Omaha daily bee., 1883-08-15

NEW 1OTk DUdT
The Pail Mall Gazette has a striking
article on the growing tendency in Eng
land to resist the encroachments and ag-
gressions of m%onopolies. The railway
passengers duty bill, a very mild measure
for the additional protection of the travel
ing public, has called forth a fierce pro-
test from Sir Edward Watkin, a railway
capitalist. He insists that the govern
ment should not interfere with the opera
tons of organized capital. He protests
against parliament taking n step which
will be followed by others and lead to the
complete subsection of corporations to
the will of accidental majority. The ad-
dition of a parcels post to the postal sys-
TEN, which carries parcels weighing seven
pounds and all smaller weight for II
shilling, and IL pound for three pence,
to any part of the country,
is in the same line. 1t was
called for by the excessive
charges and irregular service of the rail
way express companies, which had a
monopoly of that business. The people
were at their mercy. And they charged
enormous rates without rendering a
proper equivalent in service. They were
neither quick, safe nor accommodating.
Mr.. Fawcett, who is a good deal of n
democrat, took the matter into his own
hand, and utilized the national postoffice
for the accommodation of the people.
The result is that the expressage of small
parcels has been taken out of the hands of
extortionate ~monopolies, and will hereaf-
ter be done cheaply and promptly by the
government. No wonder that British
capitalists now feel alarmed at thegrowth
of n tendency which is already power
full enough to produce such practical re-
suits.
The same tendency appears quite as
strikingly and strongly in France. The
railroad corporations which obtained
profitable privileges in their charters are
now pushing the public by n series of ex-
actions which cause loud complaints from
every quarter. What shall be done to
protect the people from the exactions OF
these corporations2 is the question asked
with increasing earnestness everywhere.
M. Modier De Montjau recently delivered
a powerful philippe in the chamber OF
deputies, in which he denounced the ex-
listing corporations as ''the most danger
GUS enemy of public liberty and public
peace" The Financial feudalism," OF
which they form o bulwark, is becoming
an almost impossible check to pro.
gress and civilization. Nothing that
that has ever been seen in
the most corrupt American state
Legislature can compare with the picture
drawn by the radical orator of the fate
awaiting the French chamber when all
its members will be linen systematically
led astray, all directors, shareholders,
agents, creatures of the companies" Al,
ready, he tells his fellow-members, 'you
are lowering the standard of public
credit, of our dignity, our liberty, the
power of the state, before the companies,
So entirely have they entered into your
hearts and taken possession of you, Sc
well have they discovered the way, 10y
means of their great following, their i'm,
posing power, to impress their will upon
you, to make you fear them, and reject
with madness the idea of n struggle
with them" The monopoly which the
French people are lighting against is
that formed by combined railroad cor,
porations, and the anti-monopolists claim
that railway charges should be so fixed rs
Just to defray the expenses of working
and maintenance. 1t is the principle Of
applying all profits, after the payment OF
a certain modest interest upon capital, "a
reducing the expense 10 the public of tn,
services which the ~monopolists are EN-
powered 10 render. The companies ar,
10 be entitled to fair remuneration fol
their services but no more. And tn