, 1883-02-03
@eeklp Stat fsman.


We are continually. having our attention
called to the railroad system # this
Northwest as "grasping, grinding mon
opoly," an octopus, as it were, that is
reaching out and sucking in the bone and
sinex of our land. Nov, let US stop for
moment and argue this point. In the
first place, what Was the Northwest
country before the so-called mon poly
took hold Of 1t Ask some OF cur old set
tiers AROUND the growing and prosperous
city Of Walls Walls how they got their
grain and produce 10 market, and how
much they realized on the same afterlt
had undergone the wear and tear OF hsul-
ing in wagons and transferring from enc
steamer to another TO reach seaboaTd In
those days 1t cost our farmers on an average
of sl3 30 per ton to set their wheat down
in Portland.
Now for the harm done them hy the
monopoly" By the recent order Of
President Willard, the tariff on wheat is
reduced from eight 10 seven dollars per
ton, OF three cents per bushel less than
last season From careful estimation We
can say that the yield Of cereals the CON
ing harvest will aggregate i've million
bushels. There Is a clear saving OF slJ0,-
600 to the farmer, and which Will 10
great extent be circulated at home-he:e
among our business men. These are
plain unyarnished facts, AID our figures
on ce. eals Will apply to almost every class
Of traffic We have often heard It argued
that the corporation and It's managers are
immensely rich, and that they are rObbins
the settlers by meaAs CT the land grants.
Nov, what would those lands be worth
with no railroad What were they worth
before the railroad came Why vas
not the government lands adjacent 10
the company lands-every bit as good
settled long ago Because At ,coU'd not
pay the fuymer TO till the land with 10 Ia
cilities for transportation. Why was not
the towns II Cheney, Sprague, Prescott,
Alkali, Endicott. and many others not
land out and settled before the railroad
WAS built Let the sore-hads and anti
monopoly" demagogues answer. Aside
from this We need not mention the i'm
mense sums of money put IN circulation
through employees and the thousands OF
men furnished employment in the differ
ent departments of the road. Why, III
the town Of Sprague over SIS, 900 month
ly is put in circulation through employees
of the Northern Pacific Deduct that sum,
and what would you have lett IN village
barely year old And We usually find
the soreheads who are constantly and
eternally howling about the monopoly
are non-taxpayers and men who have
nothing for the ''grasplng monopoly to
take even should they bo So disposed.
We admit the managers Of raIiICad
companies become rich. If We occupied
the responsible position filled by them and
did not acquire fortune we should con-
cider our life failure. Bah We are
heartily sick aud tired Of these ''monopo-
ly" demagogues The STATESMAN is inde
pendent of corporations, as well as indlvld-
usl "bossism, but so long as We see bene-
FITS to be derived aud the prosperity Of our
people eLhanr ' the railroad company,
lust so long Se advocate tne cJnt.nu-
alton of the railroad system throughout
the North. u. Where you find one man
that Is l.sr .tIsfed with the railroads,
Thousand al express themselves AS will
ing to AID anG h-lp the railroad progress
alnng