Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-04-11
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
Speech ofGov. Beveridgo. Of Illinois,
at the Farmers Convention at
Suringfield. A ru I'd. 1878.

lnlS COnNCDtlOH. 1HcTc are III lHlS
State many interests. There is the
producing interest, the manufactu-
rers' interest and the trades inter-
est, the commercial interest the pro-
fessional interest and the transport
alton interest; and after consider
ing the whole question l am come
to the solemn conclusion that it is
the solemn duty Of the Executive
of this State to be the Governor not
of any one, two, three or four of
these interests but Of the entire in
terests of the great State of
Illinois. Applause. Their inte-
rests should all be nourishcd and
fostered; should all be regulated
and protected by law, and these in
tercsts should subservc each other
work for each others good; and,
as people, we cannot afford that
one interest should be built up to
the dctrimcnt and damage Of an
other. Applause. see before
ME representatives of our interest
the producing interest. Recognize
the part that the producing interest
in all lands, and especially in this
Prairie State, the richest country on
Gods green earth, is the srandest
and noblest interest asking for or
protection, for our fostering and
our care. A large portion Of the
people Of this State are engaged in
production, in cultivating the SOIL
in bringing out from our rich prai-
rics the wealth placed there by the
great Creator. And it will always
be the case in this State, that the
farming interest, the productive in
tcrest, will have the largest interest
in the State, made so by nature
But gentlemen we cannot get along
without the other interests; we can
not well get along without the pro-
iessional interest; and yet l know
that we sometimes think these law
yers don't amount to much; but if
the law yers don't amount to much,
when we get sick We like to have
the doctor, and we don't care much
about Sunday, only when about to
die we like to have the preacher.
Now these professional interests
must be preserved. The manufac-
turing interest must not be crippled.
The commercial interests must not
be crippled. The transportation
interest or the railway interest must
not be abolished. Now, as a pro-
ducing class we cannot get along
without railways. They are two
great interests that subscrve each
other. Take away from the State
the railways Of the State and what
will the producing interest come
to? On the other hand the railway
interest can't get along without the
producing interest. Let every farm
er in this State cease producing or
90 to other States and lands, and
what interest would the railroads
have in keeping up their lines of
tracks over this State These
two interests must go together
hand in hand, working for each
others benefit. Now l recognize
this fact: That the railway inter-
ests Of this State are exacting of the
producing class, Of the commercial,
the professional and the manufacture
ing classes, extortiona'e rates for
passenger and freight tariffs. APP
plause. l recognize the fact that
this great interest, will bring cap
ital Of $3.50, OOo,o 900, if not more, as
unit readily combining all its
power and force. 1t is exacting of
the people of this State too much
money, making too many discrimi-
nations, gripping the great and best
interests of the State by such exac-
tons and determinations. Then
what l wish to say to this conven-
ton, gentlemen, is, while you make
this warfare on the railways, don't
make it on them to abolish them,
but make your war to bring them
within the subsection Of tho Legis-
lature and the law of the land.-
Applause. Voices-s'That's what
we want" "We want more roads,
we will fight till we have that."1
Now, have my views upon this
question, yet l have not studied it
as much as some of you and every
man has his views, and l sometimes
have thought that because every
man has his own peculiar views is
why we don't come to any result.
We all demand that such exactions
or extortions shall be done away
with, but the question is how to rem
edy the evil, how to reach the de-
sired end, how to relieve tina people
of the State from the great burdens
imposed upon them by the railway
interpretations. There is thrust in
our faces, from time to time, the
Dartmouth college decision that
the grants or charters Of these COR
porations are contracts between the
people OF the State and the corpo-
rations, and, in consequence Of the
constitution of the United States
these contracts cannot be impaired.
Well, now, it may be SO. l cannot
tell, nor can you tell what our courts
will hold to; but predict that the
time is coming. and l want you to
be patient-it won't come this after
noon it won't come next year; and
it won't come perhaps in the next
five years; it may not come until
after the struggle of a quarter of a
century-bnt the time is coming, if
you are as determined and persist
ent and enthusiastic in your efforts
as you have been, the time is com
ing when public opinion will mould
the character Of our courts and
compel them to reverse the decision
in the Dartmouth college casc.-
[Cheers. l say the time will come
when the courts will not hold that
these charters are contracts between
the people and the corporations, land
they will hold, as they are, in my
opinion, but a mere grant of power
which enables them to contract
in getting a road-bed, enables
them to contract for furnishing
means of transportation, and ena-
bles them TO contract with you for
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