Middletown transcript., 1891-03-19
TcoMMuN1cATED.

EDITOR 4hANoNnANA
vorth,s communication in your issue
If tina 18th, opens subject that tran
scends in Importance to US, every
other local issue except the secret
RalIot.n No matter what provision
NAV be embodied in the charters OF the
railroads. of Delaware our constitution
says their revocation shall be a resery-
ed power of the legislature. This
mower should be exercised at once un-
less its formal assertion brings the
railroads into harmony with the needs
of our industry and the political eon-
ditions of the times.
These charters being revoked their
reissue to their present owners might
be made subject to such conditions
as would establish justice in this busi-
ness, and emancipate the people from
feudal serfdom to corporate power, a
serfdom as real and as injurious as
that which marked an earlier and
darker period of human effort. II
such adjustment should not be reach
ed the State might equitably become
the owner Of the roads, as suggested
by MIR. Dilworth, and sell or lease them
under new and adequate conditions to
such other corporation as should offer
the best terms and security.
Mr.. Dilworth says such constitu-
tional provision is possessed by few If
any other states. It might be added
by way of further contrast that few if
auy other states have neglected all
restrictive and regulative legislation
on this subject, while most of them
have their State Commissions charged
with the care of the interests of their
people and their rights under such
laws. Mr.. Dilworth is right. We
have the remedy plain, simple, just
and effective. Let US use it prompt
" and cease whining about the "tyr-
amy of soulless corporation"
Probably few people even in Della
ware have looked into the matter of
freight charges enough to get a very
definite idea of the actual figures in
this magnificent discrimination which
the Pennsylvania railroad imposes
upon us. Take few samples. On a
car load of peaches from Wyoming to
Boston we pay $220-354 miles. Car
load Of peaches, refrigerator car. iced
three times on the trip, South Georgia
to Jersey City, 1000 miles, $3.50. Car
load Of fruit, California to Philadel-
phia, 5000 to 4, 900 miles, $3.50. From
the fruit districts Of Western New
York to the great city markets the
rates are also far lower than ours, dis
tances considered.
The Pennsylvania railroad boasts
that it carries freight over her system
1t the average low rate Of about six
tenths Of a cent per ton per mile and
she carries some as low as four-tenths
Of a cent. At the average" rate,
IS above, we should pay on q car load
Of peaches to Jersey City about $40.
Four times the average y rate would
make it $40. Nine times the "aver-
.ge . rate We pay, viz 800, Almost
avery article Of farm necessity that is
billed or rebilled to US from Philadel-
phia or Jersey City or that is shipped
'ut of the state or locally within the
tate, shows the greed of this unre-
strained corporation. Take fertilizers.
3. 20 from Philadelphia to Dover, Al
ents per ton per mile, seven times the
average y rate. In car loads four or
i've times the average !" and with
,ery few exceptions this thing goes
through the entire schedule of rates
nd our substance passes into the
lands of those who do not earn it.
Yours truly,
E. FL. BANCROFT.
Camden, DEL, March Ia, 1891.