The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-07-14
THE INDEPENDENT 7.
SATURDAY, JULY IA, 1889.
MOnopolies.


The greatest danger to liberty and
universal progress in America to-day
comes from the concentration of wealth
in few hands The grasping avarice
of monopolies in the United States is |
the cause Of the disturbing influences
upon society, whose mutterlngs are
heard and felt in the numerous labor
strikes throughout the land. No dam
ger need be apprehended to any Of our
institutions from the strikes them
selves; they are always local and the
local laws are adequate to meet these
disturbances. The danger is deeper
than these surface broils, and lays
at the foundation of the exciting
cause for these disturbances. Aggre-
gated capital true to the natural laws
eff affinity, draws to itself from the ave-
nues Of trade, q proportionate share Of
the circulating medium, and when
aided by arbitrary and unjust laws en-
acted for its special benefit becomes
absolute, arbitrary and oppressive
The powe.. aud influence which mon
ey gives the possessors of great wealth
enable them to speculate off Of the
necessities of the people. That soulless
corporations as we'll as soulless lndiyid
uals are not slow to take advantage of
the situation is a well established
axiom. As an incident we might cite
the recent action of the 0. d c. R. R.
in changing the rate of freight over that
portion of its road south Of Eugene.
It will be remembered that but one
short year ago certain persons in Rose
burg busted themselves in circulating a
petition asking the County Court of this
county to lower or reduce the assess
ment upon the company's property in
this county below that which the
assessor placed upon it. Many of the
farmers of the county were induced tc
sign it upon a statement or threat thai
unless the reduction was made, the
company would raise the freight or
this portion of its road. Upon thi'
petition and the argument of the com
panys attorney, the old County Court
as enc of its last acts, reduced the assess
ment upon the read from $500 t.
$4,000 per mile, which was more thar
two thousand dollras less than in tn
counties north of us, and also reduces
the assessment on its lands to thirty
five cents per acre, whilst individual
owning like lands adjoining were as.
sessed from five to six dollars per acre
Notwithstanding these special privi
1eges and immunities, and the fact tha
the freight and rates were more tina
double for the same distance that the
were in cur neighboring State on til
south, and more than four times highe
than in the middle and eastern State,
the company have seen fit to doubl
the rates by charging double distanc
on car loads Of freight over portion {
its read, and have finally settled on a
advance of one third of the origin.
rate. It is by escaping taxation an
charging exorbitant rates that thes
corporations and the persons who ow
and control them in 80 short tin
grow SO immensely rich.
The farmer and mechanic who b
thrift and industry have accumulated
few hundred dollars, are prohibited b
law from charging above certain rat
of interest for its use. And no Oh
questions the right or expedieney {
the StaSe imposing such restrictions u
on the indivual. The same right is il
hsrent in the people to regulate al
control these corporate monopolie
And it Is the fault of the people them
selves if they submit longer to the ir
position and robbery which is practice
upon them by these corporation
While the legislature should at 8
times protect these institutions, ar
act fairly and justly toward corpors
items Of its ewn creation, it neverthele
ows duty to the people, that the
should be protected from exorbital
charges. The individual is compelIs
whether willing or unwilling to give |
his land fer the right-of-way for IL
public good, and those who take
should be compelled by equal and ju
Jaws to use it for the public good, on Il
payment of reasonable and just pref
TithOut exterticn.