THE RAILROAD ABUSES. 247 



THE RAILROAD ABUSES. 



In discussing the question of railroad transportation, Mr. 

 Whiting said he believed railroads to be in perfect harmony 

 with the genius of the age ; remembered their feeble begin 

 nings in America; had watched with pride and hope their 

 marvelous growth, until now more than sixty thousand 

 miles stretched their network from the Great Lakes to the 

 Gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They 

 are nearly as vital to the present civilization as the air we 

 breathe, and he wanted to see every neighborhood pene 

 trated with them; and no wise man would desire to cripple 

 them by injustice. 



It had been confidently believed that their multiplication 

 would lead to competition, &quot; which is the most natural and 

 best regulator of business. But of this the country now 

 despairs. Eailroad kings have learned to flank competition 

 by combination.&quot; 



&quot; The whole railroad system is being consolidated in a few organi 

 zations, each of which represents hundreds of millions of dollars. 

 Already, the country is parceled out in lots and vast regions to the 

 different systems. Like hostile invading armies, they levy contribu 

 tions limited only by the ability of their victims to pay. These ex 

 actions are again aggravated by unjustly discriminating against 

 persons and places. If competition shows itself at a few points, 

 they remorsely double up on others within their grasp. They levy 

 an Internal Kevenue tax by their own fiat, and to fill their own 

 coffers. If this blood-money was well applied, it might be some 

 compensation, but it is now certain that in many cases, instead of 

 going to the stockholders, it is gobbled by some favorites and head- 

 centers, and spent in gambling and riotous living. So enormous is 

 the robbery that ex-president Gould, a few weeks ago, to compro 

 mise a little dispute in a settlement, without much ceremony handed 



over seven or eight millions If the tidal-wave now 



rising does not win, it must be followed by such a succession of 



