Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-24


l70 tons.
These three water arteries of commerce, two
natural and one artificial, furnish tonnage OF TO-
~ t19 tons, and few years ago WERE practically,
the sole means Of transit between the East aud the
West and the North and the South. Now, within
very few wears, and mainly since the close of the
war there have been built up four grand trunk
lines of railways reaching from the Atlantic sea-
board far away into the West, with their lines in
all directions like branches OF great trees, whose
organization extends to almost every hamlet in
the Mississippi Valley or the Atlantic slope, with
n commerce so vast that, in comparison with 1t,
the great water lines of communication become
Tons.
The Erie Railway carried last year ......4,922, ,9i1
New York Central Railway carried last
Railroad carried last wear. .g'0239lf
Baltimore & Ohio railroad carried last
year (estimated) d)....,,.............. .5.OOOOO
Or an aggregate of................27,64 $40, 502 |
being nearly three times as much as the entire |
commerce by water. This immense commerce, |
which touches the business, and home, and life of
every citizen of the United States, East or West |
wi thin the reach of its in nuence is controlled in
all its parts by the ultimate will Of four men, for
though there are many agents employed in this |
vast bus ness, with boards of directors and inter
mediate superintendent, yet practically, the eX
ecutive and controlling power ( these vast cor |
porations rests with their Presidents, whose will |
or pleasure may raise the FIRE ght on produce and |
thus affect every farmer in the land, may raise
or lower the wages of every employe, and thus
affect the bread and life Of every one dependent
upon these la6orng men.
1t Is Just to say that the gentlemen holding
these important positions are among the abest
and most sagacious of the business men of this
country. but they must necessarily he governed in
the main by the interests of the corporations they
represent and must look to those interests as the
minating and controlling motives that must
guide their acts. A few years ago the freight on
these roads was deemed to be unduly high, and
this aroused the who G farming interest of the
West under the name of Grangers, 20
were able to secure hostile legislation in
some OF the States and so to control public
opinion that the freights In due time were re-
duced. But more potent than all, the sudden de-
preston of business caused by the panic of 1873
led to a rivalry and competition between these
great lines that in short time reduced the rates
for freight and passengers below the actual cost of
the business. thus tending to destroy the capital
invested in more than two-thirds of the railway
lines in the United States aud greatly cripping the
financial condition Of the trunk lines. These
porations have endeavored in various ways to
make arrangements, but Ather because they were
not faithfully observed, or from the inherent diff
| ticulty Of making combinations between powerful
| rivals, these agreements have been successfully
broken and abandoned, and now it may be said
that average the amount received for freight
| and passengers does not pay the actual cost of
| running the lines.
not willing to see their property entirely destroyed,
have gradually reduced the rates of wages of the
| employees until, if we can believe what has been
said, in some they are barely sufficient to
pay for the merest necessaries o; life. Hence the
| strikes.
1t has always been feared that our republican
system Of government which depends upon the
will of the majority, could not long survive the
condition of affairs developed by these strikes.
| MacauaY and Allison have both described in pro-
| phetic language the effects of struggle between
| capital and labor in government like ours, but,
like most English writers, they overlook the con-
servative power in government by the people,
while the majority must always be Independent
farmers mechanics and workingmen who have re-
| spect for law, religion and order.
| We have. no doubt large numbers of men who
will not reason about this matter, but will rush TO
the torch or to crime in curing what they regard
| n WI lp
| always shown sufficient moderation and intelli-
gence to lead them to fnd a peaceful and proper
remedy for all the ills which life may develop.
And now, fellow-citizens beg you not to bet
| lieve that this is easy task, and not to rejec
| counsels of moderation and forbearance. The Ia
borer is worthy Of his hire and, IN this country
pecially should always receive enough to
maintain his family in decency and comfort
But we cannot secure this great blessing
| by intimidatng capital, burning houses,
by preventing other people from labOring, or by
any violence or crime. Capital when threatened,
shrinks away, and your labor cannot be employed
without capital. You can only encourage employ
ment by reasonable prospect of just reward in
the way of interest or profit.
will not undertake in this speech to state ideas
| that have become convictions, that are not now
entertained for the first time, because it would
take too long; but my conclusion was, years ago,
when this subject was under debate in the Senate
that the trainers Of the Constitution had wisely
provided
STATE RAILWAYS,
and may in this way prevent controversies be-
tween capital and labor where they affect the com
merce of the country. That arbiter is the Con-
| gress of the United States. No State is broad
enough to deal with this question. for these
! railroad lines extend through many States. No
local authorities can deal with it, because the
local authorities may be overawed, or under
the, influence of passion or resentment. Mayors
and Governors and local militia are well
enough for the ordinary protection of society,
but they are not fitted to deal with con
test between great bodies of citizens in
| the same community, where the divisions
are wide and broad to amount to
domestic violence or civil war. The National
Government Is expressly authorized to aid a
State in putting down domestic violence, and
the Congress of the United States IL expressly
| authorized to regulate the commerce between
| foreign nations and the several States, and the
commerce thus provided for is now. conducted
| mainly by these great lines of railway. The
trainers of the Constitution could not foresee rail
roads, the vast extension of our country and its
| varied interests; but they did provide that com
merce in all its forms, foreign and domestic, by
whatever agency conducted, might be controlled
| by an arbter more free from local prejudice than
| any other that could be selected.
My hope, then is, that Congress will pass laws
TO establish and limit maximum rates of freight go
| that the production or farmer may not be IN
danger of confscation by eXOrbltant rates. that 1t
will limit and restrain the cutting and reduction
of freghts SO as to destroy the ability OF railroad
companies to pay fair prices for honest labor and
prevent tue companies from making paupers Of
men who perform essential functions in com
merce. Congress may thus by wise general laws,
control the most powerful corporations as well as
the humblest citizens.
There is one thing, however, which all men
ought to understand, whatever may be their
| wrongs or injuries that in our free system
there is but one remedy, and that is by peace
full, lawful appeals to the constituted authOri-
ties, both State and National No man has a
! right by violence or crime TO redress his in
| juries. No Government can live where mObs
can make laws and prevent other laborers from
working. The right OF labOrer to refuse to
| work without such pay as he demands Is clear
and unquestionable, but, whatever civil rene
dies the law may give him. he cannot resort to
violence to prevent either the movements of
| commerce or the employment of others, without
endangering our whole system and encountering
the full force of power of the Government. The
very fact that the stopping of trains on the four
! great lines of railway would bring hunger and
want to millions of laboring people and deprive
Other millions of market for their produce
would array against striking laborers who
resorted to violence the whole power, not
only of the Government, but the moral and
physical force of the balance OF the community.
! When luborng men, or any class OF men, resort
to violence and crime to protect even real
| rights they must be dealt with In the same way
as others who violate the law however much
men may sympathize with their distress. l am
stating only what the law mas already provided,
and with full sympathy in an honest demand by
| laboring men for fair wages for fair days work.
We must obey the law and we must punish any
violation Of the law Life must be protected and
property also These are the conditions upon
which society exists, and no party can iemporize
or hesitate in the face OF an open revolt agalnst
| the principles of public order. But, while this is
true, we must not fail to examine the complaint OF
the humblest citizen and give to him all protection
and all the remedy that Just government can
give.
And now felow-citizens, in conclusion, allow
me to express, so far as language enables me TO
do so, my heartfelt thanks for the courtesy and
kindness you always have shown me, not only
during this short Wait, but In all the time have
! lived among you. l can only say, thank YOU
--s-s -S-----
A PARTY of ladies met recently in a
neighboring town TO organize sewing
society to make raiment for the new
born infants of poor people, For while
they were at a loss for name, until