Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1881-05-26

It is the sheerest nonsense for men
tobe belly-aching continually about high
freights, or high prices for merchan-
disc, form products, mechanical or
common labor, or any other article,
so long as the vendor has the monop-
oily of any one of these. 1t is the dispo-
sition Of most men to sell what they
can to the best advantage. Ifa mer-
chant Of this or any other town has
in his own possession and under his
control all there is of any one article
of commerce and that article is in de-
mand, he will offer to sell that article
only at as low figure as the purchas
er can stand and be able to pay for
without any reference to the price the
merchants paid for it. Take right
here in this town, suppose all the
-four to supply this and adjoining
counties were under the control of one
man, and there was no prospect of any
other -four being offered for sale here
during the ensuing IL months, that
man would demand five and even ten
hundred per cent. above its cost, be-
cause he could do so and tho people
would be compelled to purchase it or
live without -four. There might be
some individual instance where tho
pangs of hunger in some poor man,
might move to pity the heart of the
seller, but this would be, an exception
The same would be true of every 9th
ar article of merchandise which the
consumer required. just 20 with all
classes of labor. II there was but
two or three carpenters in q place
where a dozen was needed and no
prospect of others coming, these two
or three would place greatly ad-
vanced price to their labor and we
would be compelled to pay it or 60
without. So with every other me-
chanic, as we'll as with common labor
ers. Go to the professions, and they
would be the same. It is the natural
consequence Of a monopoly in any bus
mess and no one class of men can be
found as exceptions to the general rule.
Why then should We anathematise
men for doing what all men seem
ready to do when the opportunity
presents. At the present the 0. R. h
N. Co., have the monopoly of the
freighting business of the upper Co.
lumbia and Snake rivers and they are
simply using their monopoly Of the
business just as every dealer would do
in this city had he the monopoly in the
selling Of any article such as -four,
sugar, tea, coffee, salt, clothing or any
thing else that might 30 needed. and
the dealer has no more reason TO COM
plain in the one case than in the other,
and that man is short sighted who
makes distinction between the two,
and condemns and abusus the ono and
lauds the other. They are all horses
Of tho same color, cattle of the same
stripe, bristles of the same hog and
hairs from the same dog. The prin.
ciple underlying the whole is the ever.
lasting greed Of tho American people
70 make mony ~ fast they can and
outstrip the great mass Of mankind
that Are around them. But it may bs
said that we were to suggest tho cure
for all these seeming evils and espec-
tally for high freights. It il conceded
that for the present the O. r. l. Com.
pany have the monopoly Of the rivers
above named with the prospect Of ~
tanning it till the portages are opened,
and the river is the only means Of
transportation. that is speedy till the
railroads are completed, that one going
down the Columbia belongs to the
same company and when completed
will furnish no reduction Of freights,
but where one goes across from
Ainsworth to the Sound, then there
may and will come relief, unless
there be consolidation between tho two
What then should the
people doi Simply abide their time
in tho best good nature possible, and
work by every means in their power
to hasten the completion of these on.
tsrpriaea that will ensure oompeti-
ton. aud much can be done both BY
the press and tho people in the way Of