The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-03-10
ANTI.MOyOPOLY.
A League the Aim Of Which Is
to Crush Out Railroad and
Telegraph Monopolies.

How the National Anti-11onopolt
l,eashb Proposes to Accom-
plish the Work.
4 startling Resiew Of thh Growth anA
Power Or Menepolles in the
United states.
Demand for Laws for tie RsstriGtioa d
C0fborate Powers Within
Proper Limits.
"1he National Al.ti- Monopoly League" pre-.
serts the fa,lowsna .tsssmkns ehnaarnlns it,
origin, objects and purposes. for the attentive
consideration Of all citizens who believe It
tie pr;Iciple on which our Government il
fSuHdad Il wwaftks II pfesetvation.
The league II established for the protectsoi
Of the rights Of the citizen against the aggrcs-
sion OF corporations, by the enforcement Of
principles Of right and natural justice, as they
are defined BY the highest judicial authority
the Stptemh Court OF tie United States, We
bciiese the slpreinacy u these principles Heces-
sary to the Welfare OF tho people, now inn
pcried by power which combines the tyranny
OF an arlstocracv with the responsibility OF
anarchy; which proclalms it, intention to null
lily the laws or conform to its use, and avOws
its purpose to fasteti upon the nation system
OF chfpOfaAe fil0nOpdaea, whtAA will sAcufA TIN
powers OF government to = small number OF
wealthy individuals, and make the people their
tributaries.
The necessity Of shch on Organization is not
Of recent orikin The Yeesent state # the VA; war
may be sketched in few extracts from recent
chapters in our political history. These ex-
tracts show that the dangers we fear have been
considered BY many eminent men, acting indi-
Sidtaly and for associations with which they
We're connected:
OFFICIAL OPINIONS.
The sNational Board Of Trade 1t its late
convention in Washington, adopted report
which declared that:
steam and electricity have been allowed to pass
into corporate hands, which employ them - 4
means to tax the public unduly for their 30,
IL st thts tiBns farcing itself upon tho attention
OF our statesmen, aid thefe Ii Widespread
feeling that the public welfare demands that
the powers and privileges Of corporate grants
shall be limited in the future"
to many persons that the abuses which accom-
panied the advantages Of steam highways must
be rcmedied. The corruption Of the Credit
Mobilihr. the stock-watering operations Of the
elder Vanderbilt the constant and rapid pfog-
ress made in consolidating links Of railroads
into vast systems, with tendency TO exercise,
arbitrarily and uncqnally. the power thus &C.
minds to the relations which these and similar
events bore to the public welfare. They called
attention to the picture drawn BY Mr.. Greeley,
in his address in MINNEAPOLIS, in 1871, where
he said:
II speak No friend. not only Of railroads in
general. but Of the laitd-grant railroads in
particular, when insist on reconstruction ol
the policy under which they have hitherto been
authorized aud often subsidized. That reform
can hardly he too sweeping, and it cannot
come too soon can but outline some of iti
broader features.
IA dozen or SO uf failroad magnates, sum.
mon.d by private messages lneist from time Il
time in ohe Of our great cities. They CONSUL
In secret, dine aud wine satisfactorily. adjourn
and go their several ways. The next morning
| the telegraph wires viii have flashed across thu
land their dec sion that every bushel Of graiT
going to market, every bale Of goods passing
inland, shall henceforth pay 20 or 30 per cent
more freight than has hitherto been paid. II
effect, this bcvy of railroad kings have arbi
trarily reduced the value OF every farm. ever,
quarter section, every bushel of grain III tha
great West. II they owned tho whole country
and all who live III 1t. they could not lord j
over ns more t.rannically. And perhaps the.
| will proceed next day to make scrip dlvi
dend, or additional issue Of stock, representing
nothing Int their own rapacity, SO as to con
ceal from dnll and careless eyes the fact tia
/ they are exacting from their customers an an
nual profit Of Is or rs per cent on their actua
~ ask this state, and every State, to affirm
and exercise It's right Of fixing proper an,
reasonable rates OF fare and freight on ever
railroad subject 10 its Jurisdiction: that, il th
courts should Ia any case decide that the pOwe
thus claimed is not granted to Legislatures b
existing constitutions, then / ask that suc
power be expressly conferred by constitutions
amendment There can be no doubt OF tn
right Of the people thus to improve the funds
mental law; in fact, en- sec no reason ia
doubt that the same power which sufiiced
give the farmers houses and lands to CON
pany, at price virtually fixed by tho State
will suffice TO insure tn the farmers the right
nse that railroad ct prices likewise fixed by til
State"
1 special committee OH transportation route
to the sesboard, Mr.. Window, Chairman, NJ
i
1S74, OF which the present Secretary Of I'll
Treasury, Mr.. John sherman, Messrs Conklini
Norwood, johnson and other eminent Senator
were members, devoted several months to Il
subject, and expressed their opinions in Il
following terms:
lin the matter Of taxation, there are to-ds
four men representing the four great trur
lines between Chicago and New York who po
sess, and who not infrequently exercise po,
/, ! o,rhs sSb f1a Nf fho tad tafl
. would not venture to exert. They may at Al
time. aud for any reason satisfactory to thcn
selves, by = single stroke of the pen, reduce II
value Of property in this country by hundret
. of millions Of dollars. An additional charge
cents per bushel on the transportation
cereals would have been equivalent TO q tax
CAS-, OOO. 900 on the crop of 1873. No Congre
! would dare to exercise 80 vast q power exec
upon necessity Of the N It imperative natur
and vet these gentlemen exercise 1t whenever
suits their supreme will and pleasure, witho
explanation or apology. With the rapid Al
inevitable progress OF combination and cOnst
idation, these colossal organizations are becel
! lug stronger and more impcrious. The day
: not far distant, IL It has not already arrive
, when it will be the duty Of the statesman to |
quirc whether there is less danger in leaving q
. property and industrial interests of the lcoI
: thus wholly at the mercy Of : few men, vi
! recognize no responsibility bnt to their stoc
| holders, and no principle OF action but perso
!, al and corporate ACKNOWLEDGMENT, than in ad
! ing somewhat to the power and patronage oi
{ Government directly responsible to the peo.
> and entirely under their control.'
lii 1879. 4 committee OF the Legislature
: New York, Mr.. Hepburn Chairman, after
! exhaustive examination, declared that
! charge fragrant abuses III railroad manageme
. had been fully proven, and added:
/, '.Ihe mistake was III not providing proI
] safeguards to protect the public interest, q
hold the railroads to a strict accountability |
J, their tran.actlons thus, through the laxity
4 our laws and tho want Of governmental cont
! ! (mcasurahly excusable, considering the unto
seen possibility Of railroad DEVELOPMENT at
time Of the enactment Of those laws. but
. longer pardonable in the light OF the eyidcl
I, herewith snbmltted), have crept in those abn
% herewith mentioned, 40 slaring in their prop
/ tions ~ to SAVIOR Of iction rather than act,
!, history"
: A late Attorney General Of the United Stat
il whose fidelity to the principles Of constitutio
d law is IN we'll known as his knowledge of tn
! principles and his ability 10 set them forth
/ lansn Sc which everybody can understal
: writes thus concerning railroad monopol o.
+ .Ihey boldly express their determination
y charge ~ much Az the traffic will bear; that
a a - a