240 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT. 



cast against it in any contest with the public, and the 

 lobby it maintains at the centres of government takes 

 care that no adverse legislation shall stop its encroach- 

 ments upon the rights of the people. Relying upon its 

 wealth and power, it insolently defies the community 

 to protect itself, and pursues its course of extortion un- 

 checked. 



Now, if this be the power of a single road, what shall 

 we say of the vast combinations of roads which are 

 being organized and are in operation throughout <the 

 country ? Does any one for an instant imagine that 

 these combinations, whose sole object is to enrich them- 

 selves, are careful of the rights of the public? The 

 very essence of their system is to make charges as high 

 as possible, and, by combining, prevent competition. 

 They know their roads are a necessity to the public, 

 and that persons using them must pay whatever rates 

 they see fit to impose. They have combined for the 

 purpose of compelling the public to submit to their ex- 

 tortions, and they have no intention of abandoning their 

 design. They are masters of the situation thus far, 

 and they know it. 



As for the people, they have no redress as matters 

 are conducted at present. " With packed legislatures," 

 says the Atlantic Monthly, in a recent issue, " with paid 

 or intimidated judges, and with a civil service consist- 

 ing of several thousand cunning clerks and able-bodied 

 brakemen, conductors, and switch-tenders, they would 

 be in just that position most dreaded by all lovers of 

 liberty a powerful and enormously rich corporation, 

 surrounded by a timid, weak, and hopeless public. 

 While we were still engaged in singing paeans over the 

 glorious institutions of our happy country, we should 



