Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-23
Fifteen printed lines and very general in their

SEvENTH.-To prohibit or regulate NUM-
cipal authorities granting aid to, or taking
stock In private corporations. should be
glad to see constitutional provision prohib-
iting it altogether, and / have serious fears
that the time will come (and in some cases i,
has already Gomez when many of the towns
who have engaged in this will regret that
there had not been such a provision in oul
original constitution.
EIGHrH.-A thorough revision of the judi
ciary. That the judiciary system of our State
needs revision and reform is a very general
feeling among those who practice and have
business at our courts. The legislature so far
back as 1855 assumed the necessity of such a
reform, by appointing Edward Kent, Lot M.
| Morrill, and John Rand commission for this
purpose. majority and minority report
was submitted at the very close of the session,
both of which were rejected.
Naturalization for regulating and con-
trolling the action of corporations so far as
may be necessary to secure the rights of the
people. In no direction has there been so
marked and decided change since the for
nation of the constitutionas there has been
| in regard to corporations, then comparatively
unknown, now the medium through which
a large proportion of the business of our State
lis transacted; and yet in our primary law,
there is no provision to regulate them, and
| they are not even recognized, and the onlylim-
| itation to their power in that instrument is in
the broadcast of general principles contained
in the declaration of rights.
The question now arises, are we to continue
to drift along in this manner, and suffer these
great interests to exist among us, subject to
no constitutional regulation and control?
| believe that when the attention of the people
| is called to this matter they will take prompt
| and earnest measures in regard to it. The
press has already spoken decidedly and with
great unanimity in favor of constitutional
convention, and believe the members of this
body are too intelligent to put themselves on
| record against it.
| The opposition, so far as it has developed
itself, is from the legal profession and the rail-
road interest. The irstis to a limited extent.
| There are many of the profession who are
| warm and earnest supporters of this measure !;
but how an intelligent lawyer, acting in the
| capacity of a legislator, can give his vote and
| influence against placing these great interests
of our State to which / have called your at
tentien, under constitutional restraint, Is more
than can comprehend.
The great railroad interest with its invest
ment of 1923 600, 900, being, as already stated
| So, 900 600 more than the original valuation
of the whole State, has sprung into existence
| since the formation of our constitution. 1t
l
| tons, and wishing to remain so. its opposed
| to constitutional convention. 1t will not
probably oppose it openly, but the opposition
| will be none the less surely and effectually
| made And here may be the beginning of
that contest which is yet to bewaged between
the people and these great monopolies
Busted with our private affairs We are liable
| TO lose sight Of the existing dangers and the
| importance of this matter. We forget that
there is an intensity in the action of human
thought to-day never witnessed before; or if
| we do not forget, we think of it in connection
| with such Developments as the increase of
general knowledge, new discoveries in the
domain Of science improvement in our laws,
a higher tone of morality, and efforts for the
general well being of the race; but we must
bear in mind that the coolest heads, the keen
est and most far seeing intellects in the land,
singly and combined, are laboring with
zeal and earnestness worthy better cause,
to corrupt or overawe legislatures, and to
secure great monopolies and exclusive privi-
leges for their own special aggrandiZement.
What is to be the result of that great contest
which is not far in the future, between the
people and these great monopolies, none but
infinite wisdom knows. Whether they will
finally yield to law, or in their fancied
strength and security will rush blindly on in
their selfish schemes, till the people, goaded
to madness. shall rise in their might and hurl
them, perhaps with deeds of bloodshed and
violence from place and power we cannot tell,
but with the light of history, which deals with
the same human nature in all ages, with the
developments of the last few years in New
York, Pennsylvania and the Western States
to guide us, we shall wrong ourselves and sin
against those who come after us, if we fail
while we have the power to erect such con-
rtttar al hnr thr
selfish and INSCRIPTIONS power of these great
monopolies. This may be regarded by some
as being said merely tor effect, or as being
applicable to Camden and eAmboy, Hartford
and Erie, Pennsylvania and the New York
Centrals railroads. ! wish with all my heart
that there was no cause for alarm but let us
bear in mind that a combination has been
formed within our own borders, embodying
an amount of wealth and talent, such as has
never before been known in the history of
this State; already they control property to
the amount of Sl0,o00,OO0, They also con-
troll a'large portion of the best legal talent
in the State, and they further claim to possess
the knowledge that the Judges of the SUI
preme Court are favorable to their schemes
how that knowledge was obtained they do
not seen fit to inform us whether they put
this forth merely for effect, or have actually
tempered with the members of the court
(Which | cannot believe) we have no means
of knowing, but no longer ago than the Sec
ond day of last month, one who from being a
bitter opponent of consolidation, by some I'M
explained means became warm friend of
the measure, and has occupied a very promi-
nent position in arranging this combination,
| either in the real security arising from
knowledge of the fact, or in the fancied secur-
rity of his supposed impregnable position, in
public conveyance, confidently stated that the
Supreme Court was all right for the carrying
| out the purposes of their combination. In
closing l most earnestly disclaim any feeling
of opposition to this interest, which has done
SO much to develope our State, or of enter
tanning any feeling of hostility towards those
who control it. only ask in the name of
law, of justice and common sense that this
great interest like all other interests shall be
subject to constitutional regulation.
The arguments for a constitutional conven-
ton may be summed up as turning upon this
point, whether the great material interests of
our State shall be under the regulation and
| control of constitutional law, or subject to
the uncertainties, the change, and often the