Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-05-28
THE STATE VS.. RAILROADS.
Address by GOV. Taylor.
STATE OF WISCONSIN,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
MADISON, May q, 1874.
To he people of Wisconsin

| 10,
the State Of Wisconsin" was approved By me
March nth, 1874, in the firm conviction OF the
necessity and validity of such legislation. But.
in order that ample time should be gwen 10
the railroad companies affected thereby to
arrange their business SO AS to meet the re-
ouirements, the Legislature very CONSIDERABLY
directed that its publication which was essen
tal to its taking effect, should be delayed
until the 2sth day of April.
So far from using this period OF As DAYS for
such purpose, however two OF the most
powerful railroad companies, as you are
aware, to.wit: the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul. and the Chicago Il Northwestern Rail'
way Companies, appear to nave employed IL
IN conspirng against the law, and in laying
plans to defeat its operation. To this end,
they procured, and widely published, the
opinions of counsel hitherto in high repute,
DENYING. first, the right of the State 10 llInlt
the tariffs of railway corporations; and, sec
ondly. upon the basis Of FIX PARrE testimony,
pronouncng this particular law Invalid, on
account of the rates therein prescribed being
unjust and unreasonable and gravely encour-
aging disobedience to its commands. Acting
upon these operations of interested counsel
and under the direction Of Directors residing
in remote parts Of the country, the Presidents
of these Companies then addressed TO our
Executive, communications declaring their
belief i'm the injustice and invalidlty OF the law
and their deliberate purpose to disregard us
provisions.
It is known to YOU that Immediately there
after, to-wit on the first day OF May made
public proclamation of these facts, declaring
| that the law Of the land must be obeyed
| that while the right of all to test the validity
| of the law is conceded with that right is
coupled the duty of yielding obedience to It's
requirements until it has been pronounced IN
valid by competent authority. expressing the
Ii, lie vat
| with the railroad companies OF the State
and enionmg all railroad corporations, then
officers and agents, peaceahly to submit to
the law This counsel and proclamation OF
yonr Executive have been wholly disregarded.
The corporations above named have arrang-
ed their tariffs without the slightest apparent
regard to the classification and rates prcscrib-
! ed in the law and prepared and published ny
| the Board of Railroad Commissioners. IN
many cases they have even increased their
rates for trans poriation Of freight above what
| they were when the law was enacted and be
| came Of binding obligation. They have issued
| commands 10 their agents and employees,
| requiring of them like obedience, under
pains ana penalties which, IN many cases,
| practically amount 70 compulSon thus using
! their influence and power to insure the Grim
| inal disohcdicncc of many citizens, hab'luat.
| ing them to a contempt for the authority OF
| the State when It's laws are not in harmony
with a supposed self interest, and hence con
trihuting in a high degree to weaken the respect
| for law in general. They are now exactnT
| and receiving rates which the Legislature,
| after much consideration, and the patient
| hearing of able counsel and officers represent
ing their interests, has, in effect, soemnly
declared unreasonable, unjust and cStortion-
ate, and they boldly proclaim to the authori-
| ties and the people of the State, and to the
| world that they will continue SO TO do, any
law of the State, not approved by them, TO
the contrary notwithstanding. In word.
they have set mp another law than that OF
The State. and have made obedience to 1t the
supreme dnty of all their corporate servants
and the present necessity of the whole people,
No objection is made to any just contest
upon the validity of the law. The courts of
| this State are open to every Suitor and the
cause of every defendant will be heard with
mpartiality and decided upon the principles
| Of Justice Indeed, the State has already in
| stituted and will urge to the spcedest possible
| issue, suits in the Supreme Court, involving
| the validity of the law. But for the mean
| time, or until the law is amended or repealed.
| II is sufficient for your Executive, and should
| be enough for every corporation and every
citizen, that the principle upon which 1t rests.
has been affirmed by the Supreme Courts of
the State and the United States, as well MS by
very many of the abest jurists in the country,
form enacted and approved, and Is the law of
the land.
Ii other motives were needed to insure
obedience to It's mandates it might easily bc
found in the fact that the law had origin IN
deep conviction, widely felt, that the railway
corporations of the State, although recipients
of great gifts and franchises, have, in many
instances, exacted excessive tolls, and maze
unjust Determinations, To the injury of citizens
and the enrichment OF directors and managers
if not of stockholders and that the very
powers conferred upon them Tor the pubic
good, as we'll as for their corporate advantage,
have been Systematically exercised To prevent
the enactment of just laws for the redress OF
these grievances.
Howev this may be, 1t cannot be suffered
thai the charge of unreasonableness made by
those whom the law seeks to restrain from
extortng excessive rates shall so Tar arraign
lis business AS to suspend its operation until,
hv the tedious process of the courts, delayed
by appeals and every possible legal arllnce,
its validity is, at length fully determined.
Submission like this on the part OF the EXccu'
tive and people would result in continuance
of extortonate gains by the corporations, and
perhaps yet greater sacrifice by The people Tor
years to come. Nor is this all The delay
being granted. what guaranty is to be found
in the present attitude of these great corpora
tons that they would yield willing obedience
in the event of an affirmative decision 10y the
courts ? If they have become so strong ana
independent of the State that the Legislature
cannot be sure OF their obedience until ITS
cuactments are first approved by the courts,
is it certain that even the courts Will be ahie
to effect pcaceabe compliance. 1t canno'
be suffered that any law which the Legislature
has enacted and the Executive approved,
shall be put in allegiance and treated WITH
open disohediencc and fragrant contempt 10y
any person, corporation or combination OF
corporations, on the plea of unrcasonableness,
or upon any plea whatever. Such suffer /
anee would tend to a subyersion of all legal
authority.
Fellow Citizens: The foregoing facts and
considerations can lead To but one conclusion. |
A. stated i'm m Animal Nj