The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-02-16
Railroad Monopoliss in
English Ewes,

or hall dozen individuals mas
frighted the investors away. The
situation seems to be considered
critical, even by the confident Brit
isher, who was but short time ago
so anx Gus to intrust his savings to
American enterprise. The Tele
graph of London had recently a
long editorial in which the state of
affairs in regard to our large monop
olies was analysed in a way by no
means likely to encourage fresh in
vestment of British money in the
securities of our corporate institu
tions. The press abroad has
grown to understand that men like
Vanderbilt, Gould, Stanford, Sage,
Field, Jewett, Dillon, Garrett, and
Huntington are practically beyond
the control Of any power. Full jus
tice is done these men in compari-
son with whom all the statesmen and
Legislators of the United States are
declared to be "pigmies.'' But the
original folly of allowing a few indi
viduals to tax 100000 of people
at their pleasure, and to place the
whole business of continent at the
absolute mercy of a few unscrupu
lous monopolists, is pointed out in
upcommonly telling language:
Mr.. Jay Gould is the outcome af-
ter three quarters Of a century, of
Jeffersons pet theory that '"the
world is too much governed" and
that no official interference with the
unfettered industries of the people
is under any circumstances permis-
sable. Thus it came to pass that
the federal and state governments
looked on idly, ifnot sympathetical
ly, while vast continent was being
girded with railways intersected by
canals, and covered with electric
wires by private enterprise. Occa-
sionally faint protest was raised
by politician that the railway cor
porations were too powerful for the
government which ought to control
instead of being controlled by them.
Mr.. Window of Minnesota, for in
stance, who was for short time
secretary of the treasury under
President Garfield, had the cour-
age to avow himself the sworn foe
of monopohes, declaring that the
time had come when the govern
ment ought to step in and protect
the community at large ag ainst the
exactions of railway kings. He
proclaimed that Jay Gould was his
special aversion, and thundered
against the monstrous anomaly of
permitting the telegraph system of
an immense continent to be in the
irresponsible hands of one giant
speculator." But Mr.. Window has
already, a transatlantic parlance,
''fizzed OUT as government Off
cial, and Mr.. Jay Gould is more
powerful than ever. For at least, a
quarter of century Mr.. Gould, who
is yet comparatively speaking, a
young man, has been widening and
consolidating the foundations Of his
prodigious wealth, influence, and
power, so that at this moment he is
a nigh tier potentate than any presi-
dent that ever sat in George Wash
ington's chair, and wield's a para
mount authority over the stock
markets of the world.
1t is a peculiarly of the United
States that spectators are, and
have always been surrounded by a
halo of glory and admiration which
is conferred by the possession ofab-
normal wealth, unaccompanied by
worthier attributes, upon individu-
els in no other county. As auto
cratic controller of the American
system of telegraphs, Mr.. Jay
Gould is master of the press, and
can misquote if he chooses the
price of European and American
stock and produce to his own profit.
If denounced by any journal he can
ruin it by withholding from it or
falsifying its telegraph dispatches.
At this moment he is Seeking to
connect San Francisco with the
East by submarine wires, and thus,
in addition to sub-Atlantic cables
between the old and new world, he
will have a monopoly of the tele
graphic systems all over the globe.
The time is apparently not far dis
tant when Great Britain will com
municate with India and China
through the medium of cables
owned by Mr.. j. Gould; nor is it
pleasant to anticipate the control
which he seems about to WELD over
European noless than over Ameri
can markets. 1t is far from our
purpose to inquire whether Mr..
Gould is as deficient in morality as
he is alleged to be. But it will hap
PLY be said OF him, as Victor Hugo
in Les Niserables" said of the
First Napoleon, that ''ilgenait
Dieu" by the disproportionate and
incalculable power which he al
ready exercises over the destinies
and fortunes of mankind.
Great wealth is supposed to make
those who are blessed with it con
servative, and to abate their coVet
ousness but unless Mr.. Gould is mis-
represented by those among whomht
lives, he is as grasplng to-day when
credited with the possession Of un
told millions, as he was when mor'
than a generation sicne, he first en-
tered New York, poor, oscure, anc
unknown, with nothing but a pat
ent mouse-trap, which he brought
there to sell 1t rests with his com
| Datriots TO determine whether al
end shall or shall not be put to hi
irresponsible and autocratic power
but in the meanwhile the giant spec
ulators and railway kings in th'
United States are rapidly becomin
nuisances to the world at large
| TChicage Tribune.
| ------e e~-------------.
Master Tommy (returning iron
the funeral /: "Why did Uncle iona
cry so for, auntI He cried NOR
than anybody Aunt (grimly J
| ssOf cf,,,,-sat Most of tho nrOt,erfv