The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-10-18

from $4,000 to 10000 per mile;
and the people are taxed, throug h
excessive freight rates, to pay for
millions more of water"
Since this was published the Legis-
lature OF 1887 appointed a special
committee to enquire into the cost
OF building railroads in this state,
and they reported back statement
OF Mr.. Hill, president OF the Manito-
ba system, signed by him, giving the
items in detail, and showing that he
had built and equipped two consider
able pieces OF railroad, paying for
everything, for about $4,000 or
$16, 900 a mile-this included right
of way, rolling stock, depots, every
thing. Upon this showing it is evil
dent that the Alliance in 1886 un-
derstated the extent OF the tax levied
on the people to pay interest on
watered Stockton the water it must
be remembered enters into the bonds
as well as the stock.
l claim that the amount taken out
OF the people of Minnesota to pay in
terest on watered stock, during the
last ten years, has been not less than
ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS!
10 this vast fund every man in the
state has contributed The farmers
have paid the greater part OF it, be-
cause they are taxed both ways, on
what they sell, and what they buy;
while the non-producer is taxed only
one way, on what he buys. There
are 94,459 farmers in the state of
Minnesota. The reader can estimate,
for himself, what was the probable
proportion of that one hundred mil
lion which each farmer has paid.
THE RAILROAD CONFLICT.
But it may be asked-What is all
this battle between the railroads
about? The papers are full of it.
Every day set OF railroad kings get
together somewhere and patch up
treaty-in other words they de-
termine how much of the fruits of
your own industry shall remain in
your hands, and how much they will
take from you. And then the treaty
bursts to pieces and there is another
conference! What is it all about?
1t it simply an effort to prevent
competition and protect Watered
stock.
One railroad has shorter line, or
better grade, or some other adj
vantage, and it proposes to cut
rates and get the business. Then
there is howl. eff this is done the
watered stock will be squeezed out.
No, no-no competition-keep up
rates" Threats, cajolements, en-
treaties follow. "Save the blanket
mortgagesl" The corporations cry
out, ''for Heavens sake don't let the
poor toilers get out from under the
net. Protect the glass Pigment of
shallow unhealthy at any sacrifice"
And SO another treaty is Matched.
amid hatred, and terror, a1r6conAict-
ing selfshness.
1t is laughable to read the edi-
torials in some of our great city
daily newspapers. Startling head
lines reveal the awful possibility that
the ''pool' may break, and that
there may be competition among the
railroads, even as there is between
butchers, and bakers, and candle.
stick makers. Horrors on horrors
head accumulate!' Ten thousand
farmers may be evicted from their
homes, here in Minnesota, by the
foreclosure of mortgages, and not a
tear will these great dailies shed.
Fifty thousand children of honest
farmers may be turned adrift, to find
their way to hireling labor, or per-
chance to the prison Or the brothel;
but for these innocent victims of mis-
fortune, or mans greed or rapacity,
the voice of lamentation is never
heard. But to permit the great nat
ural law of competition to apply to
bogus, sham, baseless, empty securi-
ties; to squeeze the water out of rail-
roads, to let them fight as you and
and all other men have to fight for
what we get; that is a thought too
terrible to be entertained for one mo-
ment. To squeeze a farmer is moth
ing; he may be in rags; his hands
h"rd as a board, and his hair and
ard needing trimming; there is
lOClllIS dDOuU Ills ullSlOFUuueS 10 dp-
peal to the tender sensibilities of the
human heart. But to squeeze the
wealth out of a watered stock mill
lionaire-a gentleman, in broad
cloth and diamonds, with horses
and carriages-and imported
paintings that is dreadfully
distressing! He may not know
enough to tell whether Aristotle
lived before or after Christ, but
he has got his heel on the neck
of ten thousand farmers: and to
let them up and put him down
would subvert society. Close up
the gap! Re-establish the pool!
Save civilization.
,.uiA- nncc TIE Alliance Ac<o