144 WISCONSIN ACADEMY SCIEN-CES, ARTS, AJ^D LETTERS. 



informed us that the Freight and Ptissimger Agents of the various 

 niaiij lines of raih'Oid running across the country, were in Pitts- 

 burg in consultation upon the rates of freight and p issenger tran- 

 sit over those lines. It was stated that they were sitting with 

 closed doors. 



That is something which happens once or twice a year. Con- 

 sidered as a telegraph report that makes but a small item. But- 

 think what it means. Think of all the vast interests tht^t centre 

 around the matter of freight and passenger communication be- 

 tween the Mississippi valley and tide water. It is a matter of as 

 much concern to the people of the nation as the question of the 

 currency, or the right to declare war and make peace. In fact the 

 cnrreufy question is one snbordinafe to ihe transportation question. 



We are interested iii the currency only as a subsidiary agent in 

 tran^'portation. Currency is of value only as it helps peisons and 

 j)roperty to change place. Yet tne subsidiary question goes to an 

 open congress of the nation — the main question to irresponsible 

 corporation clerks who sit with closed doors. 



We convulse the nation in our politics on some issue of tithing 

 mint, anise and cumin, while we neglect the weightier matters of 

 the law. 



It would seem fair that the public should hnve s-^me voice in fix- 

 ing rates since they are the one f.ictor out of whom rates are to be 

 raised. A matter of such importance ought to be open for discus- 

 sion and settlement before representative men of the nation. 



The men who actually sit upon it are not even the representa- 

 tive men in their various corporations. They are the mere man- 

 dataries of the iew capitalists who control the corporations. No- 

 questions of public right or interest are ever submitted to them. 

 As mathematicians, they cipher in aid of the schemes of the stock- 

 operators who control the roads. 



Rates of transp )rtation are a tax upon the people. 



Unquestionably the people ought to p ly some tax — a righteous-- 

 tax for transportation. But that a body of irresponsible and un- 

 known men. the mere agents of a few private capitalists, should 

 have the right, in secret session, to levy this tax on the whole 

 American people is an anomaly in the practice of this nation, be- 

 fore which, one ra ly well stand in blank astonishment. 



This nation declared its independence and fought to its liberty- 



