Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-06
WHY NOT OWN The srATEP

Why should not the Southern Pacific
own the state Of Oregon? 1t has 3
bigger revenue than the state. Ii takes
In more money than the state every
day. It has more officials and attor-
neys than the state. 1t pays bigger
salaries to its officers and lawyers thar
the state can pay. II has more infiu-
enee and more representatives in the
legislature than the people have. II
has bigger lobby and more votes iu
both houses than the state. 1t gives
the states officials and the peoples rep
resentatives and agents more favors
than the people can give them. 1t is
already greater than the state. Why
should It not rule the state?
The great corporation even exercises
q greater taxing power than the people
delegate to their own legislators. Ii
has recently added 40 to 60 per cent. on
all freight charges 10 this valley, In
creasing its income several 100 thousand
dollars. No monarch on the throne OF
England ever dared to exact a sum like
that without the consent Of parliament
and Charles the First was beheaded foI
Ievying y smaller tribute. The people
are even taxed to pay salaries TO the
men who as railroad commissioner
make this possible. The further effec
of their labors is TO shut out competi
tive corporation-these paid servants o
the people, but in reality individuals
bowing to the power higher than th'
state itself.
What can the people do? They have
already sought to break this giant force
that holds the state IN its grasp, by
taking away its power to make freigh
rates. The law of this state gives tn,
Railroad commission. power to say wha
this corporation shall levy in tolls
They fought that law but were beaten
In all the courts and the law went int,
effect. establishing legal rates in Ore
gon. But the corporation saw its Op
portunity wnen the people were sleep
ing, got control of both branches of the
legislature, chose its speaker, named iti
committees. removed the old commIs
slOners and put in three new ones whC
restored its power of taxing the peopl,
lad Iibitum."
What can the people do? why
should it not own the state, cor
poration that can do these things? I'm
less the people take from it this powe
of levying tolls upon its produce anC
commerce and traffic, and taking thu
peoples money to corrupt their govern
ment, buy up their legislatures, selec
their railroad commission, they nigh
as we'll surrender the state of Oregon
to the Kohlers, Huntingtons, Stanfords
ct al. Their whole state government
executive, legislative, judiciary, eveI
the justice courts and the coroner tina
sits on the dead, and the probate ad
ministration of estates will be eorrupte'
by this corporate power already create
than the state.
What eau the people do? They cal
resume their sovereign right to contro
all creatures they create, including tn
Southern Pacific and the Railroad Com
mission, They can resume the right
acknowledged by all courts OF sayinI
what just and reasonable rates O
freight shall be. They can destroy tn
present barbarous Determinations tina
rob the merchant on every box o
freight and the farmer on every sack o
grain. They can abolish the iniqui
tous free pass system that brides tn
official and silences the press. In 9th
er words the people Of Oregon can re
sumo self government by and for tn,
people and throw of the corporation
despotism that taxes the people, re
stricts commercial intercourse anC
makes impossible any railroad construc
tion IN the future.