The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-12-01
Corporate Tyranny.
BY GOVERNOR PLANTED.

According to POOr's Manual OF
Railroads, the number OF miles OF
railroad in this country increased
from 5000 in 1851 to $1,000 miles in
1879; and the gross earnings from
Ss6,OOO.OO0 i'm 1851 to S529,00a.eU III
1879. These flcts serve to illustrate
the mos; startling development OF
the age development OF corporate
power.
The presidents Of the great trunk
lines in this country control property
three Of them valued ut SlNls.n0O,
900 and three others, property val
ned at $oi3,OOO.
These great trunk lines have been
In the habit of combining and rails
Ing and lowering rates, not aecor-
ding to business principles but ne
cording to their selfish interests Ii
Is notorious that the change OF these
rates in IL single W TX recently al
dcd S5,OOO,Oo0 l.sr week to the bur-
dens CT the people, and put many
tines that amount into the hands Of
eastern holders q grain, some Of
whom were railroad directors. Con-
tinuc for another half century the
present power OF corporations to tax
the public and We shall have Il mon
led aristocracy in this country such
rs the world has never seen, and ali
the attendant phenomena o! vcnal
legislatures and corruption in high
places, which has caused the down.
fall OF all republics in history.
How then can any rejecting mind,
any patriot, contemplate without
anxious concern the tendency of the
legislation OF this country to create
such rapid accumulation Of property
In the hands OF the few at the ex-
pease Of the many?
1.-THE frrcst government" says
Webster, "cannot long endure. where
the tendency Of the law is to create
rapid accumulation Of property in
tho hands OF few, and 10 render the
masses Of the people poor and de-
pendent
Universal suffrage and great land
ed estates cannot longcxist together
for either the owners OF the estates
must restrict the right OF suffrage
or that right Of suffrage will III the
end, divide their estates.
Is it not time we paused in nui
career and reviewed our principles !
FREEHoLDs.
Our institutions were founded up-
on equality, or rather grew on. ol
equality-that condition OF compar-
alive equality. a. to property tha,
characterized tie early settlers oi
New England. They brought with
them no great capital and, fortunate
IL for humanity there was nothing
here productive TO tempt investment
IL one millionaire hal come over in
the Maytlower he would have bias
ted the prospects Of Il continent; fo.
ours, then would have been gov
ernment not to protect labor hu
capital. Capital would have shape,
1t. Our ancestors came here all up
on an equality. rs to property, o.
rather Els to poverty. But the land,
Were all open and free to them. The,
entered into possession and estab
lished the town system. the hundrc,
acre lot system, the district schoo
system; and upon this foundation
they built their free and Christian
republic. All We're tillers OF tn
soil: farmcrs-not tenant farmers
hut freeholdcrs, having absolut,
domination over their acres, rccog
nizing no man rs lord or master, n
power between them and the Go,
they worshipea. They were lord
and sovereigns themselves, and
We are nation OF sov,reigns. toaa,
1t Is only SO far MS WI are il nation D
freeholdcrs. When thee sovereign
got together to form Il government
what kind or government conI,
they form? Oaly that under wllicl
I'll were equals, I'LL were soverriSn-
They could not lave formed m,
other il they tried 1t WAS this no
cessary act 81 parceiing ont tn Ian,
into small frcellolds, says Webster
that fixed the future and form Q
their government"
Our New England ancestry not on
~ began their system Of gavarnmen
under il condition OF ecmparativ
equality rs 10 property, bnt all thei
laws We're Df Il nature To favor an
pelpet,,ate that equality. This
undoubtedly the true principle +,