Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-08-03
RAILROADS.
Somo Interesting Statistics Relating
Thereto, Watering Stock, Etc.

OI hOOut SOUU,VUU,UUU. Inc tOtul CHpilNl
stock Of all the railroads IN the country Ia
over 81 900 900 900. and the funded debt
II about 1880, ,0O0,000 The United
Slaics contains nearly one-half Of the rail
road mileage OF the world.-Et.
Ed JOURNAL Thus appeared in the
Journal July 20, 1888. How many who
read this gave il a second thought or are
capable Of realizing the enormity OF wealth
therein expressed Not one in five hun
dred Of the general readers Of the day give
IL any thought. Not oven our 80 called
statesmen Of To-day give ii any thought
| let alone those who have no time to pom.
der over such vUlumlnons accounts. No
person is capable of comprehending ST.
! 600, 900, but when we ARE confronted with
81 900, 900 600, we give way and are
| little here below aud don't know that little
long"
Yet IL rs the duty OF every man and
woman IN the United States to investigate
just such s,atcmcns made by common
carriers as the railroads, as all producers
and consumers are interested, either direct
ly or indirectly, M will show.
On page lo2 Of Mavericks National
Bank Manual, Published in 1857, ind
that capital aud funded debt (Stock and
Bunds) Of all the railroads III the United
States upto 1885, 10 I've 81, ,5S3, I2i S9S.
Total cusl of construction and equipment
each mile, $50, ,0J9.
Now these are the figures of Of the rail-
road magnates, presidents, general man
ayers. atlornies aud agents. Had the
country no other means OF ascertaining
the cost Of the railroads, it might be kept
in gross ignorance and submission 10 the
internal means now being used TO cxlor,
from labor annually hundreds of millions
Of dollars. There is not railroad IN the
United States violating their chartered
rights. They have not broken one law,
| neither have they encroaGhed upon the
rights of individuals. They are straight.
law abiding in every sense Of the word.
There IA no need of 1t. Their charter
grants 10 them all they want. The right
of Eminen, Domain confisca,es the proper.
~ Of individuals whenever it stands in
their way.
The railroads charter don't say IN go
many words that they can cheat wrong
and ,lefraud all whom they may come in
contact with. 1t goes further than this,
lor il permits them 10 ride rough-shod
! over individual interests and by their cor
pora,e wealth defes justice. The people
cried aloud protect us from railroad rob
berry or we perish" The prayers Of the
people were ansWered by a MoseH-the
Interstate Commerce law. Then the peo
pile shouted Amen, AMI laId themselves 10
re-t in The sweet embrace of morpheus
But when the people had slept off the
archaeological effect Of the hour they re-
allied there was slight alteration, but
without relief. Justice had flown from
the courts at home to the courts in Wash
ington. Five railroad judges appointed by
| the President OF the United Stales TO de-
eide oil cases Of grievances between the
corporated wealth ol railroads and indi
vidual wealth. These railroads who die
tate who shall he President or Senators or
congressman, and who snail sit upon the
Supreme bench and deal ont evenbanded
justice to all, hold their courts IN the city
OF Washington. This modus-operandi
makes justice so expensive luxury that
/ aI, m m -ltra
tieths Of all the cases that justice demands
at the hands Of this court. This makes il
possible for none but the rich to apply.
The railroads are daily discriminating be
tween shippers in direct violation OF the
Cullum Interstate Commerce law. 1t
says they (railroads) shall not charge mnre
for short haul than long one under sub
stantially similar circumstances and con-
di,ions over the same line In the same di-
rection for the same class OF goods.
The railroad commissioners decided that
the railroads are TO be the sole judges aud
have the right 10 say whether or not they
are charging more for short haul
than long one, under substantially sim-
liar circumstances and conditions over
| the came line in the snme direction for the
same class Of freight. So the railroads
may charge whatever their capricious
greed may dictate and still violate no law.
The railroads are the judges OF their own
acts, therefore responsible to none but
themselves. Their acts are infallible. By
unjust legislation the railroads have been
permitted to water their stock and to put
up the price on freight and passenger rates
70 that after voting themselve large salsr-
les they are able TO declare large dividends
upon their fictitious watered stock and hy
their illgolten gains influence legislation
and sway courts Of justice. To one who
has not Investigated this evil and ils blight
ing effect like the sting of the serpent on
the body OF our country can hardly realize
it's curse. Without the aid Of the rail-
road and many other great monopoies
(and by the way all monopolies are the
fruits OF class legislation) political cam
puigns become farce. The interests OF
the masses are overlooked and they become
the drawers OF water and The hewers OF
stone. The masses have no voice in
shaping legislation. In fact il is 10 un-
dersiood by the political guides that it is
enough 10 know that things are thus, and
80 without inquiring OF iis cause.
While talking about the many evils oil
the day friend remarked to me "Well
we admit all you ray to be true. but how
are they TO be overcomeY" Our answer
was hy keeping before the people the evils
that they may become familiar with them,
and that in due time the good judgement
and honesty Of the American people will
be able to work out the great problem OF