The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-03-05
lna.slarlNa ron co.rOnAr.Oxs.

Editor Democrat.
In reading over Your last paper I
see that two now railroads will prob
ably be built through our county dur
Ing the present year, and OF course a
great many of our farmers will be
called upon to donate free right OF
way. This calls to my mind para
graph / recently saw in ono OF our
leading papers: s1t Is folly to COM
plain of the greed OF corporations, Of
the monopolies of chartered rights, OF
the unjust Determinations of railway
companies, or of unequal and burden,
some legislation, while the farmers
voluntarily permit tho yoke to be
placed upon their neeks without a
murmur, and without an objective
voice.
This Is all true, but lawyers and
capitalists give sharp attention to leg
lslative action, and maintain q lobby
influence upon anything that may
concern their interests, as well as
giving tho same their own personal
attention. This the farmer cannot
do. lie has not tho time, wish ,apti-
tude or disposition TO make himself
controlling factor in legislation, and
this Very negation Is taken advantage
Of by capitalists and corporations.
For instance, ,if a cooperative power
wishes to take farmers land, the
law gives the right to do so, against
the owners will, and then calls upon
men who do not want the land at any
price, TO say what It's value is, which
even when not Tor sale can be run
down by the business panic thermom-
eter, by tho non-produclng element,
when logically tho productive ele-
ment in 1t, or its prospective value,
should forbid forced depreciation.
Ifthe farmer objects to being de-
spoiled, he Is met with the ghost OF
public good which the private greed
summons, and which phantom prl-
vate emolumens only sus,alns. No
Individual can take property In this
way II is only combined capital
through incorporation that can make
the plea Of public good for their cor.
porative profit, such rs necessitates Il
seizure Of priva:e property
Through such combinations, the
state grants By It's legislators, fran
ehisos, privileges, monopolics and
subsidies with partial freedom from
taxation, values WHICH In them.
selves are an outrage upon private
right. individual equity and taxable
i equality. Ifa farmers land becomes
necessary for the welfare OF a corpo.
ration, why should he not receive an
equity in that advantage his land
produces? Ills fec simple Is his
"Patent, which should be as invio.
late rs any Issued by iLe Patent Office
) at Washington. No State can give
and no corporation can take advani.
age OF q ''patent right without pay
ing the patentec the value he places
upon 1t, however much they may
need IL for the public good. Why
should not mans deed or patent In
real estate be equally sacred against
eviction or dispossession? Where /.
royalty moro patent thaa It should be
in recorded deed OF real estate :
Where IS need OF equity more ap.
parent than where a rich corporation
seizes a farmers land for ifs own ben.
eft, and enforces the owner 10 sub.
NIT to an arbitration and expense an.
noying and uncertain, and where
law and equity are antagonistic2
But enough; it would seem thai
law is enacted in the interest Of In
eorporatcd capital more than indIyid.
ual right. We seldom hear Of ex.
tortion as regards capital or incorpo.
raiions, but it Is. very effective wher
1t Is applied to farmers natural
rights, and whose property is taxed
more surely and effectively for the
very legislation which 50 unjustIy ig-
nores his interests. But / suppose
we must endure these things while
we elect legislators who enact claws
that are dark" if not "things that
are vain"
FARMER.
II THE POSITION or TEE gOUTU.