Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-12-25

cost the stock hooters anything, ana Ia so'i.'
eases tley 20. lands worth great deal more
than ali the expenses OF making, stocking
and running the roads. The two companies
between Omaha and san francisco raised
i'm cash, out Of Government bonds, !an4S
and MORTGAGES OF their franchise, four or
hye times - much as they necessa-
ri.y expended upon the roads. The stock
holders, without paying anything, put the
enormous surplus into thcirpockets. Inese
roads. thus built at the pubic expense ana
in some cases paid Tor by the public hNe
times over, are now claimed d tie private
property OF the companies, and the right OF
fhe ,ublic 10 use them Is highways j. utter
IN deried: nevertheless, l think tic claim
( of tlcse companies % take reasonable tolls
stands upon The same foundation u that OF
companies whose rJads We're liant ~ t4c
stocAholder. Themselves III tneir own proper
expensc. The grant OF the lands invested
. tine grantees with q title that could not De
/ revoked II lhe conditions OF al were perform
cd II they sold or mortgagcd the lands
and invested thc proceeds IL Ihc cons1luc-
ton OF railroad under charter from
Stateor General Government, which author
+ izc3 them 10 take a fair profit in the shape OF
/ tolls. they have as good right 10 the tolls
a- ii the capital 10 build t.se road had been
raised Uy themselves that Is 10 say, those
colapanics which tuilt the railroads with
/ carilal donated by ihe pubic have lhe came
/ right as ether cCmpault' 90 charge reason
able toll; but their demand OF excess Te
tolls. though no. worse in law, seems IA tne
/ eve OF natur, reason a greater outrage.
II railroad corporation nave the unilmi-
( ted roytr which ihry ciaim, lAcG all husi-
ness Is at laCr mercy agriculture, COM
4 ncr.c. manufactures, must suiitr what they
choose 10 uhict. They may ROD idaOr. o.
the bread IL wins and deprive al. cntCgpTis
f of its lust reward. Though this powcrdocs
not belong to them legally they lave been
permitted To- ueurp il, and ] need not tell
YOU that they have grossly abusccL Ihcy
avow that they uiaAe thclr oXaclons with an
. eve snele 10 tAcir own advantage without
considering auy right orintcTc-tot the pub
/ lie. They boldly express thcir deiermlna-
ton 20 charge rs much as TIE traiuc VIII
bear: that j. 20 say, they viii lake from the
profit, of ever, nan 5 business as much rs
can be ,aken without compelling him to quit
4 IT, in tie aggregate tins amounts 10 the
most cncrmo2s, oppres i'c ana unjust TAX
that ever was laid upon the industry oi any
people under the sun. The lrTesuiafiil
with which this tax is laid makes II suh
harder 20 boar Mon go into a businos
which may thrive nc present rates and NIL
Gnl themselves crushed by burdens uneN-
pcctedly ;lrown upon them after they gei
started. II Is the habit O. the railroad
companies to change their rates OF trans
nortation often and suddenly, and IN pGrilc-
u'-i ~ ''..AO .;..tai - Tho c,ryo,rs ~
Hi'''o''. i'.,,'.',i, = Ior,,s cron NJ
l"t Si0A. W -. Ni'0 ''''''' 90 -. :,
: gram, WHICH 'he5 H'e> -" I' ~ -
i'y can nave ' '"illl1 - ~
even "I 'i'e 1'' i'''.'"'' "'-" ~
.a'1 su.nNei. hNl i''s' IT," =.
iac rai. wa! 'o'4l -u,,' i-'. .t'''l
theu--iFea 20 i"'se '.-5 j. 'i.' Nv -
nunui'D e5Hl " ''','' - ,'.' a5,i, ~. -
,,NS.t H.. ..,-.-,r, 1.,,st tnbn,it 10 tLi
VVV Vo' l, .ll '' y, '.'I'' u.s. III ,Io nro5nDt
h-""a! i"V"e'y ~ e.'' VIZ M,
oil 'neiI ran" ~ '0- o'' 80 - e ;,,
u"mi'' Oh ''' 80 a. an e''''' IL IL -.
ia 'fi'Us -1i!1 summit ~ ''''''''' ''''i
..3..5. not
common lustice IH 'ei". 0'1 H..
reisiia be nN'd' 7e''lea ana PC 'D'' ~!
.aW, and lnal they oe h11 'h''set 90 p' 1...
mere VIII Of lie railroad conn .dlJs. hD'
Use discrmmallons Wh'ch make l"o I"l,
unequal gre the most odioUs l'9lu.s' -
gram cea-tr at b..l'ih more ees a a aI'"''''l0 ~
dra"bacf "h'eh i7 oeileu J." o'..i gu
makes O. -'Ilune fer hlin7eH VIZ. EAic u. '"'ii
his camp, tiois ny uh'eI-7'liiiS ,'.'''
-.a2Ie Ai'l hi i'ocil, I'D ''i sup .'.1 .'.r
oi al the ~ ii+ Iouf can De ear il' '''ti
.nWtr. EF riMlna,i,l' ui 'i.s A.A"' '"'
Elo'Is ri enc coai nine NAY D' Yu'u' " '''''
Wlileanotief, WITH a'i iis hAluie' ana 'i-'
chlnery- if Tcudcreo worm e'-. .'u,i' "l''
af tnese are gone ii'' oiiy in j 'yW ''i ''''.'
ca-,s, hu. eraily ana haD.'ls's O-' ~:
large scale .Iti'i.irli i-' ~ N''O.e mn
wis on Long i'i'-.'' -o' ieD"' 10.
90 lo9Y1o'O in eisr',s. ''i9i'''i' ,'i'i .
ems -hih- A'u'.N '''i''o '',''. =. Wv
Otrl ehea4td lh l'- '''''o
hfoEen uP'
ii the railway ".ioh- 10 'he l.-ui''o ''-,"
the d g1i- oi al cllz'i' arc ~ ic,l,s
and ail o-'ei i.'ii';' ''''''. is -, -
ont reference 10 i', pn2hc,, ,, rignt oi plof-
eriy they are 20 shahi'iul'l lhile' ''DU' q.
their general e.'ec' ann il 'i-li l'"l '.s''''
coasclu. hc.i wa. 10 w, W. oo...i''
VIII e-e"Ie --.''.' ''.'- -, th.rr.
'Iinsi i..i.',.'D'' 80 l,o ,r,,,otion ri
r. WIN e'' ~ 4 s'-.ion. tLe inter.
C.'''.i -',,,i I'D sciar ibe rigbi,of prodr-
w. - tI.. rrod. III tho poor
l o.i .',. .- -, -. ~ ,icb-ll crva'ond
.-- '... ~ .....,,..,,.,,.,f ,rli.b viii
i'l ~. - J,.-i.s t.., ~. fo
.., ,s.lr,.'.. ~. ..',.,,.f. fr.
-,1 I I ,~;fi,o,,s ,vtoriio,