Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-12

their profits larger through the same agency.
On water lines rates cannot 50 successfh-
ly be raised by combination, because 20 soon
as rates get above a certain paying figure,
the cost Of embarking in The business is so
small as compared with railway enterprises
that men Of small capital enter into IL, and
the highway being open to all, the number Of
competitors Immediately becomes so great,
and composed Of such divergency of clc-
ments, that combination is impossible.
We believe the means Of water commu-
nicaticn should be developed aud new lines
opened up wherever practicable. This places
the carrying trade where such lines exist in
way to be accessible to all. Then, let gov.
eminent fix the maximum rates on the rail-
roads. The right TO do this lies with the
people, and that right should be exercised
by the people, through their representatives.
The rates fixed by the Wisconsin law may be
too low, or they may not. That is n ques-
ton which time and investigation will solve,
but our government is not despotic one.
In fixing rates justice will be done, and If in
some instances they are at first placed too
low the government will rectify the wrong.
Mistakes will Of course occur and some con-
fusion must result in a change Of systems,
but the time is coming, we believe, when
railways will not Cypress the people nor yet
will the people Cypress the railways. In
reference to the objection that the power to
so control the railroads eau not exist be-
cause such power is liable to abuse, Hon
VIM. Window, in his speech on presenting
the report Of the transportation committee to
the senate, says -
To argue that because governmental
power may be abused it therefore does not
| exist, is TO contradict facts patent in the con-
sttution OF every civilized nation. II would
| in fact be impossible to construct govern
| ment that could maintain its own existence
without giving it powers that MAY be- used to
| the injury of the people, and even TO its own
ruin. Take, for instance, the. war powers oil
our own government Congress may to-
morrow, without any cause whatever, de-
clare war against all the nations of the earth
and yet no one will argue that because Of
this liability TO abuse the power to declare
war does not exist.
The power to lay and collect taxes may be
used to the injury of the people in many
ways, but no one doubts its existence. Sc
of many of tho other acknowledged powers
of the government. The wise aud illustrious
men who embodied IN our constitution the
| elements OF free government were careful IL
delegate to congress all powers essential to
the existence and progress of great nation
butat the same timo they provided an ample
| safeguard against the abuse of such powers
| by making those to whom they wore intrust
cd directly responsible to the people. In fac
the theory upon which they constructed Oul
government was that the people themselves
exercise the powers granted, through then
| special agents appointed for that purpose
and this being not only the theory but tn,
practical effect of the constitution, there was
less danger in comforting power on congress:
than upon the legislative department OF any
other nation.
1t being conceded that certain powers owe
interstate commerce are delegated to con
gress by the constitution, the Inquiry is no
what powers ought to have been granted. bu
lohdt is he Mature, ertent, aud apPltcdtiop Q
The poUers actually delegated?
1t does not look now as though our ma
tional government had any dearth of bust
ness, and the recommendation of the commit
tee that the government 60 into the railroad
business on its own account looks to US lit
tie unwise. With the examples of European
nations which have undertaken to run rail
roads and failed before US. with the remem
brance of the Credit Mobilier and othe
frauds, with the knowledge Of how deepl,
the railroad companies have heretofore dip
ped their hands into the national treasury
and Of the amount of railroad securitie
guaranteed by the government, we think tn
people prefer to wait until some of these liza
bilities are discharged, some Of the nationa
debt paid, greenbacks placed on par wit
gold, the payment of interest on several mil
lions of government bonds stopped, and tn
burden of taxation somewhat lightened, be
fore we, as a uation, launch out into an
chimercal commercial schemes. CONNER
cial business transactions are one thing, an
administering the affairs of the nation
another, and our national government is nc
so deeply dyed with the common Yanke
disposition to have too many irons in the FIR
at once as to rush hcadong into such a g
gantic speculation in the face of the exPer
ence Of others who have tried it and failed
until her finances are in a more healthy an