The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-10-25
Railroad and Freight Rates.

ing millions of agricultural producer
who create untold wealth, than Il
one of transportation charges by publ
carriers. especially railroads. The
c. 1T its last annual round up if OF
memory serves us rightly declared owe
1900, 900 dividends yet the trucker
who shipped by its system paid NOR
than half the sale of their product
for transportation as the actua
accounts show from a truckers KEEP
record. These figures show that iron
an area of 4 acres the gross profits wer
$4,000 per acre, ~buL by the time thu
railroad and commission men go
through and the party had paid fol-
boxes and some labor he "had the bag
to hold" and with mighty little left in
it. There is no present remedy, through
which relief can be had-the roads are
just left to their own sweet wills and
conscience ~ as to how much they will
take. The populite party is denounced
for its advocacy of government owner
ship of railroads, but the very fact of
the idea being a prominent one is
evidence that a large part of our peo
pie are cropping after relief which in
time must come in some shape. As
our population becomes more dense,
and production is increased, rendering
competition active, the closet count of
expenses must prevail in order to wiring
from the earth that degree of comfort
and independence its possessors Justly
merit. In order to do this the public
carrier must be compelled by a national
law to carry all freight by mileage
rates. Aside from ownership deemed
now SO impracticable this is the only
solution of the question. The press as
well as all professions and trades peo-
pie live by the labor of the farmers,
and If his substance is unduly absorbed |
by great corporations he is less able to
have the money to spend which drives
the machinery of general business.
The press which is the great medium
of communication and education, as
well as the power which speeds great
should well consider this
question. Its agitation throughout
the land would so arouse public senti-
ment as to bring the matter before the
general government through repre-
oentativeS in such shape as to attract
the right action. The central gov
eminent is superior to everything in
the country and can do all things that
ire just and they will be lawful. The
,ariff, free silver, and per capita cir {
;ulation all dwindle into diminutive !
usignifcance compared to this drain. {
The tariff on what single individual
'r family buys is small and goes to
sustain the government that we must {
vi have for our mutual protection. {
There is plenty of money to buy all q
We create at fair prices as is evidenced t
low in the cotton market but all that S
'oes to enrich corporations is useless &
nd onerous tax upon the sweat and I
oil OF human manhood which is not S
light. The bonds of a vast amount of Q
ur great railroad lines belong to
oreign capitalist who neither know P
or care how we toll in paying the a
ividends which flow into their capa- a
lous pockets across the ocean where it O
of no use to us but only starts out o
n another round of bond enslavement Fl
he time is not far distant under exist 2
~ conditions when British money n
ill be able to tie up the wheels Of our II
lternal traffic wherever it chooses, v
nd exact any condition it pleases. o
he has for generations had the carry II
lg trade Of the ocean of our products ca
her own vessels. manufactured them Of
nd sold them to the continental and b
'iental nations and pockcted the pro- oil
IS which we could have had in great cl
lrt, if we had had a merchant marine IN
our own to have entered these te
arkets as her rival in trade. Just as w
ng as the Southern and Western on
rmers have to pay present carrying A
tie just so long will Unsuitable "
mpires drain them Of their financial dr
e-5lood. Long Endurance of slavery dc
weyer begets the meekest sub By
ssion. Hereditary bondsmen know pl
not he who would be free. himself co
lst strike the blow" Farmers Ike