The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1879-04-17

be built and profitabIy operated, that
this ..railroad king desires to mortgage
their little homes to him that he may
lew tribute from them for the next gen.
Grafton to come? Aud win they do 1t.
that they may increase his already s'im-
mcnsc wealth. and they become an ca
sier prey to him and those Of his ilk, by
being forced into market with their pro-
ducts. SO as to meet their cver-maturing
obligations:
We are told that ''therc is tide in the
affairs of men, which if taken at the
flood. leads on to fortune. Bat we al
SO know that ':there are periods in the
history of man when corruption and de-
pravity has so long debased the human
character that man sinks under the
weight of the oppressor's hand and be-
comes his servile, his abject slave! He
ticks the hand that smites him; he bows
in passive obedience to the mandates Of
the dcspot. and in this state Of servility
he receives his letters Of perpetual bond
age
"AIl men are created free and cqual.'
Provided always, that their sires do not
compromise their equality and sell their
birthright for mess of porridge. 1t
would be well for the farmers Of this
county to consider how far $3.50. 600
would 90 in influencing and shaping
legislation against their own interests,
and in favor of "Chief Joseph and
those of his class ''who are rapidly OBJ
tanning fatal control of the railroads.
the forests, and the fertile lands of the
South and West through colossal mo-
nopolics which threaten with arrogant
menace. not only the material prosperi-
~. but the social order of the country.
am fully aware of the impotency of
any voice from an obscure quarter. also
Of the difficult task of farmers opposing
those who are using efforts TO saddle
more bonds upon the country. But 1t
must be patent to every observing mind
that. even in the young State of Kansas,
railroad corporations have already as
sumed proportions and influence where
they are able to set the will Of the peO-
pie at defiance. ''From the greatest to
the smallest there is not railroad cor
pOration that has not sought occasion to
show how completely its managers de-
spise the people, without which il could
not exist. They look upon themselves
as the chartered libertines" of the
highway. and they and their hcnchmen,
in and out of the Legislatures. resent in
the haughtiest manner the claim Of the
community to any interference in the
manner in which they carry out the con-
tract between themselves and the peo-
pie"
Surely. here is an inviting field for
railroads. and we would hold out the
same encouragement to the railroad
man that we would to the farmer, to
the merchant. and to the mechanic, but
we cannot see why we should make a
distinction between the man who comes
rolling in ..ilnmense wealth. and the
man who comes driving an OK wagon.
If any distinction is made il ought to
be in favor of the latter. Or was one
created TO levy tribute, and the other a
beast of burden? We think railroads
| were intended by an all-wise Providence
rs beasts of burden: we think they
were intended to occupy the position OF
servant, not master, and ''by the eter-
MAJ what little influence we possess
Shall be exercised in that direction until
the last day in the afternoon. We
would not '.bond'' ourselves and our
children for term of thirty years, ia
obtain what we are sure TO get in year
or two in the natural order Of things.
No, no, any. We believe that every
man has right to the reward of his
own labor, and an equal chance in the
race for life,
If this country cannot be developed
without voluntarily placing ourselves i'll
bondage to the associated railroad cor
porations," whose arrogance and cxtor-
ton is already becoming intolcrablc il
the men Of '.immcnsc wealth." the 'rail-
road kings, are TO own a controlling in
tercst in This land; if The time has ar
rived for establishing a railroad King
dom to which we must bow in submis-
sion. why don't we make an uncondi-
tional surrender, and give them immc.
date possession! Why do il by de.
grccs? | am in favor Of having it de-
cidcd now. WM, Ross.