Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1881-12-01

Cssperstson Control Ut LsgssiauioB.
The extent to which corpora
tfons have controlled legislation
In the United States Is hardly re-
allied by the average voter. For
years past they have shaped law
max ing in the several States, and
fer q decade and half they have
svsn been powerful in Congress
itself. The lavish grants Of the
public domain, and the numerous
subsidies voted by Congress, are
proofs that the entrenched wealth
81 the country has been able to do
a. 1t pleases even with our ma
tional Legislature. The first con-
spisuous example of overm asteripg
railway and corporation influence
In this country was given In Penn
sylvania. Twenty-Five or three
years age that State possess ed q
superb system of canals which had
been built at great expense and
which ran parallel to the great
Pennsylvania Central Railway
Company. The existence of the
main branch Of these canals was a
guarantee Of moderation in rail-
way charges under which J. Edgar
Thenpssa and Col. Tom Scott were
quite FESTIVE. With the canals
encs in their hands, they esuld
regulate transportation at their
pleasure. A strong lobby was dis
patched to harrisburg, under the
lead Of Csl. Scott himself, who was
selected to conduct the negstia-
tIons on behalf of the company not
enly on account Of his superior
skill ~ diplonatist but also be-
eause Of his very captivating man.
ners. That he justified his selec-
ticn IL matter of history. Under
his dsft manipulations the Legisls-
turs Of Pennsylvania sold to the
PennsylvaHia Railway Company,
for $8,0o0, 00o, without interest,
payable In thirty years in sums Of
100000 per anHum-not much
more than half the legal interest
on the purchase sum-a system of
canals that had cost the State fully
80, COO, 600. This Ubiquitous lsgig-
lation was obtained by the I'M
hlushipg use of money. 1t was a
matter Of common notoriety
around Harrisburg that one lsgis-
later to whom Col. Scott paid
e1S,00o for his veto and influence
In faver Of the railways sequisi-
tlon Of the canals, lost it the same
night to that accomplished poker
player. Flushed by their success in
buying the Legislature the railway
was ambitious of new conquests.
When granting the original fran
chIse to this company the Lsgisla-
ture had been wise enough to pro-
vide for tonnage tax which very
! materially helped to pay the ex.
penses of the State government.
Again marshaled by Scott, the
lobby advanced on the Legislature
In fierce and the second infamy
was a fact accomplished.
As far as our recollection serves
" this was the formal opening of
chapter Of corporation control Of
Legislatures. 1t was quickly fol-
lowed up, and the Pennsylvania
Central adopted the fashion OF tax.
Ing = hand in the elections at
which members Of the Senate and
Assembly were returned. After
some years. experience of this
plan, Col. Scott announced that 1t
was much cheaper to buy men
after they had secured their own
sleotion than to supply tho nosey
to make the campaigns for railway
candidates.
The bad presidents set In Penn
sylvanis were initiated In many
ether States, and the corporations
were emboldsned to try their
hands on Congress Itself. Here
they have not always been success
fal, though 1t must be contested
that the national statute books are
crowded with enactments dictated
~ the monsyed power. We will
cite one of many. not on account of
it, intrinsic Importance, but be-
eause . very clear development
was made Of the facts; and they
show, with special distinctness,
hsw even the national Legislature
oeuld prostitute Itself at the bid
ding of clique of stock speculs-
tors.
In 1S71-71 q desperate gamble
was entered into by mum Dor Of
Wall street men In PAoiGc Mail.
That stock had undergone a great
many fluctuations, having at one
lime sold ~ high as $40 and as
lew ~ SIS. The pool started in to
ball the stock. AS an incident OF
BhsIr programme they sent on
powerful lobby to Washington to
force Congress into voting a sub
Bidy Of one million dollars a year
= the oriental service Of ths Pa.
of1e Mall steamers. They accom-
plishsd their purpose and "buIled"
NE stock through their purchase
- GnuOpas apandfnu In tho offnrf