The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-04
Steady Absorption Of Power by
Congress.
Usurpas fOns-First one Ind Then An
other.

How long will it be before the last vestige
of State rights is blotted out forevers Ex-
cept to torment us, as occurred a few DAYS
since in the reply of the President to the
Taxpayers Committee of South Carolina,
the rights of State are never regar led for
one moment as standing in the way of the
power of Congress.
Mr.. Flanagan, of the Senate, thinks that
the right to raise revenue to carry OH the
Government justiies the levying of such
tax on whisky as absolutely to prevent its
dstilation, and the Senate has actually
passed resolution appropriating ten thou
sand dollars to pay the expenses OF five
commissioners, who are to collect statistics
on the sale of whisky, with the view of
future legislation. While this resolution
was being discussed, many were found who
not only claimed the right, but advocated
its exercise, of prohibiting altogether the
manufacture or sale Of sprituous liquors
throughout the United States.
THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP,
however, which has vet been taken towards
the concentration Of power in the National
Government, was the passage, on the 25th
inst, OF what is known as McCrary's trans
portation BILL by a vote 12l to 1l6. 1t will
probably pass the Senate, and thus become a
law. The authority to regulate commerce
betw cen the States" has hitherto been of so
Ett n al conroa1v RI no dis
cllssed, but for several years past the grain
producers of the West have found them
selves growing poorer and poorer, and look
ing around for some cause to ascribe it to,
have finally concluded that railroads are to
blame, and cheap transportation is now the
cry.
New York merchants finding their grain
trade declining, while that of Philadelphia
and Montreal has steadily increased, are
also calling on Congress to regulate trans
portation. In fact, for the past year or two,
great majority of the people seem to have
gone wild on the subject of cheap transpor-
tation, and Congress naturally rejecting
their views. has, after full discussion, passed
a law which is only the beginning of what
must sooner or later come to pass, and that
is the entire control of charters, freights and
passenger traffic, over all railroads in the
United States, as they have now of the mails.
THE MONEY POWER
is already concentrated, and the control Of
telegraphs soon will be, and railroads also,
if the Senate shall pass this bill, which
provides for the appointment by the Presi-
dent of nine railroad commissioners, who
are given the power of fixing the maximum
rates of charges for the transportation of
freight and passengers over all lines Of ra l.
roads extending into or through two or
more States. The penalties for any viola
ton of these rates are both severe and
ample, and full power to the commissioners
to enforce them.
To prevent any evasion of the bill by the
plea that railroad holding its charter from
a State could not extend beyond State limits.
so that i'll fact there could be no such lines
as
INTER STATE LINES,
the following clause was placed in the bill Z:
s'That in all cases where two or more
persons, companies, or corporations unite to-
gether for the purpose of transporting freight
or passengers over several lines of railroad
from a point IN one State to a place in an
other State, the several lines thus operated
together shall be treated as, for all the pur-
poses of this act, as one line; and each and
every one of such persons, companies
and corporations shall be bound by
the provisions of this act, and liable
for any violation thereof. And in all
cases where several lines of railway
are united, or connected together, a, d ell
gagged in carrying freight or passengers into
or through two or more States, by contin-
uous route, whether under one manage
ment or not, it shall not be lawful for them.
or any of them, to evade the operation Of
this act by any form of contract designed
in all suits brought under this act to show
that the defendant was in fact, when the
alleged extortion occurred, engaged in OPP
Grating q part Of continuous line OF inter
State commerce and upon such fact being
made to appear, such defendant shall be
held sui ject to the provisions Of this act,
whatever the character or form of the con-
tract between such defendant and the ship
per may have been"
Congress certainly intended to provide for
Tom Scott, Vanderbilt, Wadley and Others
of like ambition.
Where such legislation will end is plainly
to be seen. A total change is gradually but
surely taking place IN the entire structure
of our Government. By degrees the powers
of the States are being usurped, and soon
State lines will exist only on the map. The
idea which seems to pervade the minds of q
majority of the people that Congress is ON
nipotent and can do anything has strength
ened until the constitution has come to be
regarded as fossil, and he who quotes it as
an old fogy.
Copy Of Telegraph.
MONROE, La, April 3.-,To Messrs. Hirsch
& Adler: Will arrive Friday, and leave