Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-17

state out Of $7,000,000 annually. This
condition is due to the fact that the
railroad men are able to manipulate
the lawmakers, SO that they can get all
the governmental favors they want.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
reports that 81 per cent OF the rail
roads of this country are owned by
the Morgan-vanderbiltG Gould combine.
And at the rate of valuation placed on
the property Of this combine, the coun-
try loses S50,000,0O0 of taxes every
year. 1t can scarcely be said, however,
that the country loses 1t, because the
common people have to make up the
shortage. 1t is from their pockets that
the money Is taken to pay the taxes os
the railroad corporations. 1t il u val
liable privilege, this, Of being able tc
rake other people pay your taxes.
What harms the common people is
tae ability Of the rich to secure the
enactment of unfair laws. We have
seen recently how few people have
secured the benefit of such laws In
Ohio. In Cincinnati few years ago,
Geo. B. Cox and Senator Foraker Sc
cured a 50-year franchise. But not
long ago, the Supreme Court of Ohio
decided that the grant was unconstitu-
tional. Senator Foraker so far forgot
his dignity and the general fitness Of
things by presuming to criticize the
decision, and referring to it as remind
ing him of bungling dentist, who pull
ed the wrong tooth. This was very
bad thing for Senator Foraker to
say of the Supreme Court of Ohio, but
we'll forgive him, because in this case,
1t was Foraker's tooth that was pulled.
The decision came like mama from
heaven to the people Of Cincinnati.
The franchise gave the Senator and
Mr.. Cox the privilege Of charging five
cent fares and the people wanted relief
from the burden, placed upon them, as
it was, for so long time. But Senator
Foraker explained how the decision of
the court could be evaded; then came
the curative act passed by the Legis-
lature in direct opposition to the
wishes Of the people, practically restor-
ing to the Senator and Mr.. Cox the val
liable privilege that had been taken
from them. They now have a 44-year
franchise, to fulfill the unexpired term
of the other The people Of Cincin-
natl must keep on paying a straight
fare of five cents, while in other cities
the rate is being lowered. In Lorain,
where Mayor Johnson has a line In
operation, the fare is only three cents
Some of the people in the state are
criticisng Mayor Johnson, upon pre-
sumption that he has not been practic-
ling what he breaches, but it ought to be
plain to them now that he is sincere,
since It is known that the rate of fare
on the only line that he owns is three
cents. And these same critics go to
work and pass the curative act, priv
ileglng Senator Foraker and Mr.. Cox to
go ahead and charge five-cent fares
to the people Of Cincinnati for A years.
Within few years that franchls, Ill
he worth $SS,O00, ,O00--and it was OBJ
tanned from the people of Cincinnati
free. The Council of Cincinnati refused
to renew the contract after it had
been declared unconstitutional by the
court, but the Legislature had no re-
spect for the wishes of the people, and
scarcely hesitated to renew it. Eight
Democrats voted in favor of the cura-
tive act, and l was glad TO hear their
constituents say that they will never
be elected to Office again. They are
dead politically, and so die all Demo
Gratis who betray the trust imposed In
them by the people"
The speaker stated that he had
found it impossible to stand by and
see so much suffering and oppression
! among the poor people of the land, and
never try to do anything for them.
"On Fourth ave, in Cincinnati" he
said, "I have seen hundreds of poor
people lined up in front OF one of The
large restaurants, at closing time, wait
ing TO receive food that had been
left over, the leavlngs of other people
in more fortunate circumstances. IL
. was a most distressing sight, to see
those people waiting there for The dole
. of charity, and / said to myself, III
God has given me any power | will use
it for the benefit of those who are op
pressed and needy Poverty was mo-
. ordained by heaven, and there Is al
, element of sympathy In the human
heart, which, when reused to action
!. forces us to do our duty by our fellow
!, man. 1t Ia our duty to do something
= now for the common people Of th'
: state of Ohio, and we have ahundan
q opportunities for good work. 1t seems
: to me like kind of mockery to turi
= the eyes Of the people to heaven be
4 yond, but never try to do anything Il
i, give them taste Of heaven on earth.
, Throughout his speech, Rev. Mr
: Bigelow was interrupted frequentl.
/, by applause. He Is an exceptional,
y eloquent speaker, and his manner !
q so earnest and sincere that he holds tn
i, interest of his audience without ,
:, break.
e TOM L. ON THE PLATFORM.
II 1t was fully Ave minutes from tn
"a time Mayor Johnson arose TO sneak IN