The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-07
HOME RULE.
The Illinois Independent Reform State
Convention, held at Springfield, June 10th,
arno,o o.lo, ~osolut;ops declared

among other resolutions, declared;
5. That we are 10 favor of improving and
perfecting the navigation OF our lakes and
rivers and water communications as soon
as it can properly be done:
10 That the existing railroad legislation
of this state should be sustained and enforc-
ed until thoroughly tested before the courts;
that we oppose any legislation by congress,
under the plea Of regulating commerce be-
tween the states, which shall deprive the
people of their present controlling influence
through state legislation and that the claim
of railroad companies to the right to fix
their freights and fares independent of the
people involves the highest attribute Of
sovereignty-the right of conqueror to
levy contributions at will upon a subjuga-
ted people or state, and as this power can
not coexist with government of the peo-
pie, it must be resisted.
/ IL. That the right of the legislature to
regulate and control the railroads of the
state must be indicated, established aud
maintained as an essential attribute of
state government; and that those holding
the doctrine that railroad charters are con-
tracts, IN the sense that they are not sub
ject to legislative supervision and control,
have no just appreciation of the necessary
powers and rights of a free government !;
and we will agree to no truce, submit to no
compromise short of the complete suprem-
acy OF the state government in its right,
through the legislature to supervise and
control the railroads of the state in such
manner as the public interests may demand.
Gen. Henderson arrived in town last
evening and proceeded directly to the Union
otfice,-and this morning that paper (his
organ says the principles set forth
in the above resolutions embody
principles that no party can
argue in favor of before the people
with any hope of success, and then pro-
ceeds to set forth Gen. Henderson views
in favor of the building ofrailroads by con-
gress, and, by implication, opposing the ca
nal. Gen. Henderson objects to the prin-
ciple, to use the words of his mouth piece,
that each State is sovereign, republic
10 itself, and that for mere convenience the
the states have delegated certain limited
powers to a central authority, the letter of
which must not be transcribed. Gen,
Henderson does not believe that we are a
number Of allied nations or States, and
that each State has supreme control of its
domestic affairs. Gen. Henderson does
not believe that State may
build canals and railways if deemed advis-
able, or that it may regulate the charges
of public corporations which it has char
tered, but he believes that the Federal Gov
eminent may do all these things
We are glad, thus early in the campaign,
to have Gen Henderson set forth his views,
in his organ. His responsible editor with
seven years experience" went up to Prince
ton last week to get Gen. Henderson 8
views of the difference between the princi-
Piles advocated by Gen. Elliott and him
self, and on his return he published the
fact that Gen. Henderson was in favor of
the United States building railroads, and
that Gen. Elliott was in favor of the St.
Lawrence and the Rock Island canals
Last night Gen. Henderson inspired an
other editorial to the same ect,-which
the Union publishes this morning.
We are not surprised to find the Union and
Gen. Henderson thus giving the canal the
cold shoulder, and joining in favor of the
most dangerous system of monopoly which
could possibly be invented. The people
will not be slow to mark the position of
Gen. Henderson. When either the State
or the United States undertake
to build railroads, the business and
property of citizens will be at the
mercy of political ring which can
render it valueless at pleasure We care
not what party is in power it would be
all the same. A board of control could
carry on a system Of tavoritlsm by which
they and their friends could amass wealth
at the expense OF the people generally.
!. Gen. Henderson, in his organ, on Oct. |,
announced that he tavors the National
Government building comprehensive
freight railway from the West to the At
| lantic y that "he is in favor of the Nation
al Government controlling railroads. and
| fixing price Of transportation and not the
State dong this; aud that the rates on
| Government railroads should be only such
as will pay expenses.
Gen. Henderson system involves the
ownership and management of all the rail
roads in the United States by the General
Government; the addition of new debt
greater than all the war debt the ap-
pointment of a million of employees, and the
risk of their stealing the Government poor
the control, by a central board, of all the
business of the country the aiding of po-
litica favorites and the business injury of
political opponents; the putting up or
down of the price of any commodity in
which this Government Ring may wish to
speculate-and practically turning over
to a central political board at Washing
ton the control of the whole
business interests of the whole country.
Would freights be any cheaper? Not by
any means. With million of thieves, po-
litical favorites and defaulters to run the
roads the rates OF treights must be great
ly above what they now are besides giving
the political ring the power to delay one
mans freight and hurry up that of favor
lite, or one who pays. Gen. Henderson |
plan has only to be discussed to set all the |
people against it. 1t is as enormous in |
iniquity as that OF the ring now trying TO
have congress buy up all the telegraphs |
and control all the dispatches. Combined
with Gen. Henderson railroad scheme, |
the General Government must own all the |
also. What right or power |
would the people then have over their own
affairs With all the railroads, all the
banks, and all the telegraphs under control
of political ring, the people would be in
a more hopeless condition than the serfs of
Rus ia.
The FAN Elections.
Next Tuesday (the 18th elections will
take place in Iowa, Indiana, Ohio and Ne