The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-05-10
PRIVILEGES AND RESTRICTIONS O.
RAILROAD CORPORATIONS.
HAnnrsDuRa, May LIST, 1872.

The incipient progress OF railroad
enterprise in our State has already
led to much local inquiry and specu-
lation concerning the general bene-
fits to be derived from the road. /
propose rather to extend than to at
tempt to answer the general inquiry.
We are aware that railroad build
ing is of recent origin. Its compli-
Gated bearings on commerce and pub.
lie locomotion are only in a state of
early development. The powers and
privileges granted by individual
States, as we'll as by Congress, to
corporations have the guarantees on
~ Of a short experience, and the one
or the other of the contracting par
ties may defeat or disparage the per-
manent benefits of these lines of
trade by either giving Or %reserving
too much. If the aggressive power
of capital is artfully used by eorpo-
rations to build up IN arbitrary mo-
nopoly it becomes q source of danger
to all the domestic interests of the
country. The problem of command
ing and nourishing capital under due
restrictions, so rs to promote the
largest general interests of society,
and yet return liberal profits to the
holder, is now demanding the most
active solution of American states
men and inanciers.
Whether our " State has con-
coded any privilege to the r. r. Co.
which has worked n detriment to the
domestic welfare of the people, or
yet threatens to unduly restrain our
policy OF free commerce and rival
trade, is now n grave question of
State economy which should be seri-
ously examined by the people of Or
egon. Experience shows that mo-
nopolies are exacting and arbitrary
unless held in check by legal bonn
dairy. But as q corporate body can
more easily concentrate aud harmon
ize it's members for the execution OF
its plans. advantage il often taken of
the sloth or incoherent action of the
masses in making themselves safe by
legal provisions. As labor aud CAPT
tai are co-relative or mutual in all
their active relations, the great task
now is TO harmonic the two upon
the true medium OF reciprocal inter-
est. If capital exacts I'M onerous
tribute from labor, then labor is dis
couraged and weakened in proportion
to the extortions of capital, and the
public interest thus sacrificed for the
promotion of individual aggrandize-
ment.
While / profess to know but little
about the extent and terms of legal
instruments of surety between the II.
II. Co. and this State. l do presume
to know that the first and highest
province Of any State is to well and
truly protect the interests of the
State, rs such. All must be accesso-
~ or secondary to the general good.
These legal lines betwixt contracting
parties should be clearly drawn and
acted up to with every incentive Of
good faith and wide-awake spirit
We hear some gossip about the pow
erless dilemma of our State in hay-
ing a moneyed tyranny foisted upon
it's commerce. Our people are re-
minded that any great enterprise is
supervised by wary and skillful bust
ness talent, which will dare nppro-
pirate anything which is not defend
ed by the vigilance and sagacity of
the people through their agents. If
our State has been too liberal or pre-
mature in the minority of it's expert
ence, let it correct the past; every
State has the right and is in duty
bound to correct its every error and
wrong of whatsoever nature. Leg
islation should keep pace with the
new necessities of interest which
arise from time to time in the pro-
gressive tenure of every age. The
people can, through their trusty rep
resentatives, enact, modify or repeal
laws at discretion; can bind or loose,
cut assunder, do anything promotive
If public interest and fidelity. 1t
n. ed not cavil about and wait for
pre-. 'edents, but make one. If Mr..
Holla day, or any other man or men,
shall re lay an offending hand on
the rich.s of the State, and thus in
tlmidate Ia citizens. the Legislature
should cut off that right arm, or both
arms, and IN. re if needs be, in order
to vindicate th.r commercial and do
mestic rights of the masses. Moth
ing on land or wafer IS out OF the
compass of legal control. There
need not be a word of whining
about this matter. People may
be deceived and err in expert
ments, but if we choose and tolerate
the grievance the fault becomes large
ly our own. We should make all in
terests homogeneous, and if there is
no law to meet the present crisis,
make one.
J. there is intrigue and corruption,
clear the lobbies-sweep them of
their parasitic sycophants. If brib-
cry is in the way, punish and sup
press it. If whisky is in the way,
put it out of reach keep drunkards
out of office, or, if elected, make
them forfeit their office on conviction
of heinz drenched with rot-rut and