Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-12-17

some cases paid for by the public five times
over, are now claimed as the private property
of the companies, and the right of the public
to use them as highways is utterly denied !;
nevertheless, ! think the claim of these COM
panies to take reasonable tolls stands upon the
same foundation as that of companies whose
roads were built by the stockholders them
selves at their own proper expense. The grant
of the lands invested the grantees with title
that could not be revoked il the conditions of
it were performed. If they sold or mortgaged
the lands and invested the proceeds in the con-
struction of a railroad under charter from
State or General Government which authorizes
them to take fair profit in the shape of tolls,
they have as good right to the tolls as if the
capital TO build the road had been raised by
themselves; that is to say, those companies
which built the railroads with capital donated
by the public have the Sam right as other
companies to charge reasonable toll but
their demand of excessive TOLLS though not
worse in law, seems in the eye of natural rea-
SON greater outrage.
If railroad corporations have the unlimited
power which they claim, then all business is
at their mercy-agriculture, commerce, manu-
features, must suffer what they choose to in
fiict. They may rob labor of the bread it
wins and deprive all enterprise of its just re-
ward. Though this power does not belong to
them legally they have been permitted to
usurp it, and | need not tell you that they
have grossly abused it, They avow that they
make their exactions with an eye single TO
their own advantage, without considering
any right or interest of the public. They
boldly express their determination to charge
as much as the traffic will bear; that is to
say, they will take from the profits of every
mans business as much as can be taken with
"a T.. Al.
gan this amounts to the most enormous, op-
give and unjust tax that ever was laid up
on the industry Of any people under the sun.
The irregularity with which this tax is laid
makes it still harder TO bear. Men go into
business which may thrive at present rates
and will lind themselves crushed by burdens
unexpectedly thrown upon them after they
get started. 1t is the habit of the railroad
companies to change their rates of transporta-
tion often and suddenly and in particular 10
make the charges ruinously high, without any
notice al ALL The farmers of the great West
have made large crop of grain, which they
may sell at fair prices if they can have it car
rled to the Eastern ports even at the unreal
sonably high freghts of last summer. But
just now it is said that the railway companies
have agreed among themselves TO raise the
freight five cents per hundred weight, which
is equal to an an export tax upon the whole
crop of probably SIS, 900, 900. The farmers
must submit to this highway robbery or else
keep the products Of their land to rot on their
hands. They submit, of course, as all other
classes Of industrious people submit to similar
impositions
Common justice imperatively requires that
freights be fixed, settled and prescribed by
law, and that they be not changed at the mere
will Of the railroad companies But the dis
examinations which make the rates unequal
are the most odius feature. A grain dealer
at Baltimore gets reduction or drawback
which is denied TO others, and he makes for
tuae himself while he ruins his competitors
by under-selling them. A single mill at Roch-
ester can stop the wheels OF all the rest if its
flour can be carried at rate much lower. By
determinations of this kind, the profits of one
coal mine may be quadrupled, while another,
with all its fixtures and machinery, is render
ed worthless. Such wrongs as these are done
not only in few sporadic cases, but general
~ and habltually on very large scale. Ger
tain oil men, whose refinery was on Long Is
land, got rebates amounting to $40, 900, 900
in eighteen months, and seventy-nine houses
II believe that is the number) engaged in the
same business were broken up.
If the railways belong to the people then
the rights of all citizens are precisely equal
and all determinations are unlawful. With
out reference to the public right of property
they are SO shamefclly imperiOus in their gem
eral effect and in their particular consequences
that no well governed State will endure them.
These railroads and transportation companies
connect themselves with everything. The
| promotion Of commerce (internal and foreign
the interests of the buyer and seller, the
rights OF producer and consumer, the needs
OF the poor and the prosperity of the rich
all cry aloud for some system of management
which will compel them TO do the duties they
owe to the public faithfully at rates reason
able, fixed, uniform and equal, without extor-
ton, without wanton changes, without dis
crimination. The laws necessary for this
purpose are not difficult to frame If you
will look at the constitution of Pennsyl vania
as amended in 1873 you will find in the sew
enteenth section series of provisions which,
il carried out and enforced would be amply
sufficient But the railroad men and their
advocates have managed to impress the Leg
islature with the idea that they arc above the
constitution. They assert that every restric-
tion imposed upon them in the interest of
justice, equality and fair dealing is violation
! of the contract embodied in their charters.
All this is no doubt very false doctrine,
but they conlrive in some way Il really do
DOT know howl to make the State authorities
accept il as true. | maintain that all the
States have clear aud indefeasible right to
protect their people against such wrongs. and
/ TO exercise the power as sacred duty When
that duty is properly performed the Rternal
trade of each State will cease to be enslaved and
crippled as it is now. But the commerce be-
tween the States will still be open to Unequal
/ titles and liable to oppression and blunder by
| transportation companies, unless the National
/ Legislature does something to save it, Con-
/ gress has power ''to regulate commerce be-
tween the States. Is it not strictly within
the scope of that authority when it makes a
law forbidding carriers through the State to
iujure, impede or destroy the general trade of
the country by extravagant and discrimina-
ting charges II that be not n regulation of
Interstate commerce, what would be- The
power being conceded, an etfectaal mode OF
/ righting the wrongs now complained OF, can
easily be devised. Doubtless you are right in
the belief that public opinion will be In favor
Of your movements Rejecting men cannot
deny its justice But the influence OF these
great corporations can hardly be calculated.
They have methods of defence and offense
which make them almost invincible. You
have referred 10 portions Of their history which
| proved this. Some OF the State Governments
are literally subjugated by them now. 1t will
require a strong organization and much labor
to reduce them. Undisciplined militia In the
open field make poor fight against regulars
intrenched. What are cornstalks against
cannon. Such is truth against money. You
asked what think of regulating these affairs
by the agency of commissioners. In England
lbelieve that plan has been complete success /;
in California understand II is dead failure.
This paper is much longer than intended
to make it, and as an answer to your ques-
tons it is less categorical than il ought 10 be
Bat You must take il as il is, and believe me
your obediel servant, ]. s. BLACK.