The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-02-18
An rNrEREs4rNo
Demonstration IRON = Citizen who
Evidsng1y Understands what he Il
Taskfna Ahcut

EvidsngIy UAderstAzds what he f.
Talking About.
Mn. EDIToR :-Observing that your
paper ls acting independently Of the fac
tlOnal and monopoly Influences that are
threatening the beat interests Of the peo-
pie o. this city and county. I venture 70
otteT through the medium Of its columns
q few remarks IN relation TO the etlls
liable TO accrue 70 cities shout the GizsI
of ours. who divide up into factions and
suffer monopoIies 10 get possession OF
Them. In the large cities great wealthy
gas light and railroad compa1ies with
theirInfiuence and powerful combination
are undoubtedly advantageous to the
ccmmunity in which they exist, simply
because the requirements and business
70 be done In the great metropolitan cen
tres ara capable Of sustaining competi-
tIon and are not subjected 70 the infiu.
ence OF one great association OF capital
ists, and TINS the interests of the pub
lie are cOunterbalanced and
regulated. In city of our size II is
quite different. Let as once become
the seat of some rich and powerful cor
poraiIoB, and its force would crush out
every other competition that offers it
self. The great monopoly becomes po-
tent factor IN the city government. Its
powers are felt in the legIalature, IN the
courts and even in the churches. Thus
the ostensible design OF great organ
izatiOn IN our midst to promote our In
teFests may be turned into an engine OF
oppression and Decentralization. The
importance OF Emporis Is . railroad
center can be readily understood, and
the extraordinary efforts that are now
being made TO shut out rival roads and
hold the situation until such time a. tn 9
most available approaches to this city
have been covered by the one corpora
ton, and g considerable portion of the
trade centerlng Into this city divided up
amongst rival towns within easy reach
Of rs, would certainly convince
the most obluse mind of the
value of our position and Its merit as q
point of attraction. for at least some one
Of the several trunk lines that are now
pointing 20 our state. Il is clearly the
policy of the great railroad monopoly
now seeking TO control the destiny oil
our city, to prevent If possible the build
ing mp of any large wholesale town IL
the part of the territory which they
now control. AS the creation Of & towr
of any considerable magnitude alonf
their line unquestionabIy would draw
opposition lines of road. Therefore the
people of this city can readily under
stand that the great monopoly will no
centralize their influence and build up
large town only to divide their business
with some other road. The building III
OF Wichita has made her attractive as
railroad center, and our great monopoly
will hereafter control but Q limited pro
portion OF its business. The line o
towns lying southwest Of rs are now of.
fering inducements TO q northessterr
outlet and connection to some of tn,
great trunk lines, hence the concern ant
anxiety on the part OF the monopoly 4
cut of these inducements. Shall riva
factions wrangle away our opportunity
Shall we be swallo wed up by one gigsn
tic corporation? Even the moralist can
not fail to discern the commercial disas
tiers to our prosperity that are sure t
follow. Are we to become firml,
clinched In the grasp of any vast associ
alton of capitalists almost without
saving clause of future competition.
CITIZEN.