Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-01-19

fare, and have practiced extortions perhaps
less cruel, but, In the aggregate, more gigantic
than those 81 the British landlord II has been
found necessary to limit the power Of public
officers, to levy taxes for the maintenance of
our schools and the support OF State, county
and municipal governments, Notwithstanding
the fact that these are for the benefit OF the
people. Yet few railroad managers can meet
In Chicago and levy an extra tax Of one, three
or even five million dollars upon the people Of
Iowa without giving them any return. Thucy- |
ddcs relates how the Grecians In olaen
times engaged in the business Of piracy
under the command Of men Of great boldness !
and ability, and now the men so engaged |
both enriched themselves and supported |
their poor by their booty They ravaged vii |
lagos and plundercd unfortiied places. This
was not at that time an employment OF re-
proach but rather exalted those piratieal adj
vcnturers In the estimation OF their kin. IL |
appears that class OF persons has grown up
under the refining influence Of our modern age
with tendencies similar to those OF that sturdy
race; and strange ms II may seem, some people
even on our soil attribute honor to their prac-
tees. While railroad charges should be rea-
sonable they should also be equitable and GER
tain. II IL impossible to conceive how trade
can be established upon sound basis with
transportation charges subject To Wild nuctua-
tons and countless exceptions. Propositions
for even the smallest reductions In the Custom
House tariff are always the subject OF much
deliberation In Congress, but freight rates are
often cut even without previous notice to one
half, one third or even one-fourth OF their
former standard, and are again doubled, trebled
or quadrupied, 1t Is not uncommon to mud
that in the same train car is hauled for one
half the rate charged for hauling another car
loaded with the same article, or that one local.
~ Is systematically charged twice rs much us
another for the same Kind Of service, Rail
| roads thus build up or tear down individuals,
towns and cities as the interests OF their man
ayers or those OF their fayorites may dictate,
and to engage In business with any certainty
OF success one is compelled to court the fayors
| OF railroad companies. Railroads are the high
ways of commerce. Having supplanted the
turnpikes ndpublic roads, they should, as far
us possible, be amcndablc to the laws that con-
| trollcd them, and should be- maintained by a
just, certain equitable tax levied upon those
who use them. Our fathers never would have
tolerated Il system OF collecting highway tolls
or taxes, which besides changing Its tariff with
every moon, recognizes privileged classes and
discriminates In favor OF the man whc Is so
fortunately situated as to be able to haul five or
| ten times as much produce to the market as his
| less prosperous ncighbor. Such system Is
neither American nor Democratic, and savors
too much of the methods Of the fcudal lord
who taxed the wayfaring public as much as his
withered conscience In each individual case
would permit. Our district roads are main
tanned by tax levied eqtItably upon all the
property OF the districts. We do not accord
special privileges TO the man who year after
year drives Il thousand steers TO the market,
III any discrimination Is ever made, IL Is made
IN favor OF the poor tenant OF the government
who is permitted to apply his small earnings to
the improvement OF his newly selected anu
still humble home. A policy of discrimination
in matters pertaining to public business has al
ways been regarded as dangerous to the general
welfare, and scarcely a trace of such n policy
can be found in the laws and Institutions Of
either the State or the nation. State, county
and municipal taxes are lcvics equitnbly upon
all taxable property. The citizen who owns
ten houses in the city, or ten farms In the
country, is not and should not for that reason
be favored with special rate Of taxation. For
the purpose Of levying taxes II matters little
who owns these estates for taxes are levied upon
property and property is held for their payment.
In similar manner freight charges attach to
the commodities transported; or In other
words they are a tax levied upon them. Hence
tariff determinations In favor OF privileged ship
pers are as unjust as system OF raising rev.
cnue which should prescribe lower rate OF
taxation for the rich than for the poor. The
exchange Of the products OF our soil and our
factories will and must be effected, II an
equitable tariff should dissatisfy such shippers
as have heretofore been privileged characters,
their enterprise will readily ind new fields Of
labor, and other men prepaid to accept the new
condition of things will promptly I'LL their
places. Neither will the public be the loser by
the change, nor will the volume Of the trans
portatlon business DC decreased. III Is lnpossi-
BILE to approximate the loss sustained by the
people Of Iowa IN consequence of railroad dis
| elimination. FOR years our miners nave had
Just cause to be dissatisfied with their lot The
lneager returns for their hazardous toll, de-
creasing from year 10 year. naturally leu them
to look FOR the cause OF their oppression In The
methods Of their employers and the supposed
iniauities Of the law. There can be no doubt,
however, that the miner simply suffers together
with the operator 10y the discriminating anu
unreasonable coal tariif OF our railroads, when
| not only confines The output OF our mines 10
| local markets, but even enables Imported coal
to compete with the best products OF our mines
In the very heart oil Iowa Our miilcrs rare
sun worse. Inc uisciinihh'iohs Ptacliceu ny
tue railroads against mem nave inauc u ili-
| possiDie ior lhen W uihhulactuIe houI lor eA-
port, or even nome consumption, except at
loss: Minnesota Hour Is otteh shipped 10 points
IN Iowa Tor less than onc,thlrd OF what Is
| charged Tor shipment OF sihiiinr Instances
WITHIN the Statc. ms injustice on the part Oh
Tie fallroaus mas lorccu u very large hummer oi
our nilicrs 10 suspend WORK anu Nus rehdercu
| their property almost worthless. Wnch several
years ago thc uehcrai Assembly, III 'he interest
| OF morality ana gOod ordcr, passed u law pro-
| hiblting the manufacture OF Intoxicating liquors
| 10 DC uscu us beverage, hhu ,hcrcpy uePrc,
Ciatel the value OF inc prewerles ana
| uistilicrics oi tue otae, 'nt ~ WIS ne
| nounccd 10y the adVocalcs Oh tnc nquor trainc
| as striking ~ the very birth-fightso OF american
citizens ana its validity was lesten I'D tne h,Sh-
| cst courts, ootn OF the STATE anu NatIop. put
when lew IaIroaa managers enter mo coz
| Spiracy 10 ncsuoy ny w unithsonao,c Sinll
| and Hour taflh tue INNING interests Vi .hc
State, Duilt up up al cost many t,ncs grch,ter
thah that OF It's 'i,stlIleil.s anu nicmclIcsi
| anu iufnlshnS cmpioyhcn. W .houNaus ~
men, whcn they tnus rcnucr comparatively
| worthless properly empioycd III one OF
| the most Important anu most succcsslui
| industries OF the State, and pcrpc-
iratc such wrongs 10 violation ol law ana III de-
] iiancc Of all principles OF Justice. NO steps
taken for relief, because during thcHe many
years OF railroad usurpation thc OPINION mas
| gained ground among our people mat tne
abuses Of these wealthy and powerful corpora
lions are without remedy, aud must be en-
dured with mcckncss and resignation, like Wis
| ltations Of Providence. Hundreds of other
manufacturing and jobbing industries have by
| this unwisc aud unjust policy been ruined or
! driven out Of the State, aud the large number
| of empty shops and factories In the State are
,lrcary monuments Of railroad hostility to Iowa
| enterprise Our towns and rural districts are
taxed aud our wholesale business is being dis
couraycd 10 build up "A few large cities outside
OF our borders. IL must not be supposed,
however that the friends OF railroads aud the
defenders Of their methods are confined TO the
few cities which thrive upon the tribute which
a. ,,,roi ,,ui,pS a IA, fnrc,.a IN nay IN ihrIn Nv