236 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT J OR, 



CHAPTER XIII. 



DANGER AHEAD. 



Evils resulting to the Country from Railroad Mismanagement The Danger 

 of Monopolies Disregard of Individual and Public Rights Efforts to cor- 

 rupt the Legislative and Judicial Powers of the Country How the Corpora- 

 tions menace the Public Liberties Mistakes of the People Helplessness of 

 the Community Mr. Thomas Scott's Boast justified A Railroad King 

 Contrast between Vanderbilt and Drew Immense Power of Commodore 

 Vanderbilt A Gigantic Monopoly A Real Danger An Unsafe Power in 

 the Hands of an Interested Man Danger Ahead The Way to meet it 



WE have now examined hastily some of the evils of 

 the present system of railroad management, and have 

 pointed out some of the troubles likely to arise there- 

 from. Our purpose in doing so is not to excite unneces- 

 sary or ill-advised hostility to. the railroad system of the 

 country, but to arouse the people to a sense of the dan- 

 ger with which the mismanagement of this system 

 threatens them. That there is danger, we presume na 

 one will deny. 



Looking back over what we have been considering r 

 we find : 



I. That the railroad system of the United States,, 

 which was intended to give the people rapid and cheap 

 communication and transportation, and which was de- 

 signed as the servant of the people, has grown into a 

 powerful combination of monopolies, each and all ani- 

 mated by a common object. 



II. That the object of these monopolies is to compel 

 the people to pay whatever rates they may see fit to- 



