The Colfax chronicle. (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-08-04
mo-. 81.

| "uAC oOOAAnS tuo uuucIlyluR pTlu-
ciples of action, will discover that
the fault is by no means confined
to a single class or calling.
|. Even to the superficial observer,
it must be evident that, with all
the disastrous consequences of
strikes before them, the railway
employees would never have COM
bined in SO desperate an attempt
to right their wrongs, If the har-
ness of oppressive monopolies had
not been wringing into the very
raw. 1t must be remembered
that
"The blood will follow where the knife
is driven;
The flesh will culver where the pincers
tear"
The true cnuse of the present
uprising among the railway en-
ployees may be found in q deter
mined sectional and monopolistic
attempt to divert the grain trade
OF the West from its natural chan
nels-the waterways of tie Mis-
sissippi and it's tributaries-by
means of railways. While the war
lasted the effort on the part of the
monopolists was easy. They had
thet power in their own hands:
could commank their own terms.
and made the most of the situa-
ton. But as soon as the Missis-
sippi began again to flow unvexed
to the sea, pretentions on its be-
half were set up. The Northern
grain rings, and the Northern rail-
way monopoIists, however, laugh
ed at the very thought of rivalry.
Most of the boats and barges on
the Mississippi had been destroy
ed, and before they could be re-
built and enabled to operate eco
nomically, the grain trade of the
country would become perpetual
tributary to Northern railways and
Northern interests.
But experience has proved this
sectional and selfish theory un-
sound. The cost of railway trans
portation cannot be reduced be-
yond q fixed minimum, and this
minimum is ten times as great as
that involved in the water trans
portation of heavy articles for con-
siderable distances. As soon as
the free waterways of the coun-
try were prepared to compete III
the movement of freights, the rail-
ways were compelled to reduce
their prices. The competition in
creased; the cheaper waterways
of the St. Lawrence, combined with
those of the Mississippi, began to
attract grain, not GH,y from the
Northern railways, but from the>
Erie canal, and the transportation
charges had to be still further re-
duced on both canal and rails.
The railway magnates were, new
ertheless, determined that no op-
position, however serious, should
drive them from the field. By fol-
lowing this determination, they re-
duced through-freight charges con-
slderably below cost, and to save
themselves from losses, transferred
The burden to passengers and en-,
oloyees. In such q matter the pas
'engers were comparatively help
ess; and the employees consented
20 reduction after reduction, till
he verge of starvation at length
vas reached. They expostuiated,
'ut in vain. With only their COM
non sense, and their needs to
Jude them, they declared it snici-
lal to carry freight at losing rates.
But the magnstes were deaf to all
The balance sheet
vas still unsatisfactory. Another
urn of the screw was needed, and
he employees had again to suffer.
This was the feather that broke
he camels back. The vengeance
which, Nemeshs-like, dogs the
Ieels of selfshness and oppres-
ion, uprose in the wrath of wrong
d and desperate men. Destruc-
ion has for days been abroad in
he great centres of railway mo-
opolies and values; thousands of
ons in freights, and millions in
roducts, are in peril. and-more
han ala blood-cemented seal
n the book of sectional selfish
ess which will cast a red glare for
ears on those who have been par
es to the strife.
All this is deplorable. and we
eplore it; but in the stubborn
llndness Of the policy pursued,it
as inevitable Men cannot NTH