Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-10-19
ERADICATE IRE Evil BY IBE ROOTS.
Mr. Smell writes OF the Injustice Of Monop olies Etc
and PEescri0ss Remedy

appointment OF commissioners that VIII
insure equa, rates TO all is now left to
the voters to decide. 1t has been said
and truly, that transportation is the
greatest tax upon industry How to
cheapen transportation, then, how to
relieve industry-not only the industry
of the farm, but all other industries of
TIE state from that tax is the question
that che voters have got to solve.
The great labor problems of today
will not solve themselves Alright, You
who labor, you who see the wealth You
create by labor, and all wealth comes
from labor: you who see this wealth
gradually slipping away from you; you
who feel and know that but a portion
of the wealth you create by labor re-
mains with you, and too large portion
with those who create nothing but sim
ply handle the products of labor, and are
taking for that handling larger share
of the profits than labor Itself receives;
you have got to solve this question, and
there is but one way to solve it And
that is send ,nsn TO the state and United
States senate who will enact laws that
will prevent the railroad managers from
taking advantage of the peoples neces.
stiles. Likewise when unjust discrimi
nations are made or tariffs are raised
with no apparent necessity for the same,
as has been done in many we'll known
instances, and at times when the pro-
fits were the greatest, by reason Of the
increased business, showing that it has
been done as pure matter Of greed,
taking advantage Of the peoples wants.
The power Of railroads to make or un-
make individual to build up or destroy
.stes sgrFg 20 ksn H.
people Jealous. and reform IN railway
manager ent Is demanded. There is
but one course left for the people, and
that is to send honest men to the legis-
lature that will enact laws that will
control this matter
The advantages Of good railroads are
appreciated by the people, but the idea
that If you don't like TO ship over their
roads, you can take your big load Of to-
bacco and haul it to Sparta or La Crosse,
is getting shopwora Most people know
that private property is condemned to
railroad use for ths good of the public
The people have the same interest and
right of use as they have Of the public
highway, which is taken for the public
in about the same manner and under
the same common law principle. The
railroads or the people can neither get
more advantages from the courts all
that is left is by legislation The legisla-
ture has the undoubted constitutional
right to regulate the charges upon
freights which originate and terminate
in its own territory Then let Us not be
mlsled hy sophistries or deceived by
those whose interests are dependent ON
the zeal they display IN the interests of
the railroads.
The farmers of Wis, onsin have more
interest in this controversy than any
Other class of citizens for they indi-
re .tly pay the largest share Of the earn
ings Of the railroads, and IL properly
managed share most largely in their
benefits They should he preps red to
meet the question next November in a
spirit ~ candor and Of fairness, whicl
r;ill do Tuli Justice to them aud TO the
owners of this class Of property So long
as many companies with diverse inter
tsts. control those channels Of commu
nication, they are dependent UpCn the
people for tie patronage which will
make their investments remunerative
And natural competition will insure
the just treatment Of the public. But
the tendency is to TIE consolidation OF
these companies in the hands Of a few
railroad kings And this accomplished,
the next inevitable step is the pooling Of
their interest, placing all under single
management Then instead of being
derendent upon the people, the people
are dependent upon them for the CON
tinuance of hauling our commodities
which can not be checked ior an hour
without disaster This control of the
roads is well-nigh secured and we see
railroad m8gnates in consultation for
the apportionment between their roads
of the business of vast sections and fix
ing al arbitrary rates for the transaction
OF that business. Acquiescence in this
en- the part of the people will leave them
bound hand and foot ~ the mercy Of
these corporations But the remedy is
a simple end peaceful one. These COR
poratiops are the creatures of law, and
subject to it, They are common car
riers, bound to do the work Of common
carriers and at reasonable rates, The
legislative authority can AMI will com
pei them TO do Justice to the people; If
they will seIsd honest men to the legis-
lature in place Of those conservative
corporation lawyers or their proteges,
no matter what party they may affiliate
with
The legislation required is in the in
terests both Of stockholders and the pub.
lie. Legislation which will prevent rail
road wrecking, the confiscation of the
property of stockholders for the benefit
Of the managers, which will do much to
prevent that dangerous accumulation OF
this kind Of property in the hands Of
few, and will secure to the public fair
rates for freight and passenger trans
portation without sudden fluctuations
and unjust determinations II this can
not be secured with these channels of
communication in the hands of private
corporations, the demand will arise for
complete governmental control of them
This should be the last resort, but the
country cannot dispense with their ben
efits and the people have right to de-
mand protection against oppression by
them
Freight charges are a tax upon the
people but they have no voice in ievying
| il and never will, until railroad com
missioners are appointed that are honest
| and aggressive When corporation at
| tJrneys state that they are better quail
| fed to judge what the people want they
| not only reflect upon the intelligence OF
| the voters of Wisconsin but they class
| them with the poor whited OF the south
prior to the civil war who had u dele
/ gate the colonies 70 do their thinking.
! When the great Lincoln set the black
man fres he cast of the shackles from
/ eight million white men Of the south
| A primary election law viii do ss much
! for the tax payers Of Wisconsin Y0u
/ have carried the out-pOsts Of the 'sys
| tarn" and dividing their forces By noTui