, 1874-06-17
Lcttor from, Cow Cskrpcntcr.

LCtfCT from &sDFs CtkfpcM1Grs
DEsMoINEa. H., Juno 4 1874.
Tie Hon. c. +. clarkson, Eidora. H.:
DEAR Sin: I hnyo your letter Of tho 2oth of
May. Ill wnicn you itlcosc by request Of tho
Secretary Of 1fo}roHe Grange, tho resolutions Of
the Grange urging tho strict enforcement Of tho
lal!road lnw, and proposing to stand by tho Ex-
ocitiyo authority Of the Btato to MD III tho por-
forDnslco Of this duty I thnn' you, and
through you tho Grange In whose bohalf you
and will say III reply, TINT It IL to bo hoped the
raiiruRd companies Of Iowa will consult their
own interests and tho interests Of tic poo.
plo by voluntarily. conforming to tho laws
passed ty tho laht !, LoEslatlre. hevo
will accept tho eituation, and trust the honest
lurponcs und aenBo If Justice Of tic people to
10 amend The Inv rs to eliminate anything in
1t which experience may prove ciutto or i'll
dfEeslcd, because Of tho fnot that several gen.
tlclnep eonncctcd with railway management have
informed me lint this was the purpose OF tho
comEanica thoy represented. 1lowoyor, should
this provo 1allaciouB, aud tho companies resist
aud Disregard tho law, or should they attempt
slau not hositnte. in the duty Which will then
30 Npo. INC, to hco to it tllat all tho authority
possessed by tho Executive IL invoked to secure
its enforcement In tho performance Of this
duty tho law associates with mo tho other mem
bcra Of tllo Executive Council, caoh QUO Of whom
il entirely In sympathy with mo n respect to tho
limo Of our duty iii caao Of resistance by the rail-
road oompanics.
ployint; counsel OF equal ability with those ON
ployea by the rallrond companies, to writo
opinions II, support Of tho powor Of Legislative
control over railways, for tho purpose Of giving
direction to public opinion. Thore ih no money
Mt Tho lisposnl or tllo Executive Council which
could bo applied to this purpose, as tho law only
provides o. fund to DO used under cottain re-
strctni'a in employing counsel to aid the Dis
trtct Attorneys in tho prosecution OF cnsea al-
ready begun. Aud indeed it seems to mo this
will hardly bo necessary, as I cnnnot conceive
tint the wrltten opnonH of tho paid ATTORNEYS Ut
railroads will hRyo tho elfcct to lead astray
either tho people or tho courts upon tho question
Of tho right and powor Of the Legis!atuso to
character OF railway companies. This opinion In
strengthened With me in Wow Of tho fact that
oilr ontira delegation III Congress Aayo given
this subject Of legislative control special atten-
under their oaths Us public officers, which opIn-
ions l,nyo been published aud distributed
throughout tue State by tho newspapers and III
pamphlet form. In tho 1owa delegation two
gnnt!enon osEeciallyy, Senator Wright And tho
tion much study aud thought, md their speeches
aud addresses in Congress md In tho political
oAnyass last fall were published quito generally
BY tLo newspapers; ald do not hesitate to Bay
that in ability M lnwyorH, a1ld logical force and
discrimination, they are not second to tho pnil
attorneys Of tl'o lalroad companies, whilst tGor
opinions poHsoBh tho addod strength OF not tav-
Ing boon obtained by u foo.
:, II III gratifying to mo also to Bay TINT, should
1t becon!o nocoahary To invoke tho aid OF the
courts, III tho enforcement OF this law, We have
NJ Attorney General wAoHo IeSnl ability is such
tint each month Of my o;llosal association with
MN aorvea TO iAcroaB0 my respect and oHteoln
TOR him. To tho Attorney lanoral and District
Attorneys tllia Inv eoni!doA largely tho duty Of
seeing TINT its provisions are faithfully executed
our present Attornoy-Gonerul will perform hn
duty IN ronpeot to It with MI alncrly nulity, anil
pertsHonoy that will lmBure juatico to tile puoplo.
With Hloat rehpeot. very truly yours.
CO. CARPENTER,