The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-08-25
ANOTHER NEW ROAD,
4 0ilt.Edged Dream Of Monopoly
How Our Modern Highways Arc
Built-1mproved Law and
Finance.


tFrom the Carson New Appeal
Yesterday Constable Stern discovered
In the city jail a map Of the United
States and some railroad connections
which were entirely new to him. On
making inquiries he discovered that the
map had been drawn by couple of
prisoners and was the ground plan Of
big railroad scheme in which the two
were interested.
We propose" said one Of them. ITO
start new railroad system beginning
1t Carson and ending in New York
when will you begin operations ?"
Queried the officer.
"Oh, as soon rs we get out. Now let
me outline the plan. We start out with
some pins, chains and compasses and
make survey. We announce through
the press the proposed Carson, Arizona
and Texan line. Then we incorporate
and let in a lot of solid citizens, appoint
committee TO go to the financial GEN.
ters and lay in with a syndicate Of
bankers to place our securities. They
make satisfactory lay, advertise heavy
in the heightened papers, and the
treasury begins to bulge. We get the
country excited, the people subscribe
Tor the bonds, and they go like hot grid
die cakes.
DO you catch the idea p
The constable began to grow in
terested and nodded his head.
Well, then We apply for Govern
ment subsidy. throw few thousand
shares Of stock around Congress, get
some Of the orators to talk Of the wealthy
country about to be opened up, great
natural resources requiring develop
ment, etc, and the things done. Then
We sell the land ut So All acre, and push
our road right through to Texas
You get quite q start" said the
officer; but who pays off the hands 2"
"Oh, forgot one Of the most impor-
tant accessories Of course We organize
construction and finance company; rs
directors Of the railroad company we
vote unanimously to give ourselves, ms
construction company, fat contracts,
whom we snb-contract the construction
out to actual contractors at half price.
and they pay the hands or not, Just as
they choose. But these are minor details
Now our next point is New Orleans.
We
IN the original bill Of sale, and as we
take hand in electing the Judges they
pronounce the title invalid, holders
haven't money to contest it, 50 We serve
writs Of ejectment on the fellows who
have improved our lands and sell 'em
again At higher figures. This gives us
another raise, and then we freeze ont
the original stockholders, sell the road,
buy it in, reorganize, water the stock
like the devil and give everybody a
chance"
But the law steps in"
"Oh, d the law. The law doesn't
cover railroads; railroads are too lively;
beside we're putting up job now to
have majority Of our own men in the
United States Senate we've got all the
State Senates now and the Supreme
Court, and then we can head off any
eCommunistic attacks you know.
When we get our road to New Orleans
out Of our earnings, our lands and the
taxes We should have paid the Govern
ment, what We made on the construction
company and the reorganization, Uncle
Sam swoops down, calls for his money
and threatens to take the road. Well,
there's nothing small about us We say.
take the old road its busted con-
Germ anyhow Then he won't want it
% bad, YOU see, and We continue bust
ness"
But how do You freeze out the stock
holderss"
"Nhy, we hire the Government Com
missioner to make report and bear the
stock. That shakes the holders out and
we rake it in in blocks. Then he makes
another one you see aud the market raj
lies"
But this costs money; you need a
good lot
well we've made good lot in back
freights and sockin' it to small shippers
and the nen-competitiye points, to say
nothing II construction company, our
lands and freezing out stockholders.
The policeman had no reply
Then from New Orleans we go to
New York"
But you have made enough to build
the New York road. The Eastern PEG.
pie won't stand the back-freight racket"
?Maybe not, but the dear public ARE
always keen to put up for railroads.
The bankers arrange oil that, and il it's
too thin for the United States they have
pals across the big pond who are ALWAYS
ready to help unload road on foreign
INVESTORS. for divide. They are always
ready TO build the road and let the com
pany run it-and we're the company. You
know.
Zone splendid racket to work is when
stocks are low we buy, then form pool
with other roads, show big earnings,
stocks advance, everybody PUSHES in,
and we let EN- boom il mp till We think
they are high enough, when we quietly
unload, pass the word to break the pool.
We sell short and the lambs are shcared
both ways.
Railroading is money making husi.
ness any way. BY givin' the big ship
pers special rates and siingin' around
passes pretty lively, givin' free cxcur-
sions, subscribin' literally to statesmen
benefit funds. and occasionally buildin'
church-perhaps owning a newspaper
here and there to BLACKBOARD anti.ino-
nopolists and lead public opinion: by
pursuing liberal policy like this we
can always make ourselves solld with the
ruling classes. OF course this costs
money, but rs We tax both producers
and consumers we reassess all these little
expenses on the public, and more, too,
Tor the farmers and other small shippers
never bargain for rates; steam trans.
portation costs mighty little, and. what
with new inventions and the growth of
the country, it's gettin' less every day.
That enables us to pay dividends on all
the water We put in, which keeps in
vestors quiet. and everybody whose in
duence Is worth anything says what
great and glorious country We have
See what free railroads and free Gov
eminent has done for us T.
But what about the free and equal
provisions in the constitution OF the
United States?"
What do We care about the consti-
tuition? That was made before steam.
electricity and corporations came in.
and II don't apply now, if it ever did.