Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-04-29

peoplef
To give ten rich men the power by
law to take the property of one poor
man, under plea of public benefit, and
yet secure 1t to the entire profit and
control of those ten men, to the injury
OF the one poor man, is to legalize the
robbery and enslavement Of that man.
No legislature has such power. 1t
must be the act of tyrant and reb6er.
In 1000 England chartered the East
India Company. In 1858 it had grown
to an annual revenue of seven hundred
million dollars, and subjugated and
reigned as despot over two hundred
millions of people. Parliament was
compelled to abolish its charter and
place it under the crown and govern
ment of England. Railroad corpora
tons have grown in power and wealth
in this country, ten times faster than
did the East India corporation, and
they are seeking to enslave, Cypress
and corrupt the people of the nation
that gave them being. 1t begins to be
no longer held that they are construct
ed for the development Of the material
prosperity of a State, but are merely
private property held by corporations
for making money.
The fearful and criminal absurdity is
permitted of money corporations with
out taxation, which will enable them,
in few years longer, to own all the
valuable and desirable property in the
city and State, with their chartered
privileges and preferments, and in pro-
cess of time they would own all in
State that is worth caring for. They
have secured, by bribery, fraud and
corruption, over 2OO,OO0,OOO acres of
lands of the people by grants of Con
gresS, an area greater than Georgia,
North and South Carolina, Virginia,
East and West, Maryland. Delaware,
PENNSYLVANIA, New York, New Jersey,
and all the Eastern States.
In these combinations the corrupting
power of money is terrible. The peo-
pie have been sold out, and the leaders
Of these corporations have demoralzed
the representatives by bribery Of the
most unscrupulous character. The
New York Times of March 80, 1874,
said: If we could ascertain the amount
of money which the New York Central
and Erie roads have paid away in buy
ing votes, the whole nation would stand
amazed. We venture to say, for ten
years, preceding 1867, that one fifth OF
the members of each house at Albany
have been in the habit of taking brides
for their votes" Such was the power
which Tom Scott had over the Penn
sylvania Legislature few years back,
that member is said to have requested
he speaker to ask Mr.. Scott if all his
railroad business was done. If it was,
he would move for an adjournment.
A man said to one of the officers OF
this road that railroad men were be-
coming so overbcaring that they will
Ering on a conflict with the people. Il
.ell you, replied he, 'the railroad COM
panies in that conflict will conquer.
They are a unit, have the money,
employ the ablest lawyers, paying any
price. send men to primary meetings
and have their friends nominated, buy
the Legislatures, hire the sheritfs to
secure them the kind Of jurors they
want, keep on the right side of the
Judges, pay and buy up the press, aud
have so many men in their employ
with families depending on them that
they can raise small army at any time;
so they will compel the people who
trade along their road either to act
with them or cut them off from any
privileges or accommodation. Surely
such combination against the people
and aiming To rob them of their rights
is to be looked upon with horror in this
country. 1t was in view of this tina.
Schuyler Colfax said: 1.-THE rights and
priU,isgss giren by the people 10 roll
road companies must be returned TO
them. Nonsy corporations must not
ensiuue The people. Better hare cuery
railroad track tom up and tve,y cor
porafion abolished" Hon. G. X. Davis
said: "The great struggle tor twenty
years to come will be fought on the
question of corporations. Compared
with it the struggle for slavery was
baby play A Harrisburg paper said:
"The child is born that shall see or be
engaged in the war which will bring
railroad corporations in subsection to
law"
When the people Of this country get
to see and understand the fraud and
robbery which has been perpetrated,
and feel the iron heel of the oppression
of these monopolists, they will arise for
their own deliverance and defence. As
one said, RAILROAD men are determined
to make It so terrible for the public to
fight them, right or wrong, that they
will stop it" IF limb is crushed by
the negligence of the railroad man,
fight instead of paying the victim, is
the theory. Remove all opposition by
the power of wealth. and become
terror to the man who would seek
redress" Or as another said: 1--WE
are on our knees before railroad Off
cial We dare not say anything abont
their bad treatment, or the superinten-
dent wont let them stop the train at our
stalion. "-Ba!iimore Bee.
TO DISSOLVE BONES.
II farmer can save so or 100
pounds of bones, it will pay to dissolve