Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 12, 1873, Page 2

9 THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY, —M—‘W THE RAILROAD QUESTION. Kaoeting of Farmers of Ford Countyy Iil-=Spcech of M 8 Re Moorc. Rosolutions of the. Farmers' Club of Orland, Cook County, IIL Tho Question of State-Ownership--Actlon of il Peoplo of Weymouth, May Furthor Views of My, Edward - - Atkluson, How the Farmers Suffer From the Tariff--~** Protoction » More Op- pressive Than -the Rail- roads, Convention of Farmers of Ford Coun= Ty, H1le Special Correspondence of The Chicago Tribune, PaxTow, 1L, March 10, 1670, A meoling of tho furmers of this (Ford) Oounty was hold at the Qourt-Houso, for tho purposo of organizing & county association, The attendenoe was lavgo, overy part of tho county being woll ropresented, . ' : Throughout - the meoting good ordor was ‘muintnined, the spocchica and roports boing ls- tenod to with marked attention. ¥ TEMPONARY ORGANIZATION. Tho tomporary officors wore: President, John Karr ; Vice-Progidont, Hiram Constant ; Bocro- tory, Morton Dunlap. . i The following 'committees woro appointed: Pormanent Ofllcors—~Noel, Kusoy, and Mitcholl ; Resolutions—Cumming, Constant, ond Kirk- patrick. * A Tho committees rotired for deliboration, whon 8. Tl MOORE, OF KANKAKEE, wos introduced. -Tho speaker .commonoed his address by roforring to tho many national ‘nd- vautagos our producers possoss, in n - produotive: soil and temperato climato; and then procesded to point out our real condition, and showed that but fow farmers woro earning more than & bard living. Ho said the public have been oo pros- porous in the past to bo sware of tho chaings that wora being fastoned on them, or to combino ngninst thoso attacks upon their most important interosts. But on indifference that was very untural when wheat was worth 83 por bushel and corn 60 conts, will be found to bo & vory un- natural one whon corn is worthi only 20 cents, and other farm products in proportion. Tho universal dupross?;n that now provails in the agricultaral and morcantilo classca in the Wost, 18 duo to the monopolies that exert a controlling inflnonce over all industries, chiof of which is tho Railrond Monopoly, and its twin brother in iniquity; tho Protectivo Tariff. We must malo war upon both of theso robbers, and we will never Ruccocd in conquering the one first named until' wo crioh tho othior. Uho United States consus of 1860showod the avorage weslth of ench individual in Ponusylvania, Olio, Indians, and Illinois to bo nearly equal.’ In 1870, the wealth of oach in< dividual in Pennsylvania hnd doubled, while it romnained noarly tationary in the othier named States. Tho tarift had doubled tho aggregate wealth of ono State, whioh it had exactod {from tho labor of the Weet. And what 1as true of Punm_.r{l'lnlu was equally true of Now England. By railrond monopoly and unjust {arifl protec- tion, thoWost 'p&IX’(l an unjust tribute to fill up their overflowing coffers ; and tlion this monoy which is thus robbed from us, tho robbers loan to us ngain ot usurious rates of interest, and take n mortgage upon our lands to secure the ond, But I shall proceed dircotly to tho railrond monopoly,—not that it is tho greater eyil, but Decnuso {t s moro directly folt by you, and thoro- foro hns awakenod & groater degree of intorost. ‘Tho speaker then proceeded to show that expe- rioneo bas taught us that thero is no competi- tion in the railrond yatem, but the movitabla result is combination, tho massing of grént through linos into ono {nterest, and thon “pool- ing"tho oarnings, and fixing npon an arbitrary tariff for froights, limited only by tho rapnoity of tho roads, and the ability of tho producer to pni‘:c. other griovance of a most frightfnl char- acter consiats in tho procoss of ¢ watering stock.” The polito name in railroad circlos is “ enpitalizing tho carnings ;" the vulgar namo is stealing. The producors are not ouly compolled to xlmy n baxiff on froights that yield ‘s dividend of 10 ner cont upon tho sctual capital, but also « dividend of equal amount upon the waterod ctock, I oannot tell you a moioty of the wator- inng process in ono address, If I did fell you tho hole oxtent of it, you would think I was tellin como friry tale, or drawing o fancy picturo. 5 il reforyou to an instanco of this process, ns takon from the roport of tho ofticors of the Cor- poration. In 1862, the Cloveland, Ashinbula & Painavillo Railroad had a capital of £300,000, For six years it paid dividends na follows: TInstock, Inbonds, Incash, er cent. T cent, r cent. 10 P s 13 g 10 10 10 . 3k 0 Making nggrngxnlu lividonds in gix years of 28244 per cont. ‘Thoso dividonds commenced on u capital stock of $3,300,000. The happy pos- BoRcor of 10,000 of atock heold st tho ond of six years, 92,600, in stock and bonds for the in- vestment of $10,000. In tho meantime, ho ro- coived 87,900 in-cash dividends, a most brilliant tobbory, How is it with the farmor in tho meantimo? I watched hia history for six years. He cano West with 810,000, o bought & well-improved farm on the Illinols Contral of 160 neres, nt $10 per acro. Four lioruss, .. $7,850 The balanco hoinyeated in cattlo and stock hogs, His wife was_industrious, nnd mado but- tor ond cheeso, and sold it. Iis two sons worked fn.ltbfulfy with the father, I'ho girls did tho housowork, and_assistcd nt the buttor and cheese, At tho ond of six years, Lis farm ig morl?nged‘ 81,600; tho lnnd has dopreciatod largoly in value. ‘The wholo family worked from 12 to 14 hours (fmr day, in all kinds of woather; and, at tho ond of six yoars, ho cannot dikposo of Li3 ontiro_proporty and realize his fivat in- vestraent. This is no fancy Flcturo. What bo- camo of thiy farmor's yoars of hard labor, and his Toumily's toil 7 Waterod stock, railrond extostion, and {eriflf monopoly took it, Tha waterod stock of the New York Central & ¥udson River Road to Buffalo, 412 milos, vened coes s 857,676,700 Bhore, 640 +vv 20,005,870 $77,042,670 673, orad stock ropresonts an amount eqtial to 379,000 por milo. Tho averago sx‘rlcn of carry~ ing one bushol of corn to Now York from Chica~ Eo, for the past flva years, has boon 83 cents por uslol during tho fivo winter months, Had it not boen for the watered stock, which is practi- cally cqual to the notual cost of the road, this corn could have been carried at 16cents por bush- 1, andmakothosamodividendson thionctunl capi- to} au 82 conts daos on tho notual and boguscapi- tal, and thoe 16 conts por bushol saved would have been loft with tho farmor. —‘I'his road ia in tho Vanderbilt fntorost, and oxtenda to Omaha via tho Milwaukoe & St. Paul toad ; and the watered stock from Omahia to Now York, in this intercat, 1y 195,125,430, Tho speaker then oxposed the watored stock on the I'ennsylvania Central and its extenaions, and the Erie flond sud tho Gould intorests, and, ey carofully-propared figurcs, showed that tho ‘muderbilt, (S' nu?d and Heott interosta oxtorted from tho Wesl sn nsonual tributo of not loss than £81,000,000. Ho argued that, sooner or later, dnnsrm:n ‘muat onact Inws to rogulato the railroad systom ; but we can't . look 1o Congress for immediate relief. Illinois Is many yonrs in advance in this movemont, ‘Tho Bouth tloos not yet fool this oppression so badly ns hor other wrongs, and hor co-operalionn Congross cannot be hopod for until her othior virongs are righted, The New England and P"I" iron Peunsylvania protectlve-taritf robbor ia intermarried with tho railroad monopoly robber; tho fall of ono will causo tho destruction of tho other ; and wo can lopo for no immediato hol in this dircotfon, And, when I kco the J)uo le's reprosentatives, of all partics, oreeds, and oolors, Buifalo "t Chifeago, via' Laliq .| Bupremo Court, when the Court said: daliborately voto £1,5600,000 of your money (and which you " esn _only Sn.y by rolling corn at 20 conta per bushol) in‘ordor to stoal gu,non ench, thby my heart falls mo to oxpnot justics from Conysross until it id purificd. The Congrossman -who will thun stenl 96,000 of hiy constituonts' monoy 1will sell his vote lo a tariff or railroad monopoly for aleas sum, In tho meantime, we must look to our own Btnlo for al tho rofiof tnt sho can givo us, by tho ennctment and enforcoment of stringont Inwe, that will prolect our interosts. Tho firab duty of ngovornment is to protoct tho citizen from wrong and oppreesion; and tho ftate hnt farls In thin fleat duty is & delusion pnd o snary, and tho sooner it In abolished the bottor for Lho poople. DBoltor havo no governmont than o govorimont that affords you no protoction, aud protects your foo, Tho railroads olaim theso oxtrnordinary righta by renson of their chartora. I afirm that thoro 18 but ono rallrond in the Stato of Tilinoln that has.a legal charter, or has a legal corporale cxistence,” All oxisting ronds have boon built #lnco tho ndoption of tho Constitution; of 1848, Art. 10, Beo, 1, of that Instrumont snya’s * Cor- porations not possessing banking powera shall not bo cronled by spocial nets, excoyt for munic~ ipal purposen, and in caso wloro, in tho judg- mont of tho Gonoral Assembly, tha abjoots of the corporation camnot Lo atlainod undor general laws,” Iinilvonds and corpo- rations ; thoy nre not for municipal purposes, nor do thoy havo Dbanking powors; lhonco, tho Conatitution En{fl thoy sliall not bo croated by gpocinl Inwa, which monns bg privato chartors. In 1849 tho Logislature prssed an oxcollont gon- oral corporntion act, which has remained avor pince in force ; and that not provides that tho .railroada shiould be nubject to tho logielative will, and remain nuder Stale control. In violation o tho Constltntion, and in fraud of the rights of $ho pooplo, tho yilzaads proparod spocial char- tors, and organized under thom ; ‘and fhero is but one raylroad in the State of Iilinois whone charter is in vouformity to this coustitutional provision. ' Tho courts enn declaro, and will de- clars, tho churtors void, boing in violation of tha Constitution. Tho question camo borur?'lfir 8 now too Into to ‘raiso this [constitutionni] objec- tion, sinco, by tho nction of tho Gonoral Asscm- Dby under this clause, apecial acts have ,Doon so long tho order of.tho day, and tho ruling passion with ovory Legislature which is convened undor tho Constitution, until thoir cts of this descrip- tion A1l a largo and misshapen volumo, and im- portant and valuable intorosts aro claimed undor thom, 7This clausc of the Constitution has been wholly disregarded, but ib would now produco wide-sproad ruin to doclare these ncts unconsti- tutionaland void.” . Tho Court shows conclusively, by Its reason- ing, that tho charters are unconstitutional ; bu bocauso of a great public - exigoney, tho Cour would nequicsco in ' thoir corporato oxistenco. But, whon these samo corporations orgauized in violation of tho Constitution, and in frand of the Inw, bocamo o foarful machinery of oxtor- tion nnd oppression, dofying Btato authority,and solting tho laws ul&u, thers will no longor cx- {8t o groat publio necessity that will compel the courts to acquiesco in thoir corpornte existence 3 but, when tho_vipor stings to doath tho hand which fostered it, the public necossity will com- pol the courta to pronounce tho rightoous judg- mont of the law upon thom, - The ohnraotor of n railronds as publio corpora~ tions, es distinguished from private corpora- tions, was disoussed at longth. The roads are-| public_corporations whon thoy want n lan grant, Btate or National subsidles, county ;or town ald; thoy * mre public when thoy excrcigo tho right 'of ~ ominont domainj thoy admit thoy aro pyblio corporations,. for all purposcs ‘of interest to themsclver, but olaim to bo private, whon tho Btato soeks to rotoot ler citlzens from extortionato-charges, ¥1I0 Sfienker refid suthoritios whoro the Courts hold the railronds to ho publio corriorations, and . hold subjeot to legislative control. Ho urged tho peoplo to mako this war inside of tho law, and under tho Iaw, and by the luw, and oventually the victory will be oura, < At this point, the Committes camo- fn, whon tho Spealeer ceased his romarks, although wged by the audience to go on: TERMANENT ORGANIZATION, Tho Committooon Pormanent Ofiicers reportod tho -following nominations, which wore wnani- moualy elected: J. D. Kilgoro, Presidont; Merton Dunlap, Recording-Secratary ; Albert Cnmminfi, Corresponding-Secrotary ; Benjamin Forris, 'Ireasurer. Exccutivo Commitico—W. W. Noel, 0. W. Moherry, Joln Richardson. Each township associction whs instructod fo oloct o Vico-Proaident for this association, & . Mr., Ferrin roported a conatitution Tor the gov- ernment of the association, which was adopted without dissont. . BEAQLUTIONS. Tho following rerolutions, repérted Ly tho Committeo, word unenimously sdopted : Resolved, That we, ns farmers, aro in favor of-strick &‘:emunm tolaw, and demand a strict enforcement of osamo, . . 5 Resolved, That we do not ignore thorightn of others, but that we demand of our ropresentatives the enacte ment of such lnwa as shall restrict all corporations, nnd provenc oxtortion and unjust diserimiuntion, and toso amond our lawa ua to mect ovory emergeucy aud the requiremonts of the courts, jesolved, That we aro opposed fo tho appointment of men 0 Railroad and Warcliouso Commissioners who aro not directly and in full sympathy with the agricul- tural {utoreats of our Stato, Jtesolved, That we horeby inatruct our Senators and Represoutatives to ugo their influence for tho passago of such lawa as will authorizo tho Raflroad and Ware- house Corumlssioners {o prosecuts all suits brought Ly or ngatnst citizens of Tiliois for violation of & reas souable freight and passenger tariff on railronds, Resolved, Tint wo domand that banks shall o taxed on thelr circulation of curroucy, and regard the proa- cnt rulo ag unjuetly discriminuting, making tho bur~ den of tazation uncqually heavy ou tho farmicra, tegolved, That wo demind the enforcement of our viows in tho above rexolutions, regardiess of all politi- cal parties ; and that wo will vote for only such men as vindicate our rights, rogardless of party proferences, An opportunity wag thon givon to all desiring to becomo mombers, whon noarly =li prosent camo forward and signed tho Constitution. The Convention thon adjourned, to meet tho firat Saturdey In Juno, unless tho Prosidont doom it necessary to maot hoforo that time, Resolutions of tho Orland Earmers? Club, To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Bim: Dolow is a sories of rosolutions passed by tho Orland (Cook County) Farmore' Club, March 1, 1873, ag exprossing our view of tho prosent situation. By a vote, the Beerotary was instructed to furnish copios of tho samo to Tug Curcaco I'ninuse, Western Rural, Inter-Ocean, and Prairie Farmer for publication: Resolved, 1, That cheap transportationts vital td tho interesta of Loth producor and consinior,~o the Eust 24 woll ua tho West; und overy combination fo oxtort more than 3 legal or just ouht no longer fo bo toler- Ly 3 2, “That, by reagon of the oxtortionnto charges on ralizoads, wa are hondling our graln at rutnous prices. Labor aud th Inboror i thus degraded, Our intorests therefore, oud thut of our famiillcs, {uo lutereats of labor everywhere, and our gelf-respicét, deraond of us that wo tind o remody aud npply If, « s 8. That wa call upon overy deparimont of ho Btato Government—Tegislature, Executlye, and Judicial— Zor tho onacfment and enforeoment of wholosome luws and regulations agalont tho oxtortion aud unjust dis- grimiutions of rullroud companlcs and other 12onopo- i, 4 Tuat thda quostion of rallroad exlorllon, and ro. belifon against law, soriously affocts tho fuferesta of thio groat mass of our peopla ; and wo ill not ceaso our offorts until the mattor 18’ satfafactorlly seltled by v, 5, That tho ghortast and bost method of bring this uostion of railroad tariffa sud {rnlfil:fl!! to & speedy eeision {s for the peoplo, in every, tance, to tender only the legal faro, 6. That tho proposition to imprave aud onlargo the Hine of water communication by woy of tho lakes and the Bt, Lawronco, and. tho further oxtension of tho vaat Interlor river systom ,of our country, togothor , ‘with additional outletas to Iho nea, will recelve thae ‘hearly support of ovory farmer in 1ho West; and wo feel that we hinve o Tight to expoct tho early 'prosccus ton of thens works, to a full aud flual complation, by tho General Government, - ;) 7. That Congreus hus tho undonbted right to regu- lato commerco betiween the Blates, We, therefore, enrn- astly nvoke the aid_of Omgrots fo save that doparte mentof labor which feoda aud sustalns all the rost, from the Injnstico and extortion of the raflroads of our :ountry, which now serlously cripplo our xexources and throaten our rain, 4, That, n viow of tho fact stated in tho Inter- Ocean of Fob, 40, that tho cost of scwing ranchines fa from 35 {o §7, or, with: table and all complcto, from $10 £0 830, whilo they aro sold st from $60 to $125, we aro often rominded ‘of tho fact thut we pay enormous [rolta to manufaclurcra and middio-men, ~ Now, eroforo, redolved, That wo will uso old mowers, roap ers, aud plows; wiar our ald hats, coals, pants, and Younets; and paddle our own canoo gonorally, until we can purchiaso at prices somowlat correspondlng to thio prices we get for our praduco and 1abor. 9, That horaattor, $n purchusing imploments, manu. faotures, and machinery, wo will glyo middio-en And agents tho go-by whunover wo ean do 8o, and. plodo ouraelves to nof buy of companies who refuso to wel excopt through thelr agonts, 10, ‘That we deoin it lmportant that overy town and county fu tho Btate (our own county of Cook amongst tLo reut) organize at onco, 80 that there may lmunlazd, vigorour, and poraiatent detfon all along tho line. 11, that wa do not ollove tho doctring that tho poo- le of Illinols, thraugh charters given to raflrond cor borationy, liiva couterrad priviicues wiioraby suid forporationn inve tlio xight to war ogainsl tlio best dtoresta of our poonl, bugh to scorn tho dacislons of ) gh-shiod ovor lawn mxdo by our Logialature, without bolug Lrought to ascount, - WiLLIAM JENKSEN, Becrelary Orland Olub, The Queatton of State Ownorships. At n mooting of tho inhabitants of ‘Woymouth, ass,, beld at thelr Town Mall, in said town, on Monday, AMaroh 81, A, D, 1879, the following rose olutlons, offored by Nathoniel Blanchard, woro unanimously adopted 1, That tho railrond corporations of thin counirys chnrtored by tho peoplo for tho #publia food,” havo ecome, throth consolldatlons, tho most gigantio mos nopoly ‘of privato capltal now’ or over oxlating upon thin carth, 2, Thnt ihls monopoly, by exorbliant transportntion Shinrges, lavo unjuy lakon from tho pooplo tnany millioun af monay, which thelr managers linvo uned fa chrruntiog tho Tn-miakors, in subsldiziug th e i controlfug (o fiuances, In paying Inrgo dividends ‘npon thelr watorod slocts, and Tant, it not loxal, 1 Aling thefr own pockets with tho earnings of likoliplt line corn furninhod by diupatoh frelght compates, ot an nonual profit of nearly or qulta 100 per cout, 3, That thoso rallvand managors, in advancing rafn: froiiitn between Ohieago and Boaton, Inat fall, from 45 10 70 conts por 100 s (moro tlian B5 por cont), virtual- 1y Bald to o Wentorn farniors, “ Your boun(iful erop of corn aliall provoa curso fustend of @ bloing; wo will take all {ho bonofitof thiscrop, If yousro mot matisfiod, you enn keop your corti, or birn ft; tlo peoplo Bavo no righta thint ‘rallway kings srs houhd to poc 4, ‘Plint tho publlo for whoso good tho lino of rail- road from Boston to Albany was chartered do notall re= slde in Europo; and, in ouir opinion, tho present tariff, ‘which provides that wheat and corn brought from tho Wont {0 Doston for tho usoof our own cltizona ahinll pay $1 por ton (ahont 3 conls por bushol) bigler frolght han liko shipments ntonded for Europoan consump- tion, Is an unjust diserimination agalaat tho peoplo of Masoachusoits, who eapectally noed chieap food to ena- blo flion to Austain thiolr largo. manufacluring - orosts, 5, "Tlint tho ‘Tanagors of tho Boston & Albany Rafl.* rond, by adapting s prolibifory tari® of $46 por car frelgitt fo Dokton, on grain Lroupht Lo Albauy by the Erlo Caunl, aud o fluctunting {ari, nomotimes Dolow $10 per car of 20,000 1ba,, froight to Toston, on grain brought to Albany by the New York Central Itaflroad, Dave socured {o Commadoro Vandorbilt s Now Lny Iand business sold to amount to threo-Afths of ail bis through traflic, 6, That the Boston & Albany Rallroad and the Stato of Mussacluzolta (its lurgest siockholdor) have, by tho unjunt and digeriminatiug tariffa Lofora montlonod, Pruvcu(cd the peoplo of Marsachusotta from shipping lolr graln from the West via Inke nud canal o Albany,—n routo sgainst which no raflroad transpore tation ean smccesafully compoto during more than onc holf of the year,—aud hayo mecured (o Commodoro Vanderbilt tho Thrgo Now Lnglaud Lusiness withiout which Lo could not Liave given his stockholders (mostly himaelf and famnily) $43,000,000 of walered ntock, and pnid them 4 per cout’ somi-annual divi- dends thoreon, 7, That tho ieosac Tunnel should bo wholly con- trolled by tho Stato of Masaachuseits, and © publio ralirond runniug from Boston to Troy, through sald &mg‘nl, sliould bo purchased or built ss soon as prace cal 8, That, in our opinfon, tho Legislnturo now in ges. alon should purchuso tho Boston & Albany Hailread né the prico agroed upoun in its chartor, al socire to tho people of Massachusetts n thu\: rallrond whoeo mane Bgers, ncting for tho ¢ public good ™' unly, shall say to tho great Vanderbllt monopoly, ¢ Your chains sre bro- Xon : wo will take your businces npon tho samo_torms wo chiargo for liko busincss hrought to us by canal or ofhierwise,” Woaslk tho Legialaturo o mako this e~ clingo at once, beertiso First—Tlie peoplo requiro fmmodinto rellof from the heavy burdens now unjustly finpused upon them by fallroad managers, cud cannot obtaiu that relief from the Loossc Tunuel route for s nuinber of yeurs, Second—Thls rafirond, which can Do bought for about $25,000,000, {ncluding the Ahares now owned by tho State, 1 to-dny worth fully §10,000,000 more than 1t will coat, and §8 now earning moro fhan © por cont per aunum wpon o capitul of $39,000,000, Z'hird—Thin rallrozd fa now i 'full operation,—a feni-clzgn road, fully eqnipnodyitiemimpeud T aly fncreasing bisiiou7 will_poy buck Bdlio peoplo of Masgachidetla nll its_cost, wili intorcat, T from ten Lo pAtEEn years, provided the rafcs of trana portatigpaite not too largely reduced, {hus securing to thopetiplo of Maseachusotls o ratirond proporty of ¢ valuo ; which valuo munt countinue " to iucrease ntil somo bottor mode of transportation is inventod. Voled, That o copy of the ubove resolutions be fur- nislied fo tho press for publication, A.[l\mu copy of record. ttoal : Travos Axmren, Clerk. Werstours, March 3, 1873, Anothor Argunment by Edward A(king « oM. In socond Interviow with tho Railroad Committeo of the Marsachucoits TLegislaturo, Mr. Edward Atkinson presented iho following viow againat 8tate ownership : » “ - Lhavo chargod my adult mill oporatives ton pounds of ment and " flour » weck oach,” Lot mo ehargo overy man, woman, aud child in Massa- chuctts (sny 1,600,000) ono-balf pound of meat and ono-hall ponu(i of flour n day, aud you may claim that it sball ell como from Chicago at fair avorago summor and winter chargo of $16 por ton, nud Low much do you supposo such charga comes to? = Just 373,750 tono o year, ot ©15, ©4106250. ‘Tne ) 10X you now impose on tho pooplo ol Magsnchu- solis for the nuunal interast chargo on tho mouoy sunk in the Ioosac 'Funuel elono is newsly ono- fourth this sum, Will any advocate of further State ownorship dara to reduge tho figures I havo given Lo iho actual facts 7 Will eny-ono dony that tho aunual tax now imposod upon tho people, to pay the iuterest only on the Hooeac Tanmel dobt: {a equal to at least ono- third; if not one-half, tho cost of transportn- tion of all thio wostorn flour and meat con- sumed in this entiro commonwoealth ? Lot mo put this in o formuln that he who runs may understand, Tho cost of -tho tunnel, to this dato, has Deon from $12,000,000 to $14,000,- 000, as_givon by tho State Auditor, but {his 10 only tho apparont cost; if the cost of faxcs already paid to meot the intoront Lo ndded and the cost of tho legislative wrangling, tho print= ing, and other oxpenses thut have not boen charged to their account, is thera euy man_hore who dare deny that tho tunnel and Its railroad has cost, or will cost when cowmploted, nt least 20,000,007 “hio unual interost on_this sum will bo £1,200,000. 'Taking tho avorage of years, £1,200,000 will pay tho iraneportation chargo on 1‘200,000 barrels of flour, at sunimer rates, from Chicago to tho contro of Massachu- sotts, and this quantity of_flour would mlpylfi overy man, womnn, and child in tho Stato wit! throe pounds and one ounce of flour per weok,— equal Lo throo-fourths of o pound of bread por day,—n full pupply. If this ia'truc, and it can- not bo gainsaid, then the offort to compass Stato construction of a tunnel ostonsibly intended to cheapen the bread of tho people of this State, works at this {ime in_such maunor ag to put tho groat wheat-flold of the Waost 1,000 neiles further off, You will pay tho railways 81,200,000 a yenr for bringing your flour, and you pay in eddition o tax equal to that pum, On 'tho ono hand, C vous hiw pushed tho grent food-producing Brit- £ Proviticos 1,000 1uiles away feom wi bya No- tional tax; on the otherhand, thoState hins pushed the great wheat-ficld ol our own country 1,000 miles further off than it reatly is by a Stato tox and the peoplo of Masaachuscits ero now callod upon to indorse the acts and to request you to ennct moro propostcrous mensures of tho samo pernicious kiud on tho falso protengo of pro- moting cheap food for the pgor. A Government Double~Tracic [Zoad. IfAzovER, Jo Daviess C,, 1 areh 7, 1373, 20 the Editor ot The Chicago Bin: Thoro bavo sppearod in TmeTammusn Intely sovoral articlos on tho subjoct of how wo farmers aro to got our surplus produce to mar- Iet, o that wo may havo something for our yonr's labor ; that wo mny divido tho profit with tho trousportation companics, for we think thora i soma profit in farming i it was oqually divided. During tho summer sonson thore t.ro oty good fucllitios for :gnltlng o produco off, hut that is only onc-lnlf of tho year. During tho othor half of tho year, our producos isput into warchouses nnd ‘clovators all nlong tho ruilronds; and’ in your city a great deal is stornd during the winter monthu. New, ail thiu couts somathing, and tho grain hag to pay for it. Tha railvonds east of Chieago ave unable to enrry tho produce forward, even at the prosont oxorbitant ratea, What tho pooplo want is, in my opinion, & lj;oml double-track railroad {from somo point on tho Missourl River, runuing East through the hoavy grain-producing States to tho sonboard, say from Sioux City, through Contral Town, thonco ncross_the Btntes of Iilinois, In- diaug, Obio, and Pennsylvanin, T'hin road should bo built by the Genernl Governmont and aperated by it, adjunting its rates for froight, no that the roveune from it would pay tho interest on tho money invested in building tho road, tho operating oxponsos, kooping in repair, &e. "hia road would bo able to cerry an immonso amount of freight, ouo train aftor mnother goiug ab the rato of ubout 10 miles per hour, onch way. "['horo might bo passongor conchos ntinched to some of tho traing, forthe’ accommoadetion of thoso who wished to patronizo them. This, I think, would give us cheap freights, ns com- poting hnos would have to Kl’awux- tholir rates in ordor to got thair sharo of the carrying trade. This would be tho bost way to Lring thosa ‘monopolios to thoir luallufi, by bullding s rival road, oyer which thoy could have no control, and no’ individnal or corporation shontd ovor hinve any intorost init. In this way, tho grain conld Lo londod in tho cars Ly the farmers, nud be aub- ject to mo other charge, oxcopt for eonvoy- ing tho ssme to wherover it is dostinod for murkot, I this way I think n car load of corn or wheat ‘could bho londod in Town, and dolivered in Now York, Philadelphis, or Baltimore, ffor 20 conts por bushel. ~ Now corn Lnat iu worth about 65 conta por bushoel, and hero in the Wost from 16 to 20 centa por bushol, If wo could add about 16 conta por bushol totho of our corn, It wonld PRy uumnlll‘lli}"or reisiug it, That wonld mako our crop in 1llinois worth, eny, 86 conts, Thon pay 20 conta frolght to the Iustorn ollies, and thoy would abill gok thoir corn for 10 cenls per ‘bushel less then thoy now do. markot, The trains roturning would bring the hoavy freight for tho morchaut, thorob; ot 1t'a Bonalie to all. sut, thoroby making ‘Cho Goueral Governmont pponds s great deal of‘monoy for tho Improvemont of ivern and harbows, It it would undortako tho bullding of this rond, I think it would bo not only solf-gun- tnlnlu(:, but ho o great blonsing to the gountry, -both Last and Wost, Joun Seerem, L. H.—It thia rond ahould bo built, wo don't waut any Orodlt Mobilior of Amorlea mixoed up withit, J. B, Governmont Railrondss Lrom the Springfleld (ily Janrnal, Tu lin nddress botoro the 'atmors' Convention, in this city, on tho 4th, Gov. Palmer suggosted a romody for high rates nud umjust discrimina- tons, In o condemnation by tho Rlate of tho wuss of raflrond tracks, for all partles choosing to pinco tralng upon them, upon payment of fixed ratos of toll, na in the caao of turnpilon, Tho foaelbility of oponing rallronds to freo :::H:Hq compotltion hus boen of Iate much din- 1t may bo asmumed that whon a Biate intorporen its right of ominent domaiu in order to take pri= yato proporty for railrond tracke, it docs not ro- nounco or oxhaust tha right ; forn Govornmont cnmmt( by loglslntion, limit or diminish ita sovorelgn power. ‘It mnyupon a proper emer~ geucy, aud for the publio gaod, oxerclas its Tight of eniinont domain by condemning ta pubile uges tho vory proporty and priviloges boforo granted *to n corporation,—of courss moking just come poneation, § If the Btato of Tilinois wishos tn own tho right of way and dopot grounds, and_tlib suporatrite- turo and rails of all the ratlrosds within ite lime its, the power moy possibly bo found in its soyordign right of ‘ominont domain, But it moy be doubtoed, whethor tho State can, -while tho really, which is ncquired through {ho concernion of tho right of ominont domain, tho suporsteicture, railway, etc., yob remein in' tho corporation, take tho usc of 1?7 Gov, Palmer is an ablo lawyor, and can soo the peint of diffor- ence and diflleulty at onco. Tho enfor conclusion would seom to bo that, whilo rallrond companios .are rocognizad as entitlod to proprictary titlo and ownerahip, tho maust, rotals tho uao. * Wo did, during tho Yoboll. ion, talto control of and operate rallronds, but that was in the oxorciso of fho war powar, whero the Jnw of nocoasity provailod over all othor. If a move Is to Lo made in that direction at all, 1t 11 boat to mako no halt~way halting rln‘:o, but Tiravoly go at orco to tho logienl couclusion, by an imporial asgortion of tho sovoroign powor in tho condomnation of our rallroads; to bo paid for, and aftorwards run undor Btate authority, and for Btato profit to the oud. Thon, tho Blato, could make doublo {racks, aud opening thom Lo all comors, sit down nt the gnto with Argun oyes ‘and Brisroan arms and—collect tolla! What tho 088 amount of dnumgcu would be, on fair con- omnation ; whothor the tolls would pay it, or its intorent; what would bo the oconomical ns- poct of tho business in tho hinnds of many thou- sanda of public servants appointed for political sorvico or through personal favoritism, let all experienco answer, o8t citizons will bo alarmed, not only in view of tho enormous cost and public deb oro- ated by auch a menaure, but by the fear as to itn working afterwards. What a party-mnchine such r. forco of mau and money would meke | Bome favor the control of all lines of railronda hroughont tho Btates by the Gencral Govern- ont undor acts of Congross. Woll, if Con- 80 can control, Congress can condomn, and Jofgresscan rum, our railroads. -1'hoso who stiokdp for Biato rights, may oll draw baoks bo- foro thoy ronch tho end of tho matter. Tu it hot botter to ot capital do its own work 7+ The Gotoral Assombly of Illinois has the power undor out Jonstitution to' rogulato the- uso of capital ang the management of our railronds, ns to corroct tho presout ovils, without confisca- tion or purchase of railroad proporty. Our Govorument,does not’ find it necessary to con- domn_and bavigate ‘ull stenmbonts, hocause stoambonts 'are carelessly managed ‘nnd blown up occasjonally, Tho oity of Springfield doos not buy up all the public vehicles a4 tho right way to provent dangerous driving; for thero is, in tho law, and in the hands of law-makers, a ro- siraining 'and, regulating powor. To gonow eud buy up oug railroads, is to confeoss that wo caunot controlithem.” * = ¢ Why not take our railroad system as wo have made it, and, having found aut by costly oxperis enco whorein lic its abuses, }nuccnd by good sud wholesomo lawa to apply tho correclive? Evi- dontly wo ard not quito propared to mako all our raitroads Btato propoerty, and pay for them ; nor to condomn the use of thom for the convenienco of innumorablo transportation companies. For woro nll that done, it would bo companios—of courso; incorporated companies, that would own .tho rolling_ stack nud do tha carrying—not the individual farmors of the State, by any manner of menns! + I Mo Wariil Ve, THO FATMOr. From the Princeton (1IL) Tribune, Tho producing clavs, ot the presoht timo, is greatly ngitatod and worked up againat tho rail- roads of the country. After a caraful survoy of the wholo maticr, wo feol patisfied that thero is but one sure way for the farmor and all Westorn mon to got out of the diffionlties that ‘now beset them upon every side, and that is, by making their intorenls a political issue in overy election whore officors aro to bo chosen, and thon' com- bino and eleot such men only ns will stand by them in evory instance. This conrso will bring spoody rolief. < The farmera justly condemn the ixtortionnto chargoes and unjust” discriminations of tho rail- rond companies, but it is a singnlar fact that the enter part of there producers, who are the oudest in thoir cry against’ railronds, have all along voted for mon to represent thom in Congre~-, who thoy knew, or might have known, Wews in favor of imposing o tax.upon thom, which is ng onerous ns “that takon by tho rallways, if nob moraso. A tax of 25 for steel rails aud 840 for chairs, and §60 for spikes por ton, inn hoavy tnx, but thot is whab railweys havo to pay undor the presont tariff. Of courdo wa have to pny it all back again to them in thoir charges. And then n@su!n, tho Jarmer has to poy for tho steol used m all agricultural implements {from 80 to 46 por cont of n tax, and the iron used on pamo from 20 to 830 per ton. And then again ho Is compolled topaya faxof 20per conton all descriptions of lumber used for building and foncing, and so on, The tax on theee artivles might bo oxcused upon priuciples of patriot- ism, if it brought any rovenuo into the T,rnusur{. Bot it doos nothing of the kind, Tt gooq dircctly into tho pookets of tho iron and " lumber manufacturers. Both thoiron and lumber mauufacturers have for yoars boon Buccessfully competing with similar manufacturera of other nations, in' tho markets of the world. - In 1871 we oxported iron, and the ;manufactares of fron, to Canads, Wost Indies, TFranco, Moxico, Sandwioh Isiands, IIayti, Sun Domingo, and {he Central Amorican Stitos ; Wood, and the manufactures of wood, to noarly ovéry country on the globe. And i;oe tho groat producing classes of tho West, the hard-working clasy, the bone and sinew of 'the country, must bo taxod to support the rich manufactirers of tho Enat, the aristocracy of the country, Lot us breale down this monatrous onemy of tho Wost, this protootive tariff, and then lower pricen for tranaportation will naturally follow and the Wostern man be placed upon tho lovel with the Eastorn man. "The Supremo Court Decislion. Trom the Wataeka (11l.) Republican, o Tho decision of tho Suprome Court in tho MeLean County caso in favor of the railronds will not dotor us from agitating the railvord ex- tortion quostion. ‘ha pooplo fro the sourao of all power. Politically thoro la nothing in, around, or bohind that grent fountain-hond to bind its lands and control its aotionn. It is not worth whilo to try to make ua beliove that the paople can, por #e, or in thoir logislativa capacity, oronta npowor sirongor and greater thou flioy nre thomselves. But tho railronds havo some rights, ond the quostion of rostraining thom must bo handled with pationco and caution, T'he peoplo munt bo caroful not to do wrong. - Tho poopla must bo caroiul not to lot domagoguca load them by their mnoses, nnd make of this quostion o stepping-ntono toplaces of honor and profit, Lot the peoplo find out and got o oloar underatanding of justwhat thorights of tho railroads are, and just whut their own rights and powers are, aud {hon choorfully yiold tho ono and jealonsly guard tho othor, If'timo and pationco aro roquired, and tlm{ surely are, lob ug choorfully dovoto tha timo un exereiso the paticuco to remoyo tho ills that now lio like an inoubus upon the industry and inter- nal commerco of tho West. If our proscnt Leg- islature do not find a remedy wo will oloot ono noxt timo that will; if our prosont Bupremo Court caunot administer tho Inw in tho intorosta of the poople, tho head of all Inww and all powar, wo will oleot ono next tims that will, aud wo will da all this without doserting our presont politi- cnl organizations. —_— A Beautiful Spectncles I'ram the Miners' Jourant, A trlond fufovms us_of a hosutifnl sight ho gnw yestorday in Tumbling Run Valloy, "It was n moying mass of snow, nearly in the shape of a doublo cono, or an hour-glass, nhout50 feot in diamotbr at the baso, and nearly ns high na tha {lng-staff at tho corner of Conter snd Mahnn I'lis gamo would | with apply to all Wostorn produco thst o sont to :]‘Irulut tougo streots, 'T'ho upper end of Lhe upper cone wan quito ragged. Tho wind brought this snow ront rapldity up the valley from the (%n of Mouut Uarbon, and whon it reachoed tho dam apponred to make an offort to lift aver it, and coutiouo on its course, but the huse | wtruck against tho dam, and tho slruocturo foll to vho grouud. >ond nll thelr rondors. WASHINGTCN. The Currency as a Corrnpier--Comn- terfeit Ronoy and Duplicated Bonis, The Demoralization of Capitoline Sooiety--Sypher, T'rem Our Owon Correspondent, ‘Wanuryazo, March 3, 1879, TATLR WITIT AN ENGRAVER. You haveprobably mot, atnongalyournoqtiaint. ancos, this kind of aman: An ngroonblo, do- corous, thrifty, well-to-do gentleman, wlo will talk with you intellipontly about tho growing ovils of " tho country and of the gonoral corrupe tion of politics, but will, at tho same time, in- floxibly pursuo hls privato parposos ngalnat the Govornment, undor the bolief that, in tho do- struction imminont ovor ovorybody, tho bost way to anticipato it {8 to make ono's slako and sharo #0 big that It ean boar ono up aboyo the common calamity. The country ia full of pooplo who do- procato corruption, but do not arrest their por- - sonal gehome which is & pavt of it, * The gentloman in this caso reforred to was takon with » communicativo mood. Ho knew porfoctly well that ho could toll mo nothing of consoquonco which I would not print, but it is queor that very many carofiil men have some- whero conconled about them a hidden dosire to .glvo points against their class to newspapor- people. Baid this gontloman : - ‘I AM ONE OF THE OLDEST LNGRAVERS in this country, Thoro is an invostigatlon ono day to bo mndo into the curroncy of the country, which will stortlo you, and your nowspnpora Thero 18 o $10 bill. | Take ft,—look at it! Do you seo anything noiablo sbout it 2" . T looked the bill all over, and then tho man nll over, and saw nothing to excite a remarkin cithor. “Thoro {8 nothing particulsr cbout that bill," ho seid, “ oxcopt that it is countorfoit, ‘Thiero aro oighteon diatinet counterfeits on tho £10bill, and, a8 an ongravor, I know that thoy roprosent eightoen difieront countorfoiting gangs, I got this bill from n sireot-car con~ ductor in Now York. I got into his car, and, a8 ho camo along, X said, ‘My friond, I am sorty to ask you for so much changoe, but roally T have nothing less than £20," ‘O1'snid ho, ‘I'll onlige you,” and, in a smiling way, e gave mo thin hill and n quintity of G0-cont fractional curroncy. . I put tho wholo eway in my pocket, and, being an engravor, I got to looking at the number 87.0n tho Iantorn window of the car. Thonght I to myself, * That's aromarkably hend- somo 7 for n common paiuter to make. You know that wn' ongraver noticon such things. Woll, that ovoning: L went into the Autor Houso, and, going up-o the fine, old, white-haired mau who sells cigars thero, nud is known, to evory- ly in Now York, I toudered him ono of tie G0-cont papors, Old Jimmy looked at it and snid to mo, ‘I am sorry, Mr. Robinson, but that stamp i countorfoit, It's o vory woll-esccuted one, but I havo nothing battor to do in'my loisura time than to look over such things. At this Jimmy handod me the stamp, and I looked at it, and then at tho othors, and, sure onotigh, Lthoy.wera all countorfoit. 1 quietly ‘stopped- outside tho Astor Honse and Iookod for No. 37 amongut the cars. I found {hat the conductors rau cight bours off and on, and that my man wounld not como on till noxt morning. Thora I found, at tho appointod time, my conductor, and stopped up to him and said in & low tono, ' Young man, you ohianged o bill for mo yosterday, and gavo mo o quanlity of countorfeit monoy. Now I want you to take it brek withoub any noiso.’ He affocted to grow indignant, but I sald, *Stop! stop! Do you soo that policeman? If you don't roturn me in fioqd_ monoy . the smount whici you changéd for mo, I will have yonu under arrost in f{wo minutos! Well, 1t was intoresting to sos> tho promptnoss with which that ‘shover of 'tha Qqueor’ gavo mo ol of my monoy, and forgot to asl for LA own. 5 A “Mr. Gath, you newspaper mon know nothing whatever about the . _ DUPLICATION OF UNITED STATES DONDS, - and sbout the quentity of counterfeit scrip afloat. If you, as a nowspapor-men, wara to go to Gon. Bpinnor and to tha hoads of the Treasu-~ 1y, and ssk how much countorfeit curroncy was inciroulation thoy would probably tell you 10 por cont ; but I tell you, 05 an_engraver, that thoy Lavo -admitted ta mo that thero is- 25- por cent, or ono quartor of the wholo nmount of the stamps ourrent in this country, which “ero fraudulont. Do you know, sir, that tho postal currency ia BCNEWED BIX TIMES LYEDY YCAR?, That is the cago, and soo the possibilitios for its incremsed duplication and countorfeiting. Wo could better aiford to pay G0 por. ceut pro- mium, aud uso gold, than Licve to deal a3 wo do with & lob of papor which iu_boyond tho control,. to a groat extent, of- the Govornmont oflicials, Tho oxtrayagantly high Jiccs, aud tho corrp- tion in our politica and life, hingo upon the cur- roncy. . Tho duplication of tho United Stntes bonda will somo day bo found such an alarming metter that it will bring the wholo country to its foot. That crime bogan in the 'Trensury ns far bnok ag Chaso's time, Joln Covodo nod othera in Congress mado strenuons offorts 1o oxposo i, buit thoy wore gaggod by the gavel and a party: majority, Au ofticial, who at that timo was con- nected with the printing, had, in somowey, got o rip upon the Becrotary, ond could ~not o budged from _his placo’ by mny powor n the country. His accounts wero short one yonr 863,000, and lio conld not toll whoro tho money bad gono, They kept after him, how- ever, aud) o oug accasion, Lo, apporod boforo tho exominers with his arms full of bonds,"and, throwing them down, said, ‘Thore aro your 03,0000 Now, thorowas n pross used’ for printing at that time, and it ran Topeatedly IN THE NIGHT, The official himself was seon to omorgo after durk, on two ocensions, with n gront tin box in 'his band, which ho put into hiy b\lggr and on carried nway. Now, how muck - duplication of Dbonds do you supposo it required o meko £(,000 worth of -coupona 80 £ to cquulize thet account ?” 2 “Savornl hundred thousand, T suppono.” “‘No, sir; it took -botween 818,000,000 nnd ©19,000,000 of bonils; and about that timo hap- pened {ha firab duplication.” I looked suddenly into tho old gentloman's oyos, and was in great doubl whothor I was spenking to un intolligent lunatic or a great ro- former, ~ 0 R S WASHINGTON SQOIETZ. . The abuso of promiscuous recoptions, promis- otous dinnors, and promigcuoua hulls, has boon moro than ovor n subject of ropralionsion during tho prosent discouraging sossion of Congross, Much was goid, aftor last New Yenr's, nbout tho thoughtfulness of the lndies hero who, on that day, romoved intoxicating drinks from thoir teblos; but tho nightly recoptions in tho cily nro noldom given withoitt buwls of strongpuicl, and frequontly baslkets of champague sro snori- fleed to tho_guesta; whilo young wonien, single and murriod, muko claus of scquaintangos 1ot tolorablo under their own reof,—many of whom come with the afluring appolloHonuk of Gor- Cho cruor, Conoral, Judge,” or Benator. aresslng . has - bocomo olarmingly im- modost. ' The lobby s medo oqual to tho bost of owr dignitics, and mon who ply tho trade of embliu ‘plunderer, presont their daughtors and wives to tho vory oflicials whom, othorwlao, thoy would bo unablo to rench, Yhoro was one gentloinan implicatad in the Inte Oredit Mobilier oxposuroy, whoso temptation camo dirogtly through tho nbuso of promiscuous dinuord, '\Viun ho came to Washington Uity, in tho first pleco, b lived remeto from tho fashion- ablo quarter, and was industrious, domostic, rud porfoetly uuchalienged by suy slandoror, Hoxé eamo his rensovul (o o finer gocinl quertor, and, having an important committeo, o wes in re- quost Tor i DINNERS AT WELOKER'S, wherve the prieto in tempted with tho choieest wines, coming succossivoly to wush down twoot- bronds, unseasonablo gamo, rich capons with guuce = @oddard, snd terinpin stewed in Madoira wino, The bost of theso lobhy catorors way woll Lnown gby everybody in tho city to bo an old imen af doubtful nssocirtions, who lived mysloriously on the vorge of tho Giovernmont, and possessed no fortune or income of his own, Allhough o lobbylat, fow know in what ho lobblod, e had travelod in all conntrlos, had great accomnplivh- monts, was delighttul couvorsntionalisf, and of no roputability, Bacially ostractsed, ho wai ablo to bring to his dinuers tho most honoved men in Congress; Lho raduto My, Boubwoll had dono him tho honor of feeding at his tablo, Our Congresslonal friond could not but expe- rionce o moval and monial doterioration in the midst of such viands, aud puch gonoral surrou= derof the disorotions of docont lite, ilavag mueh boloved, aud he still koops the hourts of wmuny who sorrow with him, and, if thoro is ppy BLigiiA wnon a npmo novor, before these late ! oxposures, dingracofully assooiated, {he do- seent bogan with the Into dirinors ot tho groat restaurent, ! Wao hinvo had this yonr, for the first timo, n HAWELL PARTY tvon ab o public hall, iuatead of n private bousn, fiecmmc it wau Lo ba nuch o stunning afair that 1o houso could hold the guouts, and the anmo odifico was Tensad which “tho Dritish Minttor nsed to glve a bunquot to tho Princa of Walas, T'rohably 600 }mrunm«l went to {hls public hall, and the drosaing was tho most gorgeons nnd ox- trnvngnnb ovar seen dn thin eity, and fi\'ohnhly Now Yorl, ab the Purimortho Chavity bal dovelopod fnor ails, Jueas, aud jowols. A mag- nifleont suppor wos nprcmh tho musio was tho Dbeat that could bo l\fl'on.ll«l‘ #0 much uakoduoss way probably nover rovealed in Washington; and all this wao_to introduca o fair youny girl into wmoolety. Tho party in quention was givon on " the proccods of tho enlo of o_ colobratos silvor mina to certain Englismon,—thoe salo enconragod by tho Amnorican Miniator to lingland. No commeont is noodod upon thin mattor; Lut. simple-minded eud thoughtful pooplo must seo o certain con- nootion botweon oxtravaganco liko thiv and tho uoml{\tlon which iy sorlously throatoning {ho stabillty of our Ingtitutions, 5 "I'he corractor of our socloty should bo ‘TUE TLLIGION OF OUR WOMEN; but it appoars that thoro is no longor that renal- tivonoss to dishonor, snd.quick sensa of ropulsion for tho _public _ plunderers, which our mothors lad. One of -the moak anulnr mon in Washington cocloly thig winter hos been n young politician onrlched Dy uhamo end dishonciity; o man born & seoun- drel. Whon you becomo convorsant with our political uaciue{, }wu will find, with all ita charm= iguess oud brightnose, that thure ore no convictions bLouealh it. Tho flue women will forgot what you are saying when yon sug- cut tho character of this or thub pavson, if, i~ oad, sho bo not allured by his ‘unscrupulous- noss and succost, 'This politician, you will find, slinvos his wife's regrot that his faivest daughtor did not marry an ontiched politioal villain, fu- stond of Lhie.simple, modost, aud struggling gen- Homen slio chono, Yondor Minister, you will Lionr, took ono of tho largost fees ovor tonderad to pratoct n man's intorost, nnd, folling to dis- chargo the obligntion because of his political .promotion, kept tho monoy and gave no cquiva lont, Yondor Hond of Tiireau, you will bo told, hog patonted n mothod of ‘compelling af tho cn\lo%u-luud i tho ‘coun- try to o sold to an outsido ' cont foderato below ils yalus, tho serlp boing with- held until tho confoderate's bid™ be accopted. And, In the multiplicity of such recitals, tho in- diguation of the Loarer logos diroction, and ba- comes drzod and confagoed, a8 Mr. Hawloy well oxprosed it tho other day. I this bo n bilious view of our socloty, It ma; bo becanso tho end of thio rossion hay como, nu by at the boginning of Lent, wo turn abont to glanco over the nighta wo have wasted, the. car- Tioge-bills acoumulnted, the diministiod faith, the montal demoralizstion, and so littlo rodeem= ing in it all, 6o littlo that wo can remember, 8o ligtlo thnt makes tho hoart fresh aud green again, and wo littlo that is worth writing for Journalism or history. Alas! Are nob our wo- mu.xz iu?uomnthlng responsible for our pollties oa it in In R, J. HALE SYPHER, of Lonisiann, la_unfortunate. Home time 630 ho was indicatod amongst tho cadot-sellers, and. ha or his brothor appears also in tho invonlory of Oraoloy's willas dobtor to tho ostato of that old'mon. ~ Tho man Jacquos, of -Louisiana; ne: ansod him, undor oath, of olection-swindling, and a committoe was um}mlutev] to inspect Syphor, Finally, Commodoro Garrison, of Now Yorl, alloges that ho proposed to sell out as the captain of a carpot-baggers’ ring on tho matter of the Brazilian subsidy, Mr. Sypher is quito o young man, and anative of Peunsylvania, of old Gorman extraction. Ho was a soldior in tho War, and, ab ita conclusion, took n sugar- lnutation in -the intorior of Louisiann, whoro ¢, Southworth, and Warmoth organized o political eabal, which mado Warmoth _Govarnar, I“"t Sypher in Congress, and mado Southworlh King of thoLegislaturo, Gami, —_— MARRIAGE IN CHINA. Lecture by o Chinaman. Trow tha Springjield (Muse) Republican. e Jargo audie nes that assembled ot the ves- try of tho Hate Street Baptist Ohurch to liston to M, Laisun, laut ovoning, gave ovidoneo of great interostin thonubject of 1i5 lecturo, Tho spoaker bad como from tho Epst, ho enid, but not from tho land of philoso{)lly ind thorofore would promiso his audience nothing profonnd. Indeed, tho theoty that prevails in Chinn respocting tho otgan from which our wisdom or Inowlodge conos i3 very different from tho ono that Amori- cans hold, * Tho Iatter locato the mind in the brain, whilo we'suppdso 1t to bo in the storanch.- This may bo bocauso tho two couniries are bound to hold contrary viows, It would probably tnke 1o abont thiroo montius to toll you all aboul the customs and manners of tho country from which 1 camo, 5o I will confine mysclf to ono subject,— tho Chineso marriago ceremony, The young manwho wants to marry, bubis bashfy had bettor po to China. Llere the worlk will all bo done for him by & go-between. A profousslonal match-makor will manage tho ontire negotiation for $10 or §20. DButtholndies would find it unpleasant there, for they would, linve no voice in tho mattor, When o son is approachivg mauhood—say at tho of 16 or 18—Din parents bogiu to look up o suitnble parson to becomo hig wife. The servicos of a match- malkor aro gecured, and slio Slor a porson of thig profession in almost invariably n womnan) recom- mounds somo maiden as_afifting person, She dilates on the charms and oxcolleuces of tho girl, doseribes hor fodt, 24 inches long, and her deht cato handyg, and, in gouoral, makos her apposr as _vicll ag possiblo, . 'Che wmother, aftor consulting. tho nlimanne and soleoting o lucky day, mounta hor sodan chair and.gooy to the houso.of the ouny; lndy, somo inthnations of hor visit Laving cen previously sent. pipo, i sho chiancoa to 'bo o user of tho wood. A cup of ten is brought, and sho ia alynys ox- pocted.to take ot 1aast o 8ip of it. . Tho'maidon, whon prosonted, is the objoot of tho closcst scrutiny, which, howovor, alweys onds in-com- limonts upon her fent, hauds and othor mom- oy, The fuger-nails uro important as boaull- ful’ foaturés, " Thoy aro ofton three inches.in longth ;" frequently, oo, they are plated with gold or lver, hotli for purpoies of ndornmont’ and to provent thom from being broken, Tho mother obtning o history of tho young lady's lifo, writes out tho loroacopo of lor son, and both tecounts oro placed bofore iho housc- thold god. Not infroquently: sho consults a | 'sbothsayer who is familinr with tho sciencs of nstrology.- Tho signs of tho zodino are repro- sonted in China by animaly, not tha gamo ones, howover, theb wo use, It ono of tho prospective partios to tho contract in born under tho sign of tho tigzer, ond tho othor undor that of th rat, tho mothior in gront constornation suggosts thut tho tigor may ont up therat, and there willbea fuws in tho family; but -tho soothsayor ia paid for doing his work, and he umm!l_}y contrives to oxplain away tho unpropitious signs, and gota his foo of 56U cents.or-loss. Bo far,s0 good. Tho youth eends n Leautiful prosont to the damsel, accompanied by a slip of ;;npor bouring gimply o word which means “beseech.” ‘Tha maid, in turn, makes bim the. recipiont of o ift, and sends with it tho oxpression * I grant.” ’l:lp to this time, tho worl is mercly preltminary, Wha partios, who vory likoly havo noyer soen cach-other, may have to waik years for tho ‘con- summation of their happiness. Homotimes be- trothals aro made bofore tho birth of the por- gons, If boik of tho oxpectod childron aro Tunles, or hoth fomalos—why, thou tho wedding mever comes off. Just beforo tho timo sot apurs for o wodiding-coromony, n grand hoyso-clonning takes placo, A great donl of monoy is spont on {)mpnm(imm It costs tho Chinoso's round sum 0 marry or to dia, A part of tlo preparatory coremony is the angembling, nt tho houso of the botrothed munid- on, of hor intimate frionds, who bowail her ap) ruuchluf doparuro h}ta matrimouy. Who brido usually goes to the home of tho groom., Bhe ia followed by a long procession, that muarches to tho sound of drumau, tom-toms, aud othor musleal instruments, Tho oxpeuecs of sucha progrest oftenamounts to 30,000 or §40,- 0u0. Mo brida's faco is concenlod by u rod voil; nad the wholo procossion is decked with red, for this_color is symbolic of chestity, A lanten cavried aloft Lears tho namos, foroxamplo, of Ching aud Chang, and Indicatos thmt M. Ching is about {o mavey Miss Chnvg. Anybody, oven tho higheut offical, who moaots tho ‘procession, must turn out end let it pasy, The bride, tho groom, und thoir frionds moot around an allar orocted b tho Louso which thoy have now renclicd, On suoh au pecnsion nu thin alono can anybody, excops thoe Emporor, worship God di- rectly, ~ Him ‘thoy adore uronnd tho altar by Lnooling threo timou aud knocking thofr honda uinn timos nyniust tho floor. Aftor that thoy worship the ancostors. ‘Then the bride and [:nwm go to o tablo, whoro s oup of wine s not hoforo enoby, the cupa being united by a cord, Iforo tho im(lip{ man litty tho veil eim alono hns power to do 1t) and looks upon hix lady for thao fivet timo, But it inn loug while Loforo the relations of man and ywifo bocome intimate. Thoy take no bridal tour, bave no honeymoon j and tho woman afieets great shynosn toward her lord, Buoh b coromony as this, sald tho sponkey, Boems vovy strange to Amoricans, but it is Justi- {lublo, and evon neocssary, in tho prosent semi- clvillzod condltion of Cbina. 'The rules of cool- A“WN 3 8ho is roceived by ser-. vauts in o sitting-ball, whore sho -smolies hor: oty konp men and womon wilely soparatol, But, though conenbinago provailn widaly in China chantity is & prominont virtuo of tho women o thiat countey ; and, on tho wholo, tho marriago ayatem of Ghina {i proforabls to - that of France and Austrla, e ey " “AN EXTRAORDINZRY STODY. Ilow Capt. MeBnnicls nnd 87,000 Dige eppearedesdrugged, Abdues~d, and Hrsprisoned, J'rom the New Tork Express, . One of {lio most myuwrlmmpcwou of dlaap- pearnuco, ihat puzzldd tho poliecn and. made eolumnn of * nownpapor specyfntion laul fall, hng Doon furni. 100 with' tho. folfowlng nalution by tho lost individual Limself: Capt. MoDuniols, of Onnongburg, Pa., started Taut lant Octobor fo Dbuy “goods. ~ Aftor a briof visit to Philadelphia ho took tho train for thin city. On the cars ho. mot n enlosman whom ho had traded with Dbofore, and, while canvassing tho slrto of tho market will lim, a tall, woll-dronsed, proposuansing-lookin, nlrangoer Joined tho party, and requesied permission to display somo samples of laces that he was ol ing. Pormission being accorded, tho goodsworo sliown, aftor whioh somo desultory converation followed, and the stranger loft them, As e~ Dendels wan ' going on tho forrg-boat to crom from Joiney City, the nirunger np. pearad ngain, nud fold him that ho had betlor Laks a Yont lowor' down on tho nlip, ns tho othor wont Lo Ligh up towu for hin purposcs. ‘Tho Captain accopted tho ndvieo, and tho strangor kindly proifercd his sorvicon to soo him atraight for tho Bt. Nicholas Iotol aftor Inuding, "Thoy foft tho forry-boat togother, sud sturted to walk up a strect that runy at right-angles ta tho Iudson, ‘Che namo of tho stroct tho Cap- inin did nof kuow ; after thoy had walked a Dblock tho niranger invited “him to tako a drink, and they wont into n waloon for the purposo ; tho #nloon, the Caplain states, hnd & bar to tho right ,ou edtoring, and {n the rear wore o counter And sevoral rofreshmont tablos, Unptalu DMoDaulels togk two cups of coffoo, nftor drinking which nll congciousne:a departed. When his #onses returned ho found Dimyelf lying on tho floor of an apailment from 6to 8 foot aquaro. No door or window was dig- coverabls, eud tho plazo was in tolel darknees. Boarching for Lis persogal ofToets, ho diucovorcd thnt Wi watch nnd chain, two drafts om Now York, and £7,000 in groonbacks, which , hind boon tied around his_waist In & handlors chiof, waro gono, ‘Iho situation flashod upon Lim;j'ho had been drugged and robbed,and now, doubtless, was stowod awny until ho conld bo murdored and disposed of. ~ Heart-giclk and weak from poison, ho Inpoed again into insonsi- Dbility. When consciotiness returuod tho rolle ing motion and souud of tramping fcot ovorhead ‘mado him awaro that ho was on o ship of soma Iind, Forling around lo discovered biscuits « and a peu of wator elong cido of bim. Froquout sttorpty to attraot ntlontion Dy knocke ing ou tho roof of Lig privon ted in disep~ pointmout. Somo timo arte: , i age it foomed to tho Captain,somo ono .opened (ha butch and looked in. An appoal to him to brin: somo ton met with no respono. Hoon afterwnr tho door roopencd and two men orderod him. to *“‘¢ome up on'deck.” "Ho did 5o, and was forood into n ynwl-bont ut the sido of the vossel, Two snilora got in aloo and then pushod oif, ‘The voa- sol, 0y Lo onw lier, whilo pushing off, secmed to bo an oyster oloop about mixty feot long. Thoy rawod for nbout an honr, whoit thoy reached tho shore brealiora; - A little fur~ ther, and the bench beeamo dimly visible, When thoy had run in close, lie was ordered to jum out, which ho did, and wont._ashore, Ho orep! into tho bushes aud waltod for tho dawn:, Short- ly threo hiorsomou pagscd by, aud, hailing thom, Lo found himsolf n prigoncr to {hroo soldiors, spoaking o tonguo. to which ha wos uu- scqualnted, Whoy tremtod him with great indignity, clnining lim in o stogk- ado whoro negrocs woroe slrondy confinod. Thoy sont in plonty of rico, yums, and oranges for proylsion. " Ono of tho nosrocs could npoal & littlo Buglish, and ho gathored that tho Span-~ inrda of Cuba wera his captors. - IIo wns released by & midnight attack of negro guerriilas on tho post. After wandering for sovoral days with thoso pertisans he oitectod bis eccapo, and, guidod by the sound of ihe guns of " Morro Caatle, reachod Ifavana. 1o mot a sailor, who took bLim abgerd of & vessol in tho Lar- bor, and afler & day'a reeruiting.he ongazed as 'shipplng_clork with Combirgo & Co., No. @ OWeilly street, o rotainod his position.until io had nccumulatod sufliciont ‘money onough to go to Now Orleans, to which point hiw frionds Liad forwarded monoy. Ho ba< onwe {l nfter his nrrival in the Crescont City, and wasproventsd-from returning homo for sov= eral wooks: Mo - only- nuccoeded in roaching homo about four days ngo. 2 . That is tho'story ns ‘told by the Ceptain. “Ib hina n shiedo too much of romanco to appousl very, strougly to populer credouce, but its truth or- falsily will ‘doubtloss bo ascortained in & few dayb, o tho cass iy in tho hands of the detece tives. S g8 e e Augunita nud Ohicexo. Trom the Avgusta (Ga.) Chronicls und Sentinsl, Wo publish in the Clironicle and Sentinel” thia morning another ‘lotter’ from ‘Mr,” William 0. Yoloy, on tho. proposed "Grand ‘Irunk Railway- 1rom Chicngo to_tho_ges. “We lave publishod other articlos from the semo sourcs, and clso tha procecdings of -n'mooting hold in the Oify of In- dinn apolis, which whow the schomp 18 -rapidly taking shape, and that the railrond men .of tha West, who aro corininly beat posted in such mat= torw, consider tho entorprice ontirely fansiblo. They will discover, howoyer,, that. no .naceas. sity exisia for the oxtension of tho road nouth of Augusta. Tho Company can build no slortor or ‘moro dircet * lino tu Suvaonoli than thoso which are now in operation—tho Savannah and Augusta aud tho ,Poxt Royal .railroads. Borides, yhon this ity in ronohed, tho choico of threo ports by five difforont nud compoting routos* will bo affordod, - Tho. shippor may end bis goods di- reesty to tho, nearost harbor—Poirt Roysl—or ha may telect either.of two roulea to Bavannah, or “either "of two, . routes: to Charleston. It will bo scon thet tho frionds of tho ontorprise in this Steto intend Lold- jug --n' convention ; in Augists on tho 11th day of noxt May. Invitatious will Lo sént to partien in tho Wost wlo zro nt work' on thab! end of the lne, nud’mout-of thom 'will ba progent. A botter or more conveniont Limg fox tha conforenco ecould. not. huvoe been chosen. he stockbolders of tha Goor jin Railrond Com=- pauy maeb hore in convention"on the' samo day,* and’'s full attendauce will L' Recurad from the countics of Columbia, Tincoin, Wilkes, Eibort, Hutt, and Frenklin. At this mcoting, tio_whold. subjoct will Lo thoroughly discusued, tho ro- rourcos, of tho projectors canvassed, and o fall and freo oxchnuge of views will bo etfooted... Wa anticipato 1uch ood from tho deliverations ' BN Fosial Cnrd Contracts . Irem the Sprangield (Meis,) Gnion, The Tost-Offico Dopavtment will saon send an azent to thin ¢ity to inspock Wright'n Block; on ‘Worthington -siroot, to deside whothor it - is, or can by modo, * o fo-proof building™ i tha Soitie Tatondoilig tlio aivaticeinont for Propos= ol for- postal hdln, 1T tho decision is alirma- tivo, the Motgan Envolopo Company, the lonseos of the Dlock will begin operationa’ &t ouce pra- - liminary to manufagiuring postnl -cards under tho contract awarded to thom last woel, A fire- roof veult, 15 by 80 foet, and 9 feok high, will i construoted in tho, callar for tho storago of tho complotod cardy, and another will probably e placed ontrido tho building foratocit. ‘Lwostop cylindor Hoo prossos will- be put in, each capnble of printing 860,000 cards por duy (36 at o time), anabling the company Lo lurn out, it desired, 200,000,000 cordn tho fivst vear, ‘Lho con~ tract atipulntos 150,000,000, movo or loss, but the slivowdont eslimatos sre Lhat not loss than 160,~ 000,000 will bo called for tho firat year.- Tho Brmfiug will bo dono from stoel, or What might o called stecl olectrotype, . Ho much of the worle will be done hy mechinory, that not mora ihan 20 or 25 hauds will neoll to bo employed. Bhould the deciuion of the dapartmont’s ngons bo adverso asto thobuilding, thecompany,-liaviy no timo to orect another Luilding in senson, probably throw ug tho contraet, iu which cane will go to Gezrgo Iteay, of IV, X,, the uszt highe= o5t bidder, and the progent manufacturoer of pose tal euyolope: SEL ST T The Westorn SnowsDrifte, From the [F{nond (Vinn) Republican, March 8, © 1t ks impossiblo to form anadequatoideaof (he snow-drifts between 8t. Peter and Now Ulm without beoings on tho ground and bebolding tha snowy sight with ona's own .oyes. Tho gontle men who went out on tha pey-train, tho othor dny, eaw “ Mike Hanloy's vy of 400 shovelera . &t work on Young's Cut, whera tho sunow was 25 to 30 foet deep, covering over the tolegraph wiro,’ Tho Enow was shovelod from ona terraco to anothor uutil the mon on thae fourth tior heaved It outsido the ent. Whon it in stated that this cut is 1,200 foot long, tho render may Siintly concoiva of the nature of tho obstacles thet have besct vailronds this wintor, My, Innloy expeoted to got through to Now Ulm in eight duys, ab the rute his forco was working, Whilo tho Paymas- tor and his party woro viowing tho spoctacla tha, slovalers struckk tho stakos on (L flut cars of & construotion irnin»thet had boou buried for soyoral days out of sight In the dritt. ‘Lhoua thinga, iowavor, will soon bo of tho past. Snow foncoy, troes, nnd tho rapld settlomont of tha country, will breal the forco of fhe wind, in timo, and prevent the pnow from drifting,