Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-10-02

could be shipped cheaply as well al
rapidly. Instead OF this, however,
combinations among the eastern
roads have forced up the prices OF
freights to point where II
takes the price OF three bushels OF
corn to get the fourth bushel to the
Atlantic sea-board. The people are
oppressed by the exactions OF this
grinding monopoly, and ask that the
prices OF freight BIZ regulated by law,
so that not only will the carrying
| trade be profitable, but that western
producers will be enabled to realize
such prices for their products as will
| enable them to dispense with burn
ing corn for fuel. 1t will be found
on investigation that the record OF
the Republican party is even better
on this question than that OF the
| Anti Monopolists, and that while
the latter have been Offering empty
words to the producer the former has
been at work. The question is new
one. In his annual message last
December, President Grant said that
the question Of securing cheap and
reliable transportation to the sea-
board would force itself on the atten-
ton OF Congress, and recommended
that body to appoint a special COM
mittee to collect facts and stats
tics bearing on the subject OF
transportation, and investigate
and report upon such legislative ac-
ton as would be necessary to make
the cost Of carrying freight equita-
BILE and fair. Thus the President did
his duty promptly at the first oppor-
tunity presented to him. During
the session, Gen. Hawley, OF Illinois,
introduced bill to carry out the
spirit OF the Presidents recommend
alton, which was defeated. The
vote for the bill was, rs Republicans
and 3 Democrats; against 1T, Demo-
Gratis II, Republicans 20. 1t was I'M
derstood by myself and other friends
of the measure that the Democratic
vote was cast against it on constitu-
tional grounds, they claiming that
Congress has no power In the prem
ises. In the Senate substantially
the same bill was passed, but the
Democratic Senators notably Messrs.
Stevenson, Casserly and Thurman,
took care to place themselves on rec
ord az believing that Congress has
no power in the premises. In the
House, the Democrats, almost to a
man, voted against the bill, and in
the Senate those who did not vote
in favor of 1t took care to qualify
their votes with the statement that
while they voted to secure the Stats
tics called for in the bill, it would
depend on their own judgement
what course they would pursue when
the subject should come up for the
other legislative action. In other
words-they do not intend to abandon
the old doctrine ofState Rights. The
Anti Monopoly Convention Of Iowa
planted itself practically on its doc
trine when It declared that all cOrpo-
aations are subject to legislative con-
troll. All the great lines that carry
our produce from the Mississippi to
the Atlantic are chartered by various
State Legislatures, and the Demo-
Gratis in Congress who are all Anti
MOnopolists now, say that Congress
has no power to control them. The
Republican party claims that it has.
Here Ia line passing through your
town that crosses Iowa. Illinois, In
diana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
York, Connecticut and Massachusetts,
Which Legislature shall control 1t?
Here Is a vital issue. on which the
two parties have taken issue. The
Republicans say that this control
must be by Congress.
It was early fOreseen by the officers
Of the National Government that the
navigation of our long and wide riv.
ers, many Of which bound or traverse
several States, must be controlled by
Congrt 80, for the reason that conflicts
might arise from the clashing claims
and authority Of State laws, and the
power Of Congress ito control and
regulate commerce between the
| State" was embodied in the Constitu-
ton. So when steam was applied to
navigation, stringent laws were en-
acted regulating the building. equip
ing, navigation and management Of
steamboats, on our interior waters.
1t would actually seem that when
the railroad system became Of nation
al importance, 1t being possible TO
ship a barefoot -four dozen States
in the same Cur, the same or similar
powers to those exercised by Con-
gress over commerce on water would
apply to commerce on land. But the
Anti Monopolists ask the people to
abandon all hope of relief from Con-
gress, and depend on the State Legis-
latures for protection. 1t Is certain
ly time to take in hand this new adj
junct OF civilization, which already
divides With water transportation
the monopoly of the carrying trade.
Shall we look for protection from the
strong hand of the Federal Govern
ment, or trust the feebler power Of
State Legislatures?
That this Is a sound and tenable
position, I ami the more convinced
from the position taken by that emf
nent jurist, whose superior does not
live in America, Mr.. Justice Miller,
in the Clinton Bridge case, which
was before his court in 1867. Judge
Miller declares that the power to
regulate interstate commerce IL ves-
ted exclusively In Congress, the
power Of State Legislatures being
limited by territorial lines. Can