The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-08-30
THE PEOPLE ROBBED.
RAILROAD 90 MBlNES A MENACE
TO THE COUNTRY.
How They Conspire to Rob the Farmer
Their Managers Live Like Princes-Onlv
Remedy Is In Complete Government
DwnersIlip-KefOrm Notes.
Facts Worth knowing.

Facts Worth knowing.
Occasionally We hear person say,
Il would favor the Peoples party, but
am afraid OF their railway policy"
When questioned closely hey her
say, If the Government owned the
railways, and q party once got in pow
er, it would be i'm ossible to Oust it,
or, 1T would bankrupt the Govern
ment to buy these roads, and place
such an enormous debt on their should
ers that they never could pay it,"
Believing such people are honest,
We think we can remove their fears.
In the first place, taxation cannot be
tolerated without completely enslav-
ing the people. THIS is the case when
corpora ions own and operate railways
for their own profit. A company of
men obtain Il charter TO build, equip
and operate railroad from state
legislature, which charter grants the
rights and powers Of eminent domain,
which no citizen can exercise.
Such corporation can condemn q
mans land, or right of way 100 feet
wide through mans land; by APP
plying to the proper court, have
board Of appraisers appointed to value
the land. The company pays the val
uatiOn the court DEGREES the company
to the land, and thus they build the
road. This is exercising the right of
eminent domain, which is alone Gov
eminent prerogative.
All this is done under the plea of
the general welfare. The road i. COM
pleted: a meeting is called, not of the
people who are expected to patronize
the road, but of the stockholders.
They elect u board of directors, who
elect each other officers, and fix their
salary. Upon examination, they find
that there are l,OOO,OOO people tribu
tary to their road, and they conclude
to tax them $l1, 100000 annually.
Perhaps one of the officials will say,
"If you tax these people ll,OOO,UUO
annually it will be such an enormous
profit ON the money invested that the
people will see they are being robbed:
and rise in their Indignation and elect
men to the Legislature who will revoke
our charter, condemn our railway and
demand that the state assume control
Of it through ownership, to protect the
people"
ish eye aud face rises and says. Il will
explain how we can hoodwink the
public and collect the 1900. 900 tax
all the same. We will issue interest
bearing bonds to each other for three
or four times as much a. the property
has cost; place our salaries ut very
high figure: set aside large 'sundries'
fund, and then when the fool people
complain ut our salary, We will show
them that we are barely receiving a
fair interest on our money, when in
fact We are receiving 400 per cent.
more interest than the business shows"
The stock is watered till the annual
interest will cover what there is left
after paying our own and our friends
salaries. with the hope that the poor
fools never will see the cat, and their
slavery is complete and perpetual: for
just as fast as the receipts increase,
the stock, or bonds, are increased to
absorb it. Some railroads in the east
are now stocking up to $4,000 per
mile for this identical purpose The
only Way under heaven that people
can avoid paving these taxes is to
live like prairie dog-neitEer buy
nor sell, nor produce anything for
sale. Not only this. but suppose Mr..
Huntington takes notion to pension
off his son on TO the state. Being
president. he calls II meeting of the
board of directors, himself and two or
three other friends. 10y proxy or other
wise, vote u majority Of the stock, his
son is nominated for Sd or 4th vice.
president, and his salary fixed ut $40
900 per annum. The order is entered
on the books of the concern, and
the general manager instructs the
treasurer Of the company to honor the
new made officers check for his salary.
and the young man HES off to Europe
to have II good time and to associate
with his brother lords AID dukes who
are likewise public parasites.
As result Of this taxation without
representation. the farmers, WHO are
princely salaries. take their BOYS and
girls ont of the school house and drive
them into the cotton patch. there to
dig and sweat under tropical sun
from sun up till sun down: wear the
poorest of clothing. eat the plainest
diet, and drink tank water. all to pay
the prlncely salaries of their new mas
ter. but over them without their know :
ledge or consent. Every trunk rail-
railway in the United States has few
such lords and masters, and the peo-
pie have no way to escape paving the
utmost farthing. No man worthy Of
the name would submit to such in
famies. All that the people have to do
to rid themselves of these fostering in
cubuses is to vote for the Populist
candidates for Congress. and just AS
soon as majority is secured, they
would see to it that the Northern Pa
citic, Union Pacific and Central Pacific
Railroads are sold for debts due the
United States. and have the Govern
ment buy them in. for they are not
worth the debt due the Government.
Then the Government could operate
them under such tariff as would pay
only operating expenses.