The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-04-25

wheFewsth 10 pay back the dollar no bor-
rowed than it did when he borrowed ".
i The interest aconmulates, while the pay
/ ment Of the principal seems utterly hope
less, and the veay depression which We are
! discussing makes the renewal OF the mort
/ gage most difiicult Many people are dis
| posed to associate thisprase of the subject
/ WITH question of an undne limitation
rniSnr currency. Many carry this line OF
i argument 10 extremes, but IL Is by no
] means impossible that these subjects are
] correlated. However, the question of cur
2rsncy IL receiving general 'attentention
i from another branch OF the government
Il legislation on this subject is now pending
i before congress, aud We can no doubt look
] for an early and satisfactory solution OF
this yexed problem.
.E Transportation.
q The question OF transportation Is one OF
Ii profound interest to the American farmer.
The trouble begins near home. between
the farm and tho nearest railroad station.
III would be difficult to estimate the
Namount Of loss in time and labor, in de-
Expectation and wear and tear OF horses and
Iconveyauces. entailed upon the farmer by
Ifhe wresched condition of country roads
before arriving at the station; he there
meets the vexed question Of freight rates,
a difficult one 20 settle satisfactorily TO all
i parties under any circumstances, bat in
81 many cases stu further complicated by
the condition OF our whole railroad system.
4 Many Of the roads were built al time and
under conditions that greatly enhanced
their cost. Competing Lines built under
more favorable circumstances, present
eomparlsons of inequality which often
seem like iniustice, and on the other hand
fit mnst not be forgotten that many
roads are over-taxing their constitu-
ents In an effort 60 secure dividends
knpon total of capital and bonded debt, .
Iportion Of which IL purely fictitious. That
many roads fail to pey any dividends ut all /,
while the total profits of the railroads
4throughout the country represent but q
comparatively small dividend upon the
actual cost of construction, plant and
iequipment still IN no wise palliates the
grievous wrong Of attempting TO secure q
profit upon fictitious valnes. IL is still too
early TO suggest any important modifica-
tions In the inter- state commerce law.
fuller trial is needed 10 judge properly OF
its effects and to suggest judicious amend
ments The condition Of our agricnltnre
is such that large proportion OF our farm
hers must depend upon facilities for reach
a ing distant markets, and the law will
hardly accomplish its pnrpose of securing
the greatest good for the greatest number
if its ultimate result should be 90 rGise the
cost OF the long haul. Its most valuable
Office will be to prevent injustice by for
bidding the granting by the railroads Of
speoial privileges 10 certain classes or cor
.pomtions which are denied % the commn-
Gambling IN Farm Proascts.
Few there are bat are familiar with anc
J | dspIore the conversion OF our exchanges
and boards of trade, originally designed
for the encouragement and conyenienee o.
legitimate trading, into vast gambling
places, fraught with the gravest danger te
the country 1T large, but of which th'
farmer. whose products are thus made the
toy and piaything Of the game, is the i'm
! mediate and chief sufferer. The frequent
and extreme fluctuations OF price occa
stoned by the operation Of irresponsible
speculators is the bane of the producer
: whsse best interest will ever be served b.
MHz0N8U8nGc "
Net. To the allegation, not infrequensi
, made, that IL at times prices are thus an
duly depressed, there are also simes whel
: they are unduIy raised, there isa simple re
: ply. As already asserted, not only ar
! fiuctuation and uncertainty the bane of th
9 producer, but the speculative combination
which resalt Ia unduly raising or depress
: ina prices are carefully calculated 10 rails
= them when the goods are no longer In th
producers hands and to depress them whe
y they are. Unquestionably legislation
y needed TO remedy this evil, and II shoni
be based on the principle that the evil
y not d necessary one, requiring Legislation
= but an utterly inexcusable one, to be cure
By eradication.
Controlling Combinations.
: Much has been said and written aliegir
! the existence of Unlawful combina tions 4
= = the express purpose of so controlling u
y markets as 20 lower the price OF the farm
= er's products, and of other combination
: whose object liz tes raise the price OF u
= articles which the farmer consumes. Th
4 such combinations exist is impossible
= doubt, and the serious results OF their gre'
= = and sellishness are enhanced by the gra'
= difficulties attending any effort to lin
= their evil effects. This In enc of those evi
y 20 closely allied 20 the matter of inte
!. - state commerce. that It's Regulate
= may possibly fall within the lesisima
=. province Of national legislation. III
~ great difficulty lies In The close obseryan
l'' Of the line on demarcation which eleai
|. exists between combinations for mutu
y !. self help. protection and the adyanceme
~ by legitimate means Of the Interests OF
- - class, craft or industry, and combinatio
=, ~ OF trusts inspired by greed, whose obie'
;" ere unattainable save as they infringe UP
the legitimate rights of others. In sp
of these difficulties, however, there cam
a., be any donbt that an earnest demand
10 adequate Legislation on this subject, s.
in tanned by popular opinion, receiving
re easnest attention of onr strongest min'
an win eventually result In some adequl
the means Of controlling this gigantic evil.
4 "a. NO.