The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-06-14
ANTI.MONOPOLY.

bltNS OftI RIOuHu NoNCt1u NAlA 0uONt-
Chicago Times.
ANTI.MONOPOLY.
Judge Black Points Out How Great Corr
porations Are Squeezing the People.
New York telegram
Judge Jere Black, the last prominent
representative Of the anti-war cabinets,
has some pronounced opinions Oh COM
ing political matters, and expresses
them freely. In an interview last night
he said, on the tariff question, that
Congress had no more right to levy a
tax IN imports than 1t had on land be-
yond what is necessary for the support
and maintenance Of the Government; !;
all above that was robbery. Beyond
that point, he positively declined to
talk on the sSbiect until he could do it
in his own way.
'.ln what condition is the anti-monop-
oily contest in Pennsylvania"
There is great sorrow and burden
involved in that and an issue for the
people to take hold Of. To show you
how the monopolies are affecting us |
will give you an example in York. Pa,
where 1t presses itself on my own at
tention with peculiar force. The freight
exacted on the single article Of antraclte
coal is nearly 81 per ton more than is
charged upon the same commodity car
ried from the same mine and delivered
by the same company al Baltimore. In
all reason and conscience, it should be
from so cents to 81 less, seeing that the
distance is sixty miles greater to Balti-
more. That makes the discrimination
| against York at least equal to $1.5O on
every ton. The quantity consumed in
the latter place is something upward Of
| 100, 900, and the excessive tax upon it
| all Is therefore SlJ0,OO0. Every cent OF
this is as wrongfully taken as if it were
felonously stolen 1t amounts to many
times as much in the aggregate as all
the legitimate taxes which the same
community pay for the support Of the
State, county schools and almshouses.
A manufacturer, then, who uses 1900
tons of coal must pay $1,000 of black
mail to the railroads or to the monopoly
which they have cheated unless the in
tiuence of his wealth gets it remitted.
But the largest part Of it is levied upon
poor laborers, whose wages are barely
sufficient to furnish their families,
in scantv measure. with food, shelter
and clothing Much of it is paid by the
contribution of charity for those who
would otherwise perish by cold and
hunger. The man who can hear the
simple stony OF this wrong without in
dignation must be as cold-blooded as a
snake.
Now" continued Mr.. Black, 1--WE
are often told that in this struggle for
hon, st Government against the power
Of the railroad corporations, the just
cause has no chance of success. We
do seem to be out on forlorn hope.
The little finger of monopoly is thicke,
than the loins of the law. The influ
ence Of our enemies over the Legislature
is mysterious, incalculable and strong
enough to make the constitution dead
loss in spite OF oaths to obey it, and {
popular demand almost universal to en-
force it. There is no other subjec
upon which our press is SO shy as upoI
this, the most important OF all affairs
Afraid to oppose the corrupt corpora
tions and ashamed to defend them, i
sinks into silent nutrality."
"Is it true, Judge, that the manufact
urers all consider a protective tariff
essential?"
"There the question of railroad mon
opolies comes in. Manufacturers of irol
assure us that they can produce tn
article as cheap us the English manu-
facturers can. But the latter can brin,
their product across the ocean and de
liver it in our market at a less charg
for freight than our own manufacturer
can send it fifty or loo miles on tn
railroad. The railroad companies ste,
in and insist on taking from our manu-
factmers for freight as much as tn
, English are required to pay in duty an
all that they can get besides. If tn
duty en- foreign iron is, for instance, $
per ton, then the railroads claim tina
, amount for freight. 1t helps the NOR
. opolies, not the producer. Our manu-
| facturers are nearer the market in di.
r tance, but not in rate of charges fo
, freight. Could they be placed on a
A equality in the latter they could con
pete with foreign manufacturers wltl
: out tariff. To show you how th
: local freight rates operate against lis
: Ii ton be carried 600 miles frol
D Chicago to Philadelphia for So, and til
same charge be made for carrying
. twelve miles from Philadelphia
c Media. the rate in the latter case is fift
0 times as high as in the former. al
: creditably informed that such dispr'
$ portionate charges have recently bee
!, made, and that as a general rule a
! local freights, whether the haul be Ion
g or short, are charged without regard
s distance the same, or nearly the sam
Il that would be charged on the san
weight if carried from Chicago to Bo
# ton"
# But" he added, thoushtfully, "ye
s. are interviewing me-" and walk,
z away.