The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-04-21

been compelled to pay him tribute and
furnish him fortune that would amaze
even Crpsus himself.
The scoring which the transportation
Committee Of the New York Chamber Of
Commerce have recently given to Leland
Stanford in reply to the letter he wrote
justifying his career and that Of his asso-
ciates in the Central Pacific and South
ern Pacific railroads il . fitting supple
ment to the indictment prepared BY Mr..
Daggett, member Of Congress from Ne
vada, which the author Wa not permit
ted TO deliver in tho House of Repre-
sentatives, but which was printed in the
Congressional Record Of Feb. q last.
Mr.. Daggett then demonstrated that tho
vast property Of these two corporations,
owned in the main by Stanford, Hunt
ington, Hopkins and Crocker, represents
800, ,363, ,592 Of stock and 4115, ,0O6, ,683
Of bonds, and that tho actual investment
Of the capitalists was not more than
81, 500. These gentlemen paid taxes
on less than $3.50, 200 in the aggregate
when they went into tho railroad busi-
ness, and to-day their railroad property
alone il worth, over ard above oil the
real and fictitious Indebtedness, more
than $l86, OOO, 900. They have for years
been compelling the public to pay them
8-per- cent. dividends on the vast amount
OF bogus stock which did not cost them
one dollar, and 6-per-cent. interest
on bonds which we're issued to
extensions Of roads that
were really built ont Of earnings
over and above the 8-per-cent. divi-
dends. These extortions are made up
not merely from the outrageous through
rates that are charged upon freight to
the Pacific coast and by means Of added
extortions and determinations against
interior points. The practice il to
charge on freight billed to town in Ne
vada not merely the through rate to
San Francisco or Sacramen.o-which is
the same, though there is difference Of
lao miles in distance-but TO add to
those rates the additional aud doubly-
exorbitant local rates back from San
Francisco to the interior point Of ship
ment. A single instance will illustrate
the practice Reno Is 3O6 miles east Of
San Francisco, and hence that much
nearer New York. The shipment Of .
carload Of coal-oil from New York to
San Francisco costs $500, but from New
York to Reno the charge Is 4536. be-
cause the through rate to San Francisco
is charged and then &236 are added as
the local charges from San Francisco TO
Reno. 1t il by such means that Leland
Stanford has been able 70 accumulate o
fortune of $40, ,O0O, 600 TO 90, ,O00, 900
within fifteen years, and his associates in
like proportion. There i no other Gov
ernment on earth that would tolerate
like practices
II il we'll enough TO expose and de-
nounce the Stanfords, Goulds, Hunting
tons, vanderbilts and the rest, but there
is no hope Of reform in this course alone.
These men are callous to al kinds Of de-
nunciation. They are not to be reached
by any suggestion Of shame Or any con-
sideration Of sympathy or justice. They
are ready to defend the sToils they have
already seized, and TO justify . continu-
alton Of their highway robbery in tho
future. The blame for the condition Of
things which they have been permitted
to establish must rest with the people
themselves. The only effective and en-
during remedy u to be sought from the
Government. But the Government in
this country 10 government Of the peo-
pie. Men are elected to tho Legislature
and to the national Congress to enact
laws for the protection Of the people.
The courts have held that It is compe-
tent for each State to supervise
and regulate the management OF
railroads within its own boundary. By
q parity Of reasoning il is equally
competent for the United States
Government to regulate railways that
traverse two or moro States. Indeed,
the constitution gives express authority
to Congress 70 regulate commerce
"among the different States" In the
case OF the Pacific railroads, the very
legislative acts which brought them into
existence reserved to Congress the right
to repeal, alter or amend whenever it
should become necessary to take meas
ures for the protection Of the public
against extortion or abuse. Why has
nothing been done in this direction !?
Why has Il been impossible to secure at
the hands Of Congress single measure
Of relief? Why il il that the Reagan
bill, which once passed the House. was
allowed 10 die in the Senatee Why Is
it that Judge Reagan was never again
able to put his bill upon it, passage in
the House Why Is it that every meas
ure Of relief which il proposed in Con.
gress il ruled out Of order, amended TO
death, talked down and defeated by :
resort TO Ill the devices a Legislative
ayoidancef "There i something
rotten in Denmark. Congress hes been
temporizing with the American people
in this natter. Tho corporations have
too many attorneys and tools in the M
tional legislature. The time has come
when the people must assert their sov-
ereign authority over their Representa-
tives. The members Of the present Con-
gress-whether Representatives or SEN
ators-who wish 70 save themselves in
public life will bA prepared next Decen.
her to asaist and not retard the project
Of national regulation Of interstate rail.
ways with al tho experience, resources
and ability which they can command
The men Who take aides against the peo
pie IN this issue, either openly or CO
| verify, will be marked for defeat and
disgrace. The "highway robbery" Q
| our time must b punished and put down
Causes Of Decline Ansag America
II