The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-04-01
FARM, GARDEN AND FlRESIDE.
ANTi.aoNoroEV EEAGyE.


enthusiastic audience called together
hythe National Anti-Monopoly League
crowded Cooper Institute, New York
City, TO indicate their deep iu-
terest in the peoples cause. L. T..
Chittenden, President Of the leauge,
stated in brief address the object
of the new organization.
The Leauge makes no war on cor
porations. 1t is the friend of eopora-
tions, freely acknowledging their val
ue to the country. What it makes
war against is the tyranny and abuses
of consolidated corporations. 1t does
not want all the money Of the people
togo to build palaces onFifthI Avenue.
1t aims to cheaper the necessaries of
life, SO that poor man, ii he Is Will
Ing to work, can live, even III this
city, and ssve something to make his
home pleasant and comfortable. The
people have it in their power 10 put
an end to the tyranny of monopoly by
passing and enforcing laws 10 limit
the eNtortions OF monopsies, and the
main object of the Anti Monopoly
Leage is 10 awaken the public mind
to the danger which threatens the
country, and thus secure the needed
remedy
He then gave some Illustrations
the manner in which the railway
and telegraph companies practisel
extortion, after which he introduced
ex-Judge Jeremiah S. Black, of Penn
sylvania,
Judge Black, after declaring his
purpose to tell what he knew about
railroad monopolies, said
At the bottom of this subject lies
the question of mere fact, which any
one man of common Sense can decide
as well as another man. 1t is alleged
that the railroad corporations, being
put into possession of the public high
ways of the country, are bound in
law and justice to run their roads in
the interest of the public, TO whom
the highways belong; that they are
public servants and trustees, bat that
they have violated their trust most
grossly and shamefully. ! They are
clothed by law with certain powers
large enough TO enable them to per-
form their functions but. not content
with this they have grasped al, and
seized upon other powers, and the
powers granted them, and the pow
ers which they have seized they have
perverted, misEsed and abused for
the basest purposes Of private gain.
They are entitled to a fair and full
compensation for all the services
which they arecalled upon To perform;
they have a right TO be reimbursed
all that il costs tht III TO render this
service, aud 10 receive III addition a
reasonable profit on the capital invest
ed in the building Of their roads.
But It is alleged that they - be-
yond this, and take uacounted mil
lions of the peoples money 10 which
they have no just claim, aud tina.
they are engaged in the unlawful
plumber every hour Of the day and
night This Is uncnduraiIle wrong
and Cannot be borne. 1t retards the
general prosperity, cripples the indus
try OF the whole country, aud dis
courages all enterprise. This i the
allegation. Ii Is mere question oi
fact. Is it true or Is it not true ?
am convinced that it IS true. | know
it as we'll as [ know any fact IF which
| have not personal cogniZance. Tine
proofs surround us everywhere. The
public records Of the country are full
of the evidence. Committees Of Con.
gress and Committees Of State Legis
latures have considered il, aud al
who have given it attention declare
with one voice that the accusation i:
true. They accused themselves, dC
not deny it, and they dare not. y
any event there must be n0 more
neutrality in this great battle.
The agitation once begun will 20
onand on until 80, 600, 600 people learr
the important secret that lhey arc
10000, ,000strong. How much III Che
aggregate nave these corporations IL
legally extracted from the pockets o
the people I can only give you
some reasons why [ believe that it i
very large, appaIlingly large. / an
almost ashamed to fell you now
much I think il amounts to- W.
can only make all estimate from suci
dates as we have. We must allow
them to start with, all to which the,
are entitled Iiberabie coma npensa
tion far their services, the cost 0
keeping their roads in repair, and
fair prof. On the capital invested
They have a right 10 take that, bu
all beyond that is mere iaWiess rob
berry. There is one fact, which VI
may take as a starting point in TIT
calculation, which all viii admit
The through freights North and South
East and West, and particularly be
tween New York and Chicago, ar
the lowest charged. They are twic
as high as they ought 20 be. The
are nov thirty-fiye centsper hundret
weight, and befor the Hepburn Com
mittee in Albany, it was proved b
experts that an enormous profit coul
be made by charging twenty cents.
Judge Black then revealed the in
iquity of thecharges on short hauls,
showing that it costs as much to NOV
ton of goods to Media, eightee
miles from Philadelphia, as it does t
send it to Caicage, and said
The question is, What are you e
ing to do to cheek this sort of wrong
The railroad people say the rates al