Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-08-24

mediate Euperintsndents. Jet practically, ths -
ocudve and controlling power Of these vast ssgs
porations reSts with their Presidents, whose Wft
or pleasure may raise the freight on produce. and
thna anect every farmer In the land, or may raise
oE lover the wages Of every employs' and thus
aneot a the bread and life Of every ons dependant
IL u Just 70 say that the gentlemen holding
Ana most 1agac1o11 OF the buelness men Of thig
country, but they must necessarily Be governed n
ne man d me interests Of the corpora tons thsy
dominating and controlling motive that must
guide their acts. few years aEo the freight @
Bhese roads was deemed to be unduly high, and
this GrO1ssa the whole farming interest Of tia
West under the name Of Grangers, who were able
to secure hostile Hesitation in some Of the States.
ana 70 CONTROL public opinion that the freighti
in due time were reduced. But. moro potent thaA
AL, the
SUDDEN DKPREssIoN OF BUSINESS,
Caused By the panic OF 1s7S. led TO = rivalry anE
competition between these great lines that IN
short time reduced the rates for freight and pes
sengers below the aotual cost Of the business thus
tending to destroy the actual capital invested IN
more than tWo-thlrds Of the railway lines In th8
United States, and greatly eripplinR the financial
condition Of the trunk lines. These corporations
have endeavored In various ways to make agree
nents but either because they were not faithfully
observed, or from the inherent dlfheulty or mAR-
ing combinations between powerful rivals, these
agreements have been sucoessiYely broken and
average the amount unit reserved for freight ana pas
sengers does not pay the actual cost OF running
The result has been that the railroad companies,
not willing 10 see their property entirely de-
stroyed, have gradually reduced the rates Of wages
OF the employees unhlS II We can believe what has
been said, in some cases they are barely suf1olons
to pay for the mereSt neOessaries Of life. Hence
the strikes.
It has always been feared that our republican
systSm OF government, which depends upon ths
condition Of Sffairs dsysopsd Sy chess stTikeS.
Maeaulay and Allison have both described, n
prophetic language, the efects Of .
STRUGGLE BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR
In Government like ours, but. like most English
writer's, they overlooked the strong conservative
power in q governments By the people, where the
majority must always be independent farmer1
mechanics and WorknRmen who lnye respect 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 aB wrongs, but the great
body Of our people have always sh0wn sufficient
moderation and intelligence to lead them to Ind .
peaceful and proper remedy for all the Ills which
life may develop.
belisve that this ls an easy task and not to reeoe
oounsels Of moderation and forbearanoe. The
laborer s worthy Of his hire. and in this country,
tain his family In dsoency and comfort But We
can not secure this great blessing by intlmidsting
capital. by burning houses, by preventing OtheE
people from laborinR, or by any violence or crime.
Capital when threatened, ahrinRs away, and your
labor can not be employed without capital. You
can only encourage its employment by reason
able prospect Of just reward In the way OF In
viii not undertake in this speech to state IDEAS
that have become convictions, that are not now
entertained for the first time. because it would
that the
FRAHERs OF THE CONSTITUTION
Had wisely provided an arbiter TO govern, By gen
eral laws, Interstate railways, and may IN this
way prevent controversies between capital and
try. That arOiter is the Congress Of the United
States. No State IL broad enough to deal with
this question, for thess railroad lines extsnd
No 10oa1 AM ifrTa daa1
with II, because the local authorities may be
aTed, or under ths influence OF passion OF resent
sre well enough for the ordinary protection Of
society, but they are not fitted to deal with
community. where the divisions are so wide and
broad as to amount 70 domestic violence or civil
war The National Government is expressly au-
thorlzed TO aid State In putting down domestic
violence, and the Congress Of the United States
is expressly authorized to regulate the COM
merce 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
railroads. the vast extension OF our country and
its varied interests but they did provide that COM
meroe in all its fOrms, foreign and domestic, By
by arbiter more free from local prejudice than
any other that could be selected.
NJ HOPE, THEN, IB,
That Congress will pass laws to establish ana
limit maximum rates Of freight so that the pro-
ductiOn of farmer may not be IN danger OF conns-
cation by exorbitant rates: that it Will limit ana
restrain the cutting and reduction Of freIghts so e.
to destroy the ability OF railroad companies TO pay
fair prices for honest labor, and prevent the COM
panies from making pnupers Of men who perform
essential functions In commerce. Congress may
thus, by wise general laws, control the most pow
erful corporations we'll as the humbles6 citiZena
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 peaceful, lawful appeals
to the constituted authorities, both State and
National. No man has q right by violence or
crime to redress bis injuries. No government can
live where mObs can make laws and prevent other
laborers from working. The right Of laborer 70
refuse to work without such pay as he demands
is clear and unquesti0nable, but whatever civil
remedies the Law may give him he con not resort
10 violence to prevent either the movements
ers, without endangering our whole 5ys-
ten and eneOuntering the full force and
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
aud deprive other millions Of market for their :
product, would array against striking laoorer.
only Of the Government, but the moral and the
physical force Of the balance OF the community.
When labOring men, or any class or men, resort 70
violence and CRIME to protect even real nghta,
they must be dealt with In the same way as others
who violate the law, however much men may
only what the Law has already provided, and with
full sympathy in an honest demand by laborinE
work We must obey the law and we must puniSh
any violation Of the law. Life must be protected
which society exists, and no party Gun temporiEo
or hesitate In the face Of an open revolt against
these principles of public order. But. while this
is true we must not fail 10 examine the complaint
Of the humblest citizen and give to him all the pro
teohon and all the remedy thata just Governments
And now, fellow-oitizens, in conclusion, allow
me TO express, so far as language enables me 70 DO
ness YOU always have shown me, not only during
mis- short visit, but in all the time have lived
among you. can only say thank you.