The Rock Island Argus., 1882-03-18
Saturday March Is, 1882.
MoNopoL1Es avn THE PRESS.

/ Wednesday there assembled in Spring
field convention, nominally called in tha
/ interest of the enforcement of the railroad
laws of this state. The convention was
| fathefed byt hat pure patriot A. j. Street
or, of Mercer county, and proposed to see
| toit that the recent orders of the State
Board of Railroad aad Warehouse Commits
sioners be enforced.
Mr.. Streetor is the same who was for
merly democratic member of the legisla-
ture and who, in 1880, headed the granger
state ticket for governor, as a sort of tail
to the republican state ticket commanded
by the successful Shelby NJ. Cullom.
Streetors part of the farce was to divide
the democratic vote on the granger issue
| and thus make ''our Shelby's' calling and
election sure. Success rewarded the sue
cessful performance of his part.
Mr.. Geo. F. Harding of Cook, was an
other gentleman who aided to formulate the
call; he is the man who instituted that
long faulty and very expensive invcstiga-
ton during the session of the late general
assembly, into the conduct and purpose of
the railroad and warehouse commission,
resulting in nothing for any one, and all,
it is alleged because certain railroads cen
tering at Peoria, would not carry freight for
a manufacturing establishment at that
place in which Mr.. Harding is interested,
for less than they were doing the same
service for other people
When the convention had got down to
to business, various speeches were made
by various delegates and among them was
one by Mr.. Porter, of Warren county.
His remarks related to the press and its
attitude on this question. He said that
the newspapers were public educators but,
according to his notions, they were
educating the people in the interests
of monopolies only. Mr.. Streetor in
his opening address also stated
on the authority of the railroad commits
sioners that three quarters of the press of
the state are subsidised by the railroad |
This unfeunded change was refuted in the |
by many gentlemen, but never
.heless it goes out to the country and |
claims to have the authority of the com
nissioners back of it and to eminate from
hem.
The reason why they should make it is
,iain. When they made their recent
,rders as to discrimination in freight rates.
hey blundered to an extent that seemed
impossible unless premeditation lay back
# it; no man, not insane, could be sup
,osed to make such utterly absurd rates
nless he had that fixed purpose in view.
fany localities and interests were harmed
nd none benefited. The only industry in
be state that was in any manner aided by
be present law was the railroad. Under
he rates as now laid down they get better
rices in all the important shipping points
nd have made no reduction. These orders
ave acted entirely in the interests of the
ailroads. The consequence was to have
cen expected The entire press of the
tate-with few demagogical ex-
options rose up and denounced j
he outrage, stating that it was an eyre
ious blunder If nothing worse. The
were held up as fools if
of rascals. But these same Commissions i
IS are an exceedingly thin skinned body
men, and at once cried outethat the
ress was owned by the railroads. Por- :
aps this change Of ownership is worth /
,eking into. The ARaUs has from the {
rst denounced the present law as grossly
nfit and unfair-let any reader of this
rticle go to one of our prominent ship i
,rs-and out of the two towns of Rock i