The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-02-22
She @aiIg Argns.
Saturday, February %, 1873.
The Great Question .

The Great Question.
The important question y ~. - So t,.,.e
versv between the railroads ana tue poo
~ ~ 49,, Il, ar,ers place them above
- ~ -, "a ~ ,onty,I or independent OF,
H. - &c H. State In this is involved
~ III III J,,,,rire OF vested rights" by
Which il l. Claimed thatifranchises granted
bv one iegislatue cannot be interfered with
by subsequent one.
This is the whole question at issue in the
present controversy, and il must be de
cidod by the courts, aud OF course viii be
carried % the court of Inst resort--the
Supreme Court OF the United States.
Should that decision, whenever made be
in favor ofthe people, then there will be little
difficulty in enioreing the laws against the
railroads. Should It be decided ~ favor
of the railroads, then the people will have
10 look 10 other measures for emancipauon
from railroad rule, which the future must
develop. That the people VIII quietly
submit to q tyranny so oppressive rs that
imposed upon them by these soglless cor
porations, is hardly probable. nul such
decision Is reached, the oniy remedy Is the
enforcement of the laws by the legally
constituted authorities OF the State. How
tar the railroads will resist these, remains
20 be seen, but should che legislature pass
efficient laws, aud officers Of sufficient
nerve and back bone be appointed -
enforce them, u seems hardly lr2uail'
that the railroads will resist them II '',.
taiuly would not be policy fnr thenl w 90
IN, " the executive nt the state shou'Q
manifest a determination tn cnlore them w
all hazards. ~ he would be bound ~ do by
hi, oath vt office.
The idea ul individuals ur m1ts "
tempting IN compel railroad conductors %
take q less fare than that prescribed by
the company Is simply absurd rs well
might a mob undertake. o. enforce the
temperance law or any other law which
some individual ar company IS constantly
violating Mnhs are at all tunes, aud un.
der all circumstances, dangerous, and OF
doubtful expcdiency and should never be
tolerated Tor q moment, even IN cases vi
great proyoCatinu. How much less then,
In the present contest, whore no possible
good can result .cXcept an occasional free
ride On any one II the railroad crmpa.
nles cannot be reached by law, there l.
an end % the argument, 50 far as they
are concerned
but there Is another remedy entirely
practicable IN very many cases, and tina
Is IN chartering new companies under thi
provisions 81 the new constitution and tht
laws made IN accordance herewith Ont
such has already been prgauiscd-thC
Chicago, Alllingtpn 4 Western, which
proposes IN carry freight az one cent Per
ton per mile. and passengers Tor two cents
per mile tn. law inrbii- the cln~Ilida
90 49, l. IL
Of the freight and passenger rates Now
suppose this proposed r1ad we're made u
kowanee how hing would Il be ill The e.,
u s. y would adopt the same rates from
this point? They would be compelled u
do ~u pr lose their business And this, if
ter all Ia our view, Is the only remedy the
people can positively rely upon. All 9th
err, will probably fail them, a. Il Is very
hard " regulate trade on morals by legis-
latiyc enactmcnts. Rerusc hdsp,adeAi
The farmers should organize clubs o,
oranges in every township in Illinois, AN,
concentrate their power for their own pro
lection. regardless Of all political parties
These organizations should be permanent
They should require the old rule to be re
yiyed and practiced viz that no public cor
poration has any vested rights which tn
people cannot recall when the public goo,
requires IL that no legislature has tn
power 10 deprive the people of tina; right
and any act of any Legislature contrary t
that principle was never law, but was lille
gal and void from the date Of its passage
They should take especial care that no ma
is elected to any office who is opposed I
their interests They should insist upon
written answer from al candidates as
their action affecting their interests, The
should insist on a radical revision Of Ii
tariff. and a relief from the onerous bu
deus it imposes upon the interests Of agI
culture, and upon adjusting it to a strict
revenue basis thus facilitating more fir
exchange Of productions with all parts
the world, and thus opening a reliable ma
ket for their surplus products. In 9th
words, thus enabling them TO sell whe
they can sell dearest and buy where tn
can buy cheapest They should tai
especial care that no manis elected q iudg
or a member Of the Legislature, or mer
Der Of Congress, who does not hold
these views, and who will not pledge hir
self to carry them into practice Tn,
must not expect immediate relief fro
their burdens Il can only come aft
years Of patient persistent work. If Il
farmers are not prepared TO study the
own interests aud to keep up their organ
cations, and work for their interests, thu
things will 60 on as at present, with ella
legislation controlling the country and t
rich growing richer and the poor vrowi
pOOrpr