Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-11-17

These statistics give faint idea of
the tremendous amount of CAPITAL that
Is beng employed in the railroad enter
prlses OF the country, and the mighty
influence 1t would be capable of welding
In commercial or political way, pro-
vlded 1t could be concentrated upon a
given object But this danger is not
nearly go great as many people appre-
bend who take one-sided view of the
case. Many of these great roads are
rivals, and will continue to be as long
as they exist, from the nature of their
work and the object of their projectors.
What Is for the interest of one is not
always for the interest of another, and
the Inducements that one holds out to
secure trade and travel for its line often
force others to make deductions that
inure to the benefit of the COM
munlty. A great corporation is
not necessarily a great monopoly.
but may be so conducted as to be n be.
neticent institution confernng and dis
pensing blessings upon all within the
reach of its influence. The great gain
to the farmers of the West. and 10 the
produce consumers Of the East in the
decline of railroad charges during the
last ten years is enough to astonish the
farmers themselves.
A reduction of few cents per 100
pounds upon freight between Chicago
and the seaboard signifies saving OF SO
much money in the pockets Of the pro
ducer or consumer. To make this mat
ter plain, Mr.. Edward Atkinson bases
some estimates upon the asiness of tho
haiYoatf," hind 9ntrelaSar3 Whit IL an .,RSsnv
ing. He says:
1.-The total saving to the whole country
IN the cost of moving merchandise from
1870 10 1879, inclusive, period Of ten
years, as compared to the rates charged
from 1866 TO 1863, inclusive. has been
81, 200, 900, 600, or SlQ0, 900, 900 moro
than the reduction Of the national debt
since the war ended. In the case of the
Central the charge Tor moving 9.i4l,213
tons of freight in 1879, was SIS. 270. $50,
the rate per ton per mile being 1851
cents. Had the charges been rs high
as IN 1862, the transportation Of tho
same freight would have cost 34f, 920.-
$50, or 1867 cents per ton per mile.
The New York Central line does about
one-twentieth of the railroad business OF
the United States. Tho conclusion is
obvious that the reduction of the trans
pOrtation tax adds vastly ~ the amount :
OF capital available for use III further
railroad construction aud III other ways.
Mr.. Atkinson thinks that the farmers
OF the West secure large proportion VI
this reduction, AZ the statistics Of tie
Nov York market clearly show. "The
average prices III that city of a given
quality Of -four, wheat, corn, oats, beef.
pork, lard, lutter and wool in 1880 were
only fraction less than in 1869. The
cost of moving thirteen tons Of mer-
chandise made up of these nine articles
from Chicago to New York in 1869 was
sl85, and in 1879 SCI, the difference be-
ing Sl24. As the New York price was
about the same In each year the West
ern producers and sellers received the
gain"
In most OF the Western States the rail-
road corporations have been put upon
their good behavior % by the constrnc-
ton Of rival lines; ~ by the right of
the Legislatures under the constitution
to take the property and franchises of
incorporated companies and subject them
to public use, the same as private prop
erty; (3) the police power Of the State
can be exercised at any time to prevent
corporations from 80 conducting their
business as to infringe upon the equal
rights Of individuals ard the State At
large; a. the power Of the Legislature
TO aunul any charter thnt it has granted
whenever the business OF the company Is
so conducted that it becomes injurious
20 the public welfare, and ~ the popu-
lar jealousy that exists IN tie community
against the overreaching policy Of corpo.
sations. Herein lies the safety Of tic
people.