Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-02-03
REPLY TO STEEL RAIL-No. 4.

poor Hollanders, either rs principal
or interest on the SOS, 100000, borrow
ed of them ? The answer to this
question is pertinent that the people
may determine what has " enlightened
foreign capital" away from Wiscon-
sin: the Potter law or railroad man
ayers gobbling up the earnings Of
railroads. Again, he does not au-
swer how the half dozen boards Of
managers Of the road havebeen enable
to retire with snug little fortunes
varying from a quarter to two or
three millions of dollars. lie does
not tell the people how much more
than the paper it is printed upon he
would give for the common stock of
this road, after the preferred stock,
and other Indebtedness is taken into
account. He evades to answer how
this road could make two statements !;
one in Wall street Of prosperous
condition, and one in Wisconsin of
confscation.of its earnings by the Pot
ter law He does not tell the people
why the other States, where they
have no Potter law, railroad building
has stopped and capital is frightened
away. He does not answer who has
pocketed the 100000, spent to de.
feat the State, its constitution and
laws against railroad corporations.
Steel Rail answers much like a paid
railroad attorney and advises the peo-
pie to "forget the wrong railroads
have done, if we can, and find hapi-
ness, and compensation in the pres
emit" He charges the people of Wis
consin of confscating these railroad
PhiIanthropists property, but has
not fear that the railroad will CON
tiscate the property Of the people.
Steel Rail knows that the freight from
Chicago to New York or Boston is
SO cents on wheat, and 81: cents on
corn almost as much as an Iowa
farmer can get for bushel of wheat.
He knows that four men, who own
the four leading lines running west
from Chicago, can meet at their will
and take from the poor western far
mer all the profits Of his hard earned
yearly toll, or could at their pleasure,
as we'll if disposed, pay out 100000
to buy the legislature of Wisconsin to
repeal the Potter law, and turn
around and tax i'll freight the $780,
900 upon the people Of Wisconsin,
compelling the people to purchase the
repeal of their own law, enacted for
their own protection. Steel Rail sees
no rights of the people under the con
stitution, no decision Of courts, State
and United States, affirming that
right. He charges the people of Wis
consin in legislature assem- oled ofcon-
fiscating railroad property, and of dis
grazing Wisconsin, fair name, for hon
or and fair dealing, in every money
market in the world. Steel Rail sees
no SO per cent of water stock in rail
roads, whether it is one million or ten
millions, that has not cost them one
dollar | repeat, the people are will
ing that the railroads shall earn a lair
profit on actual cost, but they protest
against paying on fraudulant issues.
The time has come when the people
should undertake to find out their
c.ual cost or investments in rail
roads. Rates can be neither fair nor
reasonable that represent dividends
on capital that has never been invest
ed, or profits OH stock fcticiously is
sued for the benefit of speculation.
Railroads have rights, among which
is the right to earn fair return on
the capital and labor invested in their
business. The farmer aud working
men of Wisconsin have right to
their earnings, and it is a shame to
their manhood to submit to extortion.
| The enormous sum Of $45O,00O, 900 is
said to be fair annual average Of
our internal commerce aud is gath
cred into the treasures of the various
railroad corporations, and comes di-
rectly from the earnings OF the pco-
pie of the United States, while
the people are staggering under
this enormousload of taxation
Should they give the railways
of the United States the
sole right to regulate freight charges
Should they surrender the right to
scrutenize the proceedings Of rail~
ways and allow corporation to
charge what they please, to make the
necessities of the public their advan
tage Men may travel OF not, but the
farmer must send his produce to mar
kot The merchants and manutaC
turers must transport their wares.
The public is compelled to use the
railroad Tor it is the only means ell
transportation. Corporations are
aware of this. Shall we give them |
the right of levying any tax upon the |
people that their greed may dictate
No man in any community can escape |
the necessity OF contributing to the |
earnings of railways Should the
railroads keep US from knowing their
actual investment should they be
responsible to no authority but their
own interest ? TIE constitution Of
our own State wisely makes q dis
tinotion between chartered compan-
les and private property. II railroads
are to be allowed to tax the people al
will, capital should have the same
right to regulate the interest paid by
the borrower the owner of a toll
bridge to impose his own rates of toll
upon the public; the grist mill to
regulate its own toll, and in a word
blot from our statue the law that