Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-19

principles throughout the state, eliminating
IN the election of Senator Van Wyck IN 1881,
was warning which the corporations heeded
by reduction of excessive tolls all round.
In waging this war THE BEE battled not only
for Omaha but Nebraska and the west while
the Herald and Republican defended every
move and every imposition which crippled
the Industrial interests of every section of
the state.
The Anti Monopoly Movement.
The lrrepressible conflict bet ween organized
capital and disorganzed labor, between the
producers of the country and avarice of rail-
road corporations which spread throughout
the west in the last decade, was an uprising
of the oppressed against political and indus
trial dictators The commercial highways
Of the country had consolidated, competition
was destroyed, and the products and indus
tries OF the nation placed under tribute by
dozen men. Their power became so great,
their greed so appalling, and their exactions
so burdensome that the life blood of western
producers was sappeu and drained to
dangerous point Enormous dividends were
paid on millions of water stock. The profits
of the toilers were absorbed in getting their
produce to market and many of the neces-
sares of life were almost beyond the reach
of people of moderate means. The railroad
corporations did not stop there They in
vaded every department of the government,
became Extensively prominent in all elections,
infested the national ard state capitals,
brlbeu legislators, made and unmade laws Mt
will, and substituted machine politicians for
statesmen.
The grange movement of the carly seven
ties was the first practical rebellion against
railroad tyrany. 1t was successful in dem
onstrating the benefits of organization
among farmers and accomplished much good
in Iowa. Illinois and surrounding states
The great fight inaugurated and carried on
by THE BEE against the Union Pacific bridge
tolls and lntolerable interference OF that cor
poration in political affairs, was the
beginning of the anti monopoly movement in
Nebraska. The desperate struggles against
the federal brigades, the Hitchcock regime,
and the wholesale prostitution of the ballot
by monopoly mercenaries, paved the way to
political freedom and forced the party in
power to respect the will of the people.
During the campaign OF 1850 the anti
monopolists, though unorganizeu, held the
balance of power and forced the issue III
nearly all senatorial and representative
districts. In Douglas county 1000 republi-
cans rebelled against the legislative ticket
foisted on The party by packed railroad
convention. They raised the standard of
revolt against monopoly domination and sup
ported every man, regardless of politics,
who pledged himself to stand by the people.
The result was a complete rout of the cohorts
of Jay Gould, Thurston, Hanlon and Cou-
tant Merchants, farmers and wortingmen
rallied in every section of the county aud
after a campaign of three days overthrew
the enemy.
The legislature of 1881 was strong anti
monopoly body. Control of the lower house
was in the hands of producers. and much
beneficial legislation resulted. The most
important was the bill framed by Judge
Doane of Omaha, which the opposition ia
cetously dubbed the "Doane tub law" 1t
prohibited secret rates, rebates, draw bucks
and other privileges granted to the favored
few; provided equal rates and service
for all; limited charges to the
tariffs force NOyelD her
1880, and imposed severe penalties for viola
tion of the act. Another bill was passed re-
quirng all railroads doing business in the
state to incorporate under the laws of the
state, to maintain general offices in some
county through which the road ran, and keep
books showing the amount of business done,
names and residence of stockholders and the
transfers of the same.
The defeat of Senator Paddock and the
election of General q. H. Van Wyck was the
greatest triumph of anti-monopoly in the
state. After desperate hand to hand con-
fiict, lasting five days, the hosts of monopoly
were routed. 1t was victory of popular
self-government, and marked an epoch in the
political history OF Nebraska. 1t was the
second great senatorial triumph of the peo-
pie, for which The BEE justly claims large
share of the credit. For nearly ten years 1T
had fought the good fight almost single
handed. 1t had overcome the most malignant
opposition, placed in the constitution pro-
vlslCn giving voters the right to express Il
preference for United States senator, con-
tributed to the downfall of The federal brig
| ade in 1877, and was largely instrumental in
| giving monopoly death blow IN 1881.
The arrogance and political infamies OF the
| corporations, their determination 10 rule or
| ruin, the determinations which built up
| favored towns at the expense of others,
| forced the restrictive measures of
| which the companies now complain.
| They overreached themselves IN grasping
| all the traffic would bear, and forced the
| people to seek redress in national and state
| legislation. The inter.sta commerce act,
| the,railroad commissions in various states,
| and the smashing of pools, have materially
| curbed corporate rapacity and brought their
| power within reasonable bounds.
The principles of anti-monopoly have
taken deep root in Nebraska. Since the
| first convention was held in January, 1881,
| they secured the approval and support OF q
| majority OF the people, every succeeding
| year witnessed an improvement in the
| character of public officials; corporate tools
| were gradually retired, and the public ser
| vice placed beyond the malgn influence OF
monopolies. The defeat of Senator Var
| Wyck in 1887 was not defeat of anti-monO
base betrayal of pledges and promises, ant
q cowardly surrender to king caucus.
| The Lesson of 1882
| The success whicn crowned the efforts o.
| the anti-monopolists in 1880 gave strength
| and confidence to the movement. Emboldcnet
| by the election OF q pronounced leader II
Senator Van Wyck, the rank and file turned
| their attention to the notorious tools o1
| monopoly in and out of office.
| When e. X. Valentine sprang into the
congressional brogans of Hon. Frank Welcf
in 1878, The BEE gave him hearty support
| He had scarcely warmed a seat in congress
| when he displayed his bent for corporate
favor. He became the subservient tool Of
monopolies, and rarely missed an opportun
| ity to do their bidding In
1880 The BEE demanded his with
| drawal from the race, but the rail
manipulators of the republican convention
| backed by the remnants of the federal brig
ade. secured his nomination. There was nj
| organized opposition TO his election. Never
theless he received a rebuke by falling be-
| hind his ticket 5000 votes.
The republican party paid no attention Il
this mild warning. Trusting to large ma
| jority to elect any tool receiving the nomina
tion, the managers Of the machine deliber-
ately invited party revolt in 1882. The in.
crease Of the congressional delegation anC
the division Of the state into three districts
| precpitated a vigorous campaign, in which
the organized Independent anti-monopol,
party was an active factor. The opposition
turned their heaviest guns on Valentine II
the First district, Laird in the Second