Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1906-05-04
Entered at the Elgo posto@ce for transmission
through the mails as secoat-class matter.
FRIDAY MAY 4, 1906
THIRrY-rwo YEARS AGO.

THIRrY-rwO YEARS AGO
In his speech against the railway rate
bill Mr.. Foraker said that conditions
might be worse. Mr.. Tillman remarked,
well, the people are equealrnG. Mr..
Foraker retorted at the Senator had been
here during the Cleveland administra.
ton he would have hearI them squeal
ing long and loud
The people have -squealed" at various
times OH this railroad question, and they
have for many years even long prior to
the Cleveland administration, had good
reasons for @squealng.'
They are just now debating this quse-
ton in the United States senate rs
though it were some new proposition,
yet thirty two years ago-in lSIi-the
United States senate, complying with
what was then, as now, known as
popular clamor,' appointed a com.
mittee to investigate. This committee
was known as -the committee on trans
portatiou routes" and wa compoI ed OF
these senator's: William Window of
Minnesota, John Sherman OF Ohio,
Roscoe Conkling OF New York, II. G.,
Davis Of West Virginia, L. n. Norwood
OF Georgia, j. W. Johnson Of Virginia,
John II. Mitchell OF Oregon and S. D,
Conover Of Florida.
This committee held sessions during
the summer OF 1874 and made IA report
from which the following extract is
taken:
an the matter OF taxation, there are
today o men, representing the
the four great trunk lines be-
tween Chicago and New York, who
possess, and who not ~infrequently
exercise powers which.the Dgre OF
the United States would not venture TO
exert. They may at any time, and for
any reason satisfactory to themselves,
by IA single stroke Of the pen reduce the
value OF property in this country by
hundreds Of millions Of dollars. An
additional charge OF five cents per
bushel, the transportation OF cereals.
would have been equivalent to n tax OF
torty-fiye millions Of dollars CD the crop
Of 1873. No congress would dare to
exercise SO vast n power except upon II
necessity Of the most imperative nature,
and yet these gentlemen exercise it
whenever it suits their supreme will
and pleasure, without explanation or
apology. With the rapid and inevitable
progress OF combination and consolida
ton, these colossal organizations are
daily becoming stronger and more
imperions. The day is not distant, il it
has not already arrived, when it will be
the duty OF the statesmen to inquire
whether there is less danger in locating
the property and industrial interests OF
the people thus wholly Mt the mercy Of u
few men who recognize no responsibility
but to their stockholders, aud no
principle Of action but personal and
corporate ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. than i'll add
ing somewhat to the power and patron
< Of r government directly RESPONSE
bic to the people and entirely under
their control"
So it seems the people were "squpal.
ing" tbir,y.two years ngo. T%hirty-two
years ngo Il committee cognposcd OF such
distinguished Republicans rs William
Window, John Sherman and Roscoe
CODkling declared TINT four men rep
reseniing the four great trunk lines
between Chicago aud Now York
possessed, and not ~inifcqucn,ly exer.
ciscd, powers which the Of the
United States wonld not ~veutnrr TO
exert. Has tho situation improved
since Senators WlDdomy Sherman aud
Conkling subscribed to this startling
statement counting rs il did from
public men in u FREQ government?
Tho evils OF which Mcssars. Window
Sherman and Conkl,nR complained
wore intiniteeimal when compared with
tho evils OF today. Tho power hold by
the m~onopolists Of that day was small
compared with tho power held by the
mOnopolist' Of the pro sent dino.
T~hirty-twb years ago the situation
was so grave that these distinguished
Americans suggostcd the mquiry
"whe'hcr tho o is less d lngor in loav
ing the property aud industria iDtcrcs,s
OF the people wholly nj tho mercy of
q tcw men who recognize no rcepun 'ibil.
ity but to their s'Ockholders, and no prin.
ciplo OF action but personal and cor.
porato ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, than in adding
somewhat to the power and patronage
OF a government directly responsible tU
tho people and entirely under their
control" Yet no remedy han been
provided. and every effort TO give the
people relief Inns been vigorously re-.
slated by tho representatives Of these
special intorcsts.-CommODcr.