The New York herald., 1879-09-25
A LIKELY ELEMENT OF DANGER.

New York, Sept. "a, 1879.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
In your leader Of the 18th inst. ON the 'Railroad
Problem" you say:-"Congress cannot much longer
postpone the duty incumbent upon It under ita
constitutional authority to regulate commerce boz
tween tho States" There is another question
closely allied to the railroad problem which those
who observe the signs Of the times see looming up.
and which is likely. in tho distant future. to
become element OF danger to financial institutions
throughout the country. Thore is unques.
tionabiy among the middle and poorer classes
growing hostility to the large monoyod
corporations without regard to their respective
merits or demerits which sooner or later will fud
expression In majority Of ballots. There is no
doubt that for this indscriminate prejudice in the
minds Of many against corporate power in the ab.
strnct tho abuses 80 long permitted In railroad man-
agement are mainly chargeable. Tho people have
long suspccted-and now. thanks to the legislative
investigation. they know-that our railroads. pos
sossing monopoies OF transportation have exer-
csed their privileges In secret without responsi.
bility to higher authority and often in . hurtiul
and oppressive manner. The people know that the
ordinary has no chance for any prompt
redress OF his grievances. To appeal to the
law IN most cases is out OF the question The rail-
ton to the court Of last resort and fcw can afford TO
await tho laws delay or to measure purses with cor.
poratibns controlling S10O0O0.O0O OF capital ana
having always able staff OF lawyers trained to
their service. The railway proprieors and managers
arc anu are no Dottcr ana no Worbo thou tho
average OF humanity. Their action, however unwtso
Ia the long rum Is quite natural under existing cir
cumstanccs. To take, for example, one single phase
OF railroad management from the printed pages OF
the Legislative Investigation. let us sec who has
performed the duty incumbent upon Congress to
regulate commerce." &c.
We find, upon tho sworn testimony OF railroad
officials. that two three gentlemen employed In
the Offices OF the trunk lines In New York have boon
permitted to exercise the enormous powers and ros
sponsbty of making and changing rates of freight
which practically can build up ono citizen ut the
expense OF another or change an established BUSH
ness from one locality to another. The most per-
sstent inquiries tho part OF the Legislative Com
miteo failed utterly to ascertain discover any set
tied principle rule basis upon which these freight
rates made ana charged other than Ito meet
competition" or TO charge "all the article would
bear. In fact and In effect the traffic managers Of
trunk lines have exercised at times discretion
rs dangerous to the public welfare II Congress
should empower the Secretary of the Treasury to
exercise his discretion in giving to few favored im-
porters OF wool silk rebate OF ten per
cent upon their importations while tho gem
eral public paid full duty, for In many
articles of heavy and merchandise the
rate of freight determines the transaction as d-
rccty tho rate of duty paid would In the case above
supposed. Aside from the right aud wrong OF the
railroad question II s Of the highest Importance to
every man who has any interest In our moneyod in-
stitutions to to 10 that the railroad problem
should be settled upon the principle OF absolute
equity or our banks and life insurance companies
must parake OF the consequence OF the sins OF tno
railroads In the repetition OF the late California legs.
istion or other communists dssaonstrsuons' N