The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-26

nortation to the Seaboard, com posed
of the following able statesmen and
prominent leaders in the great poll
ticial parties of the country: Sena-
tors VIM. Window (Rep.J, Mimi;
John Sherman Rep Ohio; Roscoe
Conkling (Rep.) J, N. Y H g. Da
Wis Dem. J. West Va; 7. NJ Nor
wood DEM }, Ga; J. w Johnson
Dem. J, Va; John H. Mitchell
(Rep.) Oregon, and s. B Conover
fRep), Fla After devoting sew
eraI months to an examination OF
the subject, they made very able
and exhaustive report to the Senate.
in which they declare: ".In the
matter Of taxation there are io-day
four men, representing the tour
great trunk lines between Chicago
and New York, who possess, and
who do not unfrequentIy exercise.
powers which the Congress OF the
United States would not venture to
exert. They may at any time, and
for reasons satisfactory to themselves,
by a single stroke Of the pen, reduce
the ratHe Of property IN the country
By hnudreds Of millions of dollars;
and that by combination and con-
soIidation, these colossal organiza-
tons were daily becoming stronger
and more imperious." p ? as p.
They also affirmed that congress
had full power over inter State com.
merce and could therefore remedy
these abuses. Seven years have
passed since this report was
made aud the country warned of the
growing power of incorporated mo-
noDolies, which are absorbing the
products of industry and subverting
every principle of government 'of
the people and for the people," and
vet no definite action has been taken
by Congress, although the people,
groaning under the crushing power
of this despotism which the United
States Senate committee have as
sured them does exist, have appeal
ed for relief at each returning ses-
sion. And yet we must not be dis
couraged or grow faint-hearted
There is every reason to believe that
decided progress has been made
during the past year in enlightenlng
public sentiment upon this question,
and arousing the people to under
stand the situation and to know
what means are necessary to be put
forthto bring about practical results.
1t is also gratifying to know that
prominent among the abvo Gates of
wholesome reform in the manage
ment of corporations, who have ia
ken stand with US upon this ques-
ton, are Judge Jeramiah S. Black,
of Pa, and ex-Secretary VIM. Win
dom, of MINI. The latter has Just
been reelected to the United States
Senate.
| desire to call the special atten-
of members of our Order, and far
mers generally, to the following
brief extracts from the letter of
Judge Black to the New York
chamber of commerce, under date
of November 10Th, 1880. 'If rail-
road corporations have the unlim-
tied power which they claim, then
all business is at their mercy-agri-
culture, commerce and manufac-
lures, must suffer what they choose
to int1ict. They may rob labor of
the bread it wins. and deprive all
enterprise of its just reward.
Though this power does not belong
to them legally, they have been per-
mltted to usurp it; and l need not
tell you that they have grossly
abused it. We know that they make
their exactions with an eye single
to their own advantage, without
considering any right or interest of
the public They boldly express
their determination to charge as
much as the traffic will bear; that is
to say, they 7ViH take from every
mans business as much as can be ia
ken I0ithomt compelling him to quit
H. In the aggregate this amounts
10 the most enormous, oppressive
and unjust tax that ever was laid
upon the industry of any people I'M
der the sun! x The far
mers of the great west have raised
large crop of grain which they
sell at large prices if they can have
1t carried to the Eastern ports, even
at the unreasonable high freights of
last summer. But just now it is
SAID that the railway companies
nave agreed among themselves to
raise the freights five cents per hun
dFed weight, which is equal to an
export tax upon the whole crop of
probably serenity 1fve millions of dol
lars. The farmers must submit to
TO this highway robbery or else
Keep the products of their lands to
rot on their hands. =
Common justice imperatively re
CURES that freight charges be fixed,
settled and prescribed by Ia70;- and
that they be not changed at the mere
Will of the railroad companies"
The above contains all that we as
an organization have ever charged
against the railroad companies, and
Prescribes the same remedy which
We have advocated. We took the I'M.
tlatory step in this movementagainst
the tyranny of monopoIies," and
stand TO. day before the world vindi.