, 1885-01-24
IHE sERGTE


Van Wyck addressed the senate.
He said that since 1871 all political
parties had demanded redress from
grievances In transportation, but
party managesseemed 10 learn moth
ing from disasters, and were still try
ing % amuseand cajole people. The
people only demanded reasonable
rales, no Discrimination, no pooling,
no rebates, and no greater charge for
short than long haul; ''Thls,"
he said, ''is no time 10 delay. The
work Of deception cannot longer be
carried on. You cannot pretend
willingness to do something, and
that an obstinate or unwilling house
Of representatives refuses II the
senate faliers now to accept the
house BIN an Indignant people will
believe Il faliers IN a double sense,
and Is seeking BY disagreement to
prevent legislation 30 long sought
and long denied. The roads owned
and controlled the elevators, and the
farmos. II he desired, could not
possibly ship his own grain or cattle
to market, for he could obtain no.
rehaies. The power Of absolute con-
troll BY railroads was not always
exercised in sanity manner. To
Illustrate: The Union Pacific be-
came incenscd at Columbus, an ac-
tive interior city ofNebraska, whose
citizens were enterprising and aided
10 secure another road. The COM
pany determined they should be
punished for such temerity and
rebellion, so unfair rates were
charged, and more was charged per
carload from Omaha than to Kearney
and points furtherwest. 80 the Cen
tul Pacific, without the excuse Of
revenge or punishment Of rebellious
subjects IN their territory, actually
charges to points east Of San
Francisco through rates to San Fran
cisco, and then local rates back.
Was It not evident that the railroads
should be restricted from exactine
more for a short haul than long
one ?
Van Wyel quoted from a letter
written by William Walter Phelps,
10 which he said the latter showed
that senators and representatives
purchased railroad shares on basis
Of one to three. "Certainly," he
said, "siocks and bonds, according
to this evidence, are owned In this
chamber, and al the other end Of the
capital, on that basis-that Is, you
put down one dollar and take up
three.n 50 1t would appear that
even members OF congress learn
where the 'qitue joker" is. No
wonder there Is here manifested the
same contempt for public clamor as
Vanderbilt Is suid to have exhibited
In language more forcible, but not 50
reverential as by distinguished
senator's
According TO the written and
printed statement Of one Of New
Jerseys statesmen, and ROors
Manual, $4,000, 900, ,OOOin fictitious
watered stock was represented In the
stocks ana bonds Of railroads. On
this interest and dividends were col
lected from the people,-made
mortgage on every acre OF land In
the republican Imitation paralyz-
Ing Industry by laying a tax upon
the producer and the eonsumer,-
yet we must remand alrthis TO the
natural laws OF trade. Jay Gould
had greater wealth than theassessed
property, real and personal, Of both
Kansas and Nebraska, and Wander
bilt could buy both states and have
$40, ,000, ,000left. Were these millions
honestly acquired ? The senator
from Iowa (Wilson) trembled lest
TOO much should be done, and the
senator from Kansas Qngalls) said he
did not stand as advocate or cham
pIon Of "that cheap demagoguery
that appeals to public opinion against
railroads ?"
Continuing, Van Wyck said; 'The
tollers In the coal mines Of the east
are suffering for bread, and the farm
ers Of the west are suffering for coal,
and the railroads are to blame. Your
sympathy expands for the pauper
labor Of Europe and India, while
your hearts seem steeled against the
cry for bread OF Americans, who are
forced 10 work at starvation wages,
or have their places supplied in the
mines owned by specially protected
mine owners, by pauper and convict
labor, imported under contract from
Europe. It IS the cry Of the toller
seeking labor in the furnace heat,an
In the underground labzrinth, and
the settler in the dugout on the from
tier Of Kansas and Nebraska, whose
wives and children are drawing
warmth from corn, because the great
eorpOn.tlons refuse 10 reduce rates Of
freight, 50 the coal Of Pennsylvania
may be exchanged for the corn Of
the west. For twenty years these
corporations have grown rich, strong
and defiant towards the law, and
now let Us see TO It that the protec-
ton Of the law shall be given those
who are the victims Of their extor-
tom
Mcpherson and Mitchell opposed
slaters pending amendment, pro
hibiling railroads from charging
more for short than a long haul
also Ingalls,.
Van Wyck addressed a question
10 the senator from Kansas Qngalls)i
"Wus Il right TO charge the same