The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-04-10
Concentration of Wealth.

There are several evils that must be
rcmedied, on this republic is doomed.
To the student Of events this statement
is solemn truth. To remedy them is
the work of the government, and the
government is in the hands of such
men as our votes place in position. 1t
is not proposed here to enumerate all Of
these evils, and it would seem hardly
necessary TO speak specially of any for
they bave become SO conspicuous and
oppressive that NO one Of intelligence
can be in ignorance of their existence.
Yet it is difficult for US to let single
issue of this journal go to press without
a reminder to our readers that the sub
lugation Of the railroad monopoly to
law and the principles of fair dealings
is the continuance of our liberties. We
feel the Importance Of doing this to an
extent that the subject haunts us con-
tinuslly. Its only question Of time,
il matters go on as they are now going,
when this country, with all its vast re-
sources. will practically belong to the
railroads. The limit of their power,
under the present loose system Of
license, cannot be conjectured. The
government itself, because of the in
efficiency Of our officials, appears per-
fectly helpless to contend with .hese
corporations, and the people are bound
hand and foot. The steady progress
Of the gigantic wrong, Of which rail.
road development in this country is
representative, is the most marvellous
piece of human audacity and rascality
that ever has or ever will disfgure the
pages of history, We grant that the
chief motive in business enterprise is to
make money, but in no enterprise sim
liar to that of railroading, has this ever
been the only motive. In the time Of
stage coaches, the proprietors had
money in, view Of course, but they
never forgot to accommodate the public
to the best of their ability, and to per-
form their service as low as was con-
sistent with fair margin Of profits. 1t
was not until the stage coach was run
on iron rails that the thought of max
ing the transportation business means
of robbery took possession of the stage
proprietor's mind; and that thought
has wrought out result and is still
working out results that make it a
mooted question, whether or not the
railroad will yet prove a blessing or a
curse to the American Republic. Men
look but a very little ways into the
future when they weigh the advantages
and disadvantages of a system or con-
dition of things. We are proud Of our
net work Of railroads. The locomotive
moving like thing of life over the
country excites our admiration, and we
bend to the business of comparing our
advanced condition with the primitive
condition Of our fathers, with unbound
ed enthusiasm and not little egotism.
What would the country have been,
but for railroads? We ask, and think
the declamatory inquiry settles the
question of the value Of railroads. The
question is not important at all. We
are not at all interested in answering it.
What we would like to have answered
is, What will the country be with rail-
roads? Of the utility of the railroad
there is no question. None but an
insane man would attempt to argue
against their utility. But is the use
fitness which they serve commensurate
with the cost of sustaining them?
Everybody admits that..but for the iron
rail and the locomotive we could have
had no such development as we have
had, Thousands of our farms would
now ba in state of wildness, many a
richly yielding mine would never have
bean struck with the pick or the shovel,
and the Indian would now be camping
on the site of numerous splendid cities.
But OF what use is the development Of
farms and mines; Of what use is the
building Of cities and the accumulation
of wealth if all this magnificent product
of labor is TO flow steadily out of the
possession of the masses into the hands
Of the few who use it for the purposes
of oppression? The accumulation
Of wealth, aud the comforts and
adornments which it brings are
desirable if they are fairly dlstrib-
'uted, and are not desirable if.hot. The
elegant palace may be an architectural
wonder and an adornment to the com.
munity, but it will not benefit the hun.
dreds who may have been robbed to