Mohave County miner., 1894-05-26
The Business Trouble in Colorado.

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there Is story Of the bright man, whose
intelligence lighted up his pathway, who
took advantage OF the wants Of others
and got everything AS ch.aply as pos.
sble. By his side WAS the dull man.
good at heart, and willing to give every
man fair show In this ugly world, aud
willing to pay fair price for what he
bought. One was the spirit OF in,elli.
genee, the other was the spirit Of love.
In the course Of time both were cas-, out
into utter darkness TIE intellectual
man travelled by the reiulgent light OF
his shining intelligence, missing the
planets and comets in their whirling or
bits, and finally found his way on the
lighted, broad and beautiful road into
bell, whose gates closed behind him for
syer. The other, blind as justice, weot
his cratic way from star to star, and
finally entered the gates OF q blessed
heaven, whose gates were pearl and
whose streets we're paved with gold.
Somehow these two always seemed to
.ypify the two classes OF business men.
In the hard times the fellows " no found
hell As their finAi resting place are aud
always have been obstacles TO the re-.
turn of prosperity. OF course they are
not counted among the great causes !;
they are not described among those who
are condemned, in the nonsensical, er.
ratio and misunderstood screeds known
80 political platforms, or damned in res.
olu'ions OF political bodies. But like
the poor they are always with us. An
Illustration is seen in Denver in connec-
ton with the present denoralixing
damned and cursed cut Of the railway
freight rates. All the rates on eastern
goods are cut from 81 to 80 DER cent.
The cut Game in this way: John Smith
or Tom Jones was considerable ship
per Of goods from the East. He went TO
the agent OF the A 70 I'd and asked for cut
rates, or rebates, or passes, or all CON-
bined As the price OF getting his freight.
Then he vent 40 the agent OF the B road
and tried to do hetier Finally he gave
his business to the one who gave him the
best rates. OF course these agents were
all legally and honorsoly bound TO give
no favors. But the legality in the thing
was phantom the morality was bound.
ed by the devils rule Of get all you can.
Finally other devils found that some par.
ticular devil had got away with the bag.
Rage-2ot what he could by giving what
he should not have given, and the others
got mad and threw overheard the rnles,
and cut rates, and trouble began. The
result is every railway company 10 cut.
ting rates TO any figure in order to get
freight business. Another resnl, is death
and stagnstion to all manufacturing
occupations in Colorado which depend
in any degree upon freight rates from
the East TO aid them in establishing a
business. Men employed in canning
soap and other lines Of manuf ,cture are
driven out OF business. Hundreds Of
men are deprived Of employment at
home. The army OF idle is recrnited
and all business IL demoralized. Some
are rnined. Others are crippled. All
are made unhappy, except few who
are rich enough to take advantage Of
the situation by stocking up while they
can do so At a low price 'To him who
hath shall be given, and from him that
hath not shall bs taken that which he
bath In common parlance il is rem.
dered may the devil take the hinder
most" and the hindermost is he who
has the least capital.
All this, of course, In it's results is
wrong. For every wrong there is rem
edy. What is the remedy for this?
Of course the first answer would be to
correct the cause, which primarily is the
greed Of those merchants who try to get
advantage of their fellows, and thus in.
fueHce the freight commanders TO cut
rates. A correction Of this evil is out OF
the question. until human nature is cor.
rected, unless the application tor favors
10 made misdemeanor or criminal of.
tense. This, Of course, is impracticable,
because no law can compel men to ask
Tor what they want. But a law can be
made operative which will prevent men
from granting illegal favors, and perhaps
include those who ask for them. Would
i not he we'll to make it criminal Of.