142 
STATE AGRICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 
whose interests in all things are directly opposed to the inter¬ 
ests of the people, without the consent or even the knowledge 
of the people. The power of such an organization upon our 
popular elections with, their paid agents in every school district, 
the immense number of their employes and officers, men of 
influence and intelligence, all capable of being directed by 
telegraphic communication by a central head in Wall street, 
and the immense capital capable of being poured out secretly 
at any point, their power to build up or destroy towns and 
cities by descriminating tariffs, and to create or destroy the 
fortunes of individuals, cannot be over estimated. 
But some good easy soul, who never smarts until he is hit, 
may think this is trembling at imaginary evils, or rallying to 
combat shadows. I hope so. But certainly it is wiser to ap¬ 
prehend a little tco much danger and guard against it, than to 
apprehend too little and be destroyed by it, and any candid 
man who looks back fifty years and considers from what fee¬ 
ble beginnings these tremendous monopolies have attained 
their present power and greatness may see reason to fear that 
they may still farther advance their views and their consuma- 
% 
tions. 
Eailroad companies first sought franchises from the state 
upon the grounds that railroads were public high'^ays, and as 
such under the control of the legislative power as any other 
highway. It was upon this ground, and this only, that the 
courts upheld the exercise of the right of eminent domain in 
favor of railroad companies, which enabled the company, as 
the agent of the state, to take any man’s land for the use of 
the road, in face of a constitution which forbids the taking 'of 
private property, except for a public use. Then, too, the in¬ 
fluential and wealthy men of a community became stockhold¬ 
ers of the companies and controlled the roads in the interest of 
the communities along the line. But all this is changed. I 
venture to say that not five men, and the chances are that not 
one man in Madison, owns a dollar of stock in any railroad 
running to or through this town. And as the character 
of the stockholders has changed, they have ceased to be the 
