The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-24
The Illinois Railroad Law.

We find in the Chicago Lumbernaan the fol-
lowing structures on the Illinois Railroad Law,
the authorship of the article beng credited to
a prominent business man Of Ottawa;
Some questions regarding the present rail
road law of the state of Illinois and Its bearing
upon the public veal are continually present
Ing themselves to thinking men, IN view OF the
determined efforts of the politicians to pander
TO the will of the granger element. Among
others:
Why are the people unwilling that the law
of supply and demand should regulate this, as
It does all other questions of value?
Why are not the men who 30 or 80 years
ago hazarded their fortunes IN building rail
roads across our then trackless prairies as
| Justly entitled to the rewards and profits &C.
lcruing from their investments as other men
who sought other, and, as appeared to them,
safer and more speedy returns in other fields?
| Why is it, that if there are countless mil.
| lions in it," as represented by these gentlemen,
they, being possessed of ample means, do not
set 10 work and bald q few more railroads,
instead of employing their energies in abusing
those already built, both from the platform
and the press?
| Is not the present crusade against railroads
more the result of the labors of politicians,
desiring promotion to office, than of any real
cause?
Is not the doctrine of the "anti.monopolist"
party IN perfect harmony with the spirit OF
communism advocated by Dennis Kearney
and his adherents, and will not his party gain
strength from the sympathy thus manifested
Why is 1t less crime to forcibly deprive a
railroad company Gifts earnings and revenues
arising from its Investments and enterprise,
than TO stop the honest, industrious farmer
with the demand stand and delivery
The orators of the "anti.monopOlist" party
openly advise the friends of their doctrine to
boycott" all newspapers that are unfriendly
to their interests. Why don't they boycott
the railroads into submission by driving their
live stock or teaming their grain to market
after the manner Of farmers before railroads
came and Oppressed" them?
Are not the wagon roads as accessible. the
hills as we'll graded down, the bridges as safe
INSTRUMENTATION along the route as ample
as they we're in 1850?
Were toll gates erected at intervals, as bar
riers, on the wagon roads when the railroads
were constructed?
How many railroads would have been built
in that age if the present railroad law had been
enacted then?
How many OF those constructed since, have,
after swallowing down the fortunes Of theiI
projectors, passed into the hands of receiver
by process of law?
I Are railroad managers so blind, or so stu
pld, as not to know that their interests are
Identical with the interests of the country
through which their lines run?
Finally if such IS the case, and guardians
must be appointed for the people, why is
dense ignorance of everything pertaining to
the subject of railroad transportation, made a
prerequisite for membership In the commits
sion? Would not strict and impartial justice
suggest that at least one member OF the three
of that board be chosen from those thoroughly
ACQUAINTED with the matter to be considered
1t Is the rule to select for any important duty
only those who are ignorant OF the compllca
lions which it is likely to present?
Why Is it perfectly legitimate and right toI
a board OF commissioners to issue tariff full
of Determinations against small dealers, favor
ing those who ship in large quantities, though
less than car loads, as OF butter, flour, kero
sene, and scores Of other articles, while 1t Is
a penal otfense for a railroad company to dis
criminate thus? Is it not true that every
trade, profession, occupation or business on
earth, does, and has, from time immemOrial
recognized quantity as potent factor IN de-
terminlng cost? Why IS 1t that the first ques
ton asked by the prospective buyer of land
is as to Its proximity to railroads! Does the
panorama of fine farms, stately residences
beautiful orchards and thrifty towns, which
greets the eye OF the tourist on our Illinois
roads, denote that degree of oppression and
robbery of which the politician tells 80 loudly
What, more than the railroads of the state
has contributed to its prosperity? Has the
state, In the enactment Of the present law
regulating the compensation Of the roads
dealt fairly and honorably by the individuals
riolyaI fhai zoe
in the construction OF railroad lines across 0uI
then wide, wild prairies!
Perhaps the subjoined bit of history, every
word of which is a matter of record, would be
pertinent to the last question, as showing the
means to which the state of Illinois resOrted
in order to secure some of her present railroad
advantages.
About the year A. D. 1850, certain mer.
chants ana publicsplrited farmers IN the state
of Illinois, having grown tired OF teaming
their produce to and their merchandise from
the distant waterways, and weary OF triweekly
mails and three days stage rides to and from
Chicago IN Frink & Walkers old coaches
applied to the state Legislature for charter to
build railroad 1t was granted, and one of
its provisions was that the state through the
legislature should control the passenger and
freight tariffs The friends of the proposed
enterprise then took the field and endeavored
to secure sufficient aid along the route desig
mated to construct the road, another company
then IN partial operation having agreed to
equip and operate the new line, if the country
T which would be tributary to it would grade
, and lay the track. A most vigorous and pro
longed effort to this end found the projectors
of the line at the end Of the year unable &c
pay their civil engineer for his labor, and they
actually gave him their promlssory note. The
people wanted the road, were clamorous fol
1t, but too poor to build 1t. In this dilemma
men prominently identified with line run
ming east from Chicago were appealed to
they examined the merits of the route, ano
seeing its promise of advantage as a connec
ton to their line, regarded it tavorably, and
concluded to aid it, but on learning that the