The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1903-04-28
from tie -Aation's GaoifaZ

merger case which dissnlvei ths,
great railroad combine aud gave
some vitality and force IT, the Sher
man antitrust law. They are poin,
aug I" this decision MS n great triumph
at this republican administration
AMI claim that the party is making
Bnod all its promises 10 Ryht the
frusts OF the country. II would be
interesting for some of these republi
can c'aquers TO poiut out 10 al
sxpec'sn: people the tangible gain
fo'the public Of this decision. In
Abe h"ai test the SIP RENE Court,
may revere the decision IF the lower
eouri, but even in case it a.firms il
where Is the benefit to the people
who travel over the roads in CUES
kion or use them tor the transports
fiDn Of their goods? The intention
0f tn government in instituting this
ant was TO abolish merger of
competing lines of Iailrsads and
thus prevent rates being raised be-
yond reasonable figure. Under
abe terms of the decision the stock of
ihe Great Northern. Northern
Pacific and Burlington railroads will
be returned by the merger cnm.
panY To their original owners, and
this will still leave the roads in the
control OF Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Morgan
and their trends, and 1t is certain
that they will agree Ia maintain the
present rates, merger or no merger.
Tbe truth "f The matter is that the
combine took place several years ago
when MIR. Hill and his friends OBJ
taiued control of the stock of the
Northern Pacific and the merger
company was organized simply to
cinch the combine and prevent any
one from bursting it by bold move
an Wall Street i'll getting hold of
majority of the stock in any one of
the roads. The entire interest of
the states through which these roads
run lies in the reasouableness of
passenger and freight rates, and is
not finally affected by the merger
decision. 1t still rests with the
Interstate Commerce Commission as
il has for years before. II ia useless.
therefore, TO make the people who
are the customers of above railroads
believe that they have gained
great victory, when in fact they
gained nothing.
Some Of the rottenness of the repub.
lican administration of the Post Office
Department is at last coming to light
The investigation has just begun, but
81 has gone lar enough To let us see
that this will be the biggest scandal
ever uncartbed III any department OF
Abe national government until the
democrats get in control and take a
look 1T the books in the War and
Navy departments, and the things
that were done there during the war
with Spain in conneetion with the
purchase of supplies for the army and
the purchase IF vessels for c.lliers
and for the transportation Of troops.
When this investigation into the
doings OF several bureaux Of the
Post Office Department was ordered
by the Postmaster General, he did
not expect to find anything worse
than few irregularities. aud which
could be easily remedied, but he
comes back here from a pleasure
trip and finds all enormous scandal
being turned up to the gaze Of the
public, and he Is badly scared He
talks very bIavely About continuing
he investigation aBp allowing no
guilty man To escape. bui he would
DO glad to shut IL of right nov. II
he does not and goes the full limit.
then NO may expect 10 see some Of
the pets Of the adminIarstion
wearing stripes. This game Of graft
and speculation has been going on
for several ears. When senator
Hanna insugurated the most stupen.
deus campaign of bribery and cnr.
ruption in 1896 eyer before attempt.
ed, one of bis most active lieuten.
ants was Perry Heath. tie was 70.
warded for his peculiar services by
being appointed First Assistant
Postmaster General lie, in turn.
elected others who had been active
in the debaucb of the voters, amongst
whom were Nicely and RathboBe.
whO were sent to Cuba aud were
convicted Of robbing the govsrn
meDt there If thOurands Of do!lnfs.
The same game WAS inaugurated
here, only in different WAYS, and 90
a L.