Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-09-17
Remarks on Senator Young's Second
Open Letter.

We publish IN full on the first page
Senator Young's letter in The West
Grant AdU0c0te 1t is in fact address
to our readers, and we are disposed
to give them the benefit of it. The
HERALD has at least gained one of it's
ends. 1t has awakened discussion, and
Senator Young's views on transport
tation "a subject. ito which he has
given much thought and treated of
at length years ago in an address be-
fore the County Fair-are entitled to
due consideration, though on some
points we dare TO differ from him.
We ask his pardon for supposing he
was candidate for the lower House
of Congress. We appreciate his
merits which are equal to his aspira-
tions, and since he aims al a seat now
occupied by Senator Carpenter, we
tender him all the assistance in our
power. The seeming disdain that
the Grant Senator expresses towards
the Milwaukee Senator must grow
out of mutual jealousy and rivalry,
but the rivals are united in calling
upon the world and the grangers and
every body else to enlist in the war
against aggregate capital" that
threatens to bring us all to the
auction block and sell us out TO Mer-
riIl, Mitchell s. Sage and other such
aristocrats.
But to the Senator's argument.
The HERALD has ever favored the
subsection of both corporations and
individuals to the law of the land. 1t
however happened to say and con-
tend that the legislature was not q
proper tribunal to decide "what an
individual or corporation should re-
ceive for services rendered" 1t has
contended that the Potter law ought
to have provided sworn jury en-
pannelled before some court of law.
to which the railroad companies
could appeal, if they were dissatisfied
with the legislative tariff, and confer
red upon that court and jury-say
the Supreme Court-the power to
modify, lower or raise those rates.
To justify this unusal treatment of
railroad corporations a naughty and
stern denial of their privilege to come
into court with grievances, real or
pretended, just as other people do,
Senator Young enlarges upon the
difference between corporations and
Individuals. Corporations, he says,
have no rights but those conferred by
law. Grant it. Does it follow from
thence that the legislature may regu-
late the charges made by all corpor-
atoms for their services ? A number
of newspapers in this State are pub
lished by corporations Can the leg
islature prescribe what they shall sell
their daily or weeklies at per copy ?
Our churches are generally corpora
tons. Can the Legislature prescribe
what they shall sell their pews for,
how tho minister shall be paid, and
regulate the profits of the picnic or
grab-bag? Mining is carried on by
incorporated companies, so is lumber
ing in a great many instances. Can
the legislature regulate the price of
mineral raised by corporation any
more than that raised by an individ-
uaI? We think not. We underst and
that the legislature has the power
under the Constitution to alter or re-
peal the charter of any corporation.
This does not effect the right of prop
erty in any way.
The HERALD has aimed to show
heretofore that is the kind of business
carried on--not that it is carried on by
a corporation-which justifes legis-
Iative interference. You often refer
TO grist-mills for example. Tolls are
limited to one-tenth or more. This
limitation would apply to mill
wholly complete on your private
property. There is no corporation
about it. The principle is this, says
a late writer on the subject: ''Eyery
business, absolutely essential to the
well being Of society, and which all
its members are d dependent upon
may and will be limited by legisa-
ton, provided the nature of the bust
ness is such that ordinary competition
will not shield the community from
extortion and consequent suffering"
1t is on this principle that the leg
isIatures of some of the states in
earlier times limited the charges of
inn-keepers and required of them
bond to observe the limitation.
Competition in modern times has
rendered such legislation unnecessary.
The HERALD has endeavored to put
the basis of such restrictive legisa
ton on the right ground. The trans
portation of persons and property by
land or water. especially by railroads,
whether owned by individuals, a
partnership or corporation, comes es-
pecially within the scope of such leg
islstion; and the only difference that
can exist between Senator Young