The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-03-26

q cent per mile on passenger fares, and
a similar microscopic reduction on
freight rates, and with ordering a few
railroad stations built, where the cor
porations were not overmHch disposed
TO build. Some times they have some
what raised the valuation of railroad
property for taxation, over which
those corporations have raised sham
battle, knowing that the extra taxa
ton would really be paid by the peo-
pie, by quietly raising the freight rates
on certain articles. When the Stand
ard oil company was assessed for part
of tine taxes 1t justly owed, Roekefel-
Ter said, add one-fourth Of cent to
the price of oil till the people have
paid our taxes"
The only way To reduce the burden
on the people is by bona fide, genu-
inc cut in passenger and freight rates.
IL may be said of more than one rail-
road commission that at respectful
distance they initiate the ways Of
providence in one particular. II has
been said, "He takes step. and ages
have rolled away" All railroad conf
missions, probably, when first APP
pointed, have made show of reform
by cutting off some intiDi'esimal
amount from railroad charges. as an
one-eighth or one-fourth of a cent
from passenger fares, and then-twoo or
three generations hence, If The people
wait so long, they may possibly cut of
another one-eighth of cent. Ia the
meantime, the mu.ti-millionairts who
own these roads, living in theiI marble
palaces in London and New York,
with their yachts, fast women and fast
horses, have gone on with their fell
| low-conspirators enhancing the value
of the dollar. reducing The value of
produce, and thereby more than
doubling their passenger and freight
rates.
EFFECT OF EXCESSIVE RATES.
1t is in this way that Ireland, natur-
ally one of the foremost countries on
| the entire globe, has been pauperized.
| All the profits of the soil have been
drawn in the shape of rents by nom
| resident landowners to London, and
nothing going back, the country has
been impoverished like a field from
which all the crops are cut and moth
| ing returned. In like manner today
the south and west are impoverished
by all the profits of agriculture being
taken to London and New York in the
shape of excessive transportation
| charges, and nothing being returned
or spent among US, the south and west
are rapidly being reduced to the con-
dition of Ireland.
In honest fact, the railroad commits
sions in the several states have served
only as buffers to protect the railroads
from real criticism by the people, and
from direct legislation to reduce their
rates, while the states have uselessly
taxed themselves to pay the several
commissions salaries to seem to do
nothing.
In the public distress we demand
real relief, and we must have it, and
not its phantom.
What is the remedy? The remedy is
TO cut the rates, and exactly in proper
| ton as these multi-miiIionaire railroad
kings have, in combination with 9TH
ers of their kind, cut the prices of our
produce.
L. S. SUPREME COURT DECISIONS.
The supreme court of the United
States has decided [Chicago railroad
VS.. Wellmau, 14S U. s., and in several
other casesl that rates which will al
| low a moderate rate on the actual val
ue of the railroad property are valid.
In that case it sustained a passenger
fare of two cents a mile. Upon the
| same basis, every passenger, and near
ly every freight rate, should be cut in
two. 1t is what has been done with
our produce, and will simply restore
railroad charges to their former basis.
| Can the railroads stand it? Upon the
| basis of watered stock, making the
railroad patrons pay dividends and in
| terest on three or four times the value
of the railroad, they cannot. But upon
the legal requirements of moderate in
terest on the real value of railroad
property, they can. Besides, the divi-
dends and interest on stocks and bonds
on three or four times the value of the
property is not all the present high
RATS are levied for. In the first place,
the freight shippers and passengers are
taxed to pay enormous salaries to rail-
road officials, ranging from 100000
per year down. The officials are as
| numerous as their salaries are exorbi-
tant. ]. Pierpont Morgan pays out of
this levy upon the poor southern peo-
pie $4,000 year TO his chief manager,
President Spencer, while his, like all
other big railroad systems, has three
or four honorary sub-presidents at APP
proximate salaries, each equipped with
palace car and staff of servants, aud a
host of other officials with high-scund-
ing titles, salaries in proportion, and
duties in the inverse order, while the
real work is done by Woodworking
subordinates with moderate salaries.
In addition, the travelling and ship
ping public is loaded with the sums
used in running newspapers, editors
and lawyers, the maintenance of ex-
pensive Hobbies at all the state capitals
and at Washington, and with the free
travelling of all those whom the cor
porations think can be influenced in
that way, for the cost of the passage of
those who travel free must be added to
the charge against those who do not.
1t must be noted that this host of
100000, $4,000, $4,000 and $4,000
salaries-not one of which can be real