law, railway building has
Wisconsin been the death of railroad
building throughout the United States?
If so, "Steel Rails" oft paraded
100000 shrinkage Of bonds in Wis
consin, is but q 1.-THE of the damage
done by the Potter law. Millions,
yes, billions must be brought to the
account of Granger legislation in
Wisconsin. Who is to blame for the
100000 spent in litigation by the
people Of Wisconsin in the defense of
their constitution and laws, that
"Steel Rail" faunts in peoples faces?
Should the people Of Wisconsin tame
ly submit to railway corporations, or
shuold they defend the sovereignty and
dignity Of the State? "Steel Rail, )"
with as much propriety, could array
the figures for the money spent in the
rebellion by Wisconsin, az that neces.
sary and unavoidable expense in de-
Tense of the people. "Steel Rail"
asks Can Mr.. L. hitch up his team
and draw a ton Of freight mile
or its way to market, for cent and
quarter | answer no nor can |
afford to carry letter TO New York
City, that the government will carry
for three cents. The government is
carrying for the nation; railways for
States. A company running an ex-
press could not carry single package
without great cost to a sing lie indivld-
ual, but when done for q community
it becomes lucrative business. 1t is
an unfortunate state of affairs that
makes the bread-producing portion
of the community the principal
sufferers from railway extortions.
Without fair and reasonable rates the
farmers life must be one of labor
without profit Hence the question
of transportation becomes to him one
of vital Importance. G.. w. l..
2. S.-Will "Steel Rail- please ex-
plain to the people how it has cost
100000 to defend the State against
railroad corporations +? They undere
stand the suits so far have been decid-
ed in their favor they know the
law is an expensive luxury. L.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR CONVENTIONS.
EDITOR HERALD 1t is true that
the convention system of nominating