, 1874-07-24

MADISON, July 2f, 1874
~ the Editor of The Chicago Tribune.
sra: TIE Tn1puxE, ordinarily 80 fair in deal
Ing With public questions, aoems to havo gono
wild over our T. Potter INV" and the ina sinary
Injuries it Inns inflicted, or is to infics, il not re-
pealel. It is assumed TINT it's purpose is confls-
cation, md taken for granted as mattor OF
course, that tho fall in price OF stocks in Wall
street has resulted wholly from tho enactment.
But what Inns: been conilacated2 How has 1t
damaged any company that has disoboyed tho
Law !? In what way havo their receipts boon
leaaenod, if it ,a granted that tho law would
really lesson them Mt nll? It is we'll known to
oil who have examined the matter, that tho olaa-
siacatlon adopted by tho Legislature raisos the
rates OF some roads. mud equalizea othors,-
leaving 1t entirely doubtful wlotter it reduces
them particle. Tho general OBJECT OF tho oct,
therefore. on your theory, would bo to raise tic
markot-value Of stocEs on Bomo lines, aud do
press It on others. Have YOU noticed any aucL
RESULT II 80, on what lines?
Tie main purpose OF the Potter law, as UNDER
stood in WISCONSIN, Ia to elualize charges and
placo all citizeng on IN equality. As matter Of
fact, tho do1ant railroads have always carried o
por ne Citizens sol of MaIwaaeo u md ethes ethas
favored points DO travel on bnslloss all oyer
the country at those rates but, when peoplo in
the country have business to do over tho aamo
roads, and to tho samo places, they nro charged
takos to do iH to compel uniform charges, Three
conts mile for all alike is a higher rato than
these companies over charged, The whine
about reduction is more sham. Applied to all
passengers, it ia an actual iucreaBe and the
same Is Substantially true as to freight. This
Ia tho truth OF tho mattor,
Thero is not trace Of hostility to railroads in
tho State Of Wisconsin among any class OF cit-
gens. There Is warm foeling against gross
abuses and iniqnitous diBcriminatons. Why arc
tho two contoundel7 Aud what arc wo to think
OF Nov York banker who writes such nonsense
Oh TINT pluln provision OF our Constitution is 8
- sGaa!ow psetence"s or that " "lngestmeats are
hold ut tho will of popular aABomblages"7 When
lages and cities, to aid those roadB, by baro ma
jorities, We did not henr ths stylo OF talk yet
the millions our people then gave away Ia now
called "capital stock, !" and thoy arc abused for
own gifts, Or what ls equivalent TO 1t.
- All wo nak IN honeat discussion and fair plny.
Very truly yours, Il. A. TESEY.
zeht Eaitoref ne Chicago rrtouns:
Sin: While tue decision OF the United States
Court In relation to the Wisconsin hallway Inv
appears to laye cnllaed general surprise through
out tho country, tha feeling is probably due
less to an actual knowledge Of law on tic part
Of tho public than to an inherent sense Of
what constitutes right and justice. Bnt, oven
aa mattbr Of iaw, It Heens TO mo that tho puoB-
tlon waa imporfectly argued by the attorneys of
tho railway companies, and that aome important
points wero overlooked 10 ono who has less
mon sense, it would seem that tho question OF
what constitutes an alteration Of a rai!tpay-
ctarter ought to havo rocelyod fu3or consider
ation. Admitting that tho Legislature Of the
even anuu1, chartors given by it, it does not
seo,n plain, to IN ordinary mind,
Luw this i,owor carlos with II the constitutional
right to iilflict Ono aud imprisonment upon tho
employees Of company for aota Thich have, ~
Is ono OF tic mysteries Of low how tho granting
Of certain rights to railway. company givos to
tho stato tho right, at q subsequent time, to
take away not norely what 1t gave. but also tue
-commai,dtpg thom to do certain thugs undor
penalty OF ane md imprisonment. A common
eeEse Wow Of tho matter IL. that 1t is a fiction
to claim that laws tiua restraining individual
uborty aro alterations 10 charter; they arc