Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-07-10
The Question of Transportation and
the Republican Party.

In his speech before the recent Illinois
Republican State Convention, Senator
Logan said:
ION the question of transportation,
believe that the Legislature of the State
has the right to regulate transportation
within its own limits, but disagree with
a set of resolutions that see were passed
here at Springfield few days ago, which
would contine the question to the State
entirely, and will give you my reasons.
l believe when the Legislature of the
State can act, and when the line of road
is entirely within the limits of the State,
the State Legislature is the proper place
for action; but lines that run through
different States are not left to
the regulation of the Legislatures of the
States, but the Constitution provides that
commerce among the several States shall
be regulated by Congress; and hence
roads and rivers passing through different
States must, by the Constitution of the
United States, be regulated, if at all, by
Congress And | believe Congress has
the power to act. l believe it is the duty
of the Legislature and Congress both,
each to act within their respective
spheres under the Constitution, to see
that extortion is not perpetrated upon
the people. Some fault is found with the
Republican party. There are great
many farmers here-a great many
have joined what is called 'the
Independent Reform They are going
into that for the purpose of getting re-
form in this particular Now let us see:
The only reform farmers have ever OBJ
tanned on this subject has been through
Republican Legislature. The reform
commenced with the Republican party
in this State. l will 60 further. The
only reform measures presented in the
Congress of the United States on this
subject have been presented in bills by
Republicans, reported by Republicans;
and let me call your attention to the fact
that when the question came up on regu-
lating transportation Republicans were.
the only ones in favor of it. The votes
of the Democracy were found almost
unanimous in opposition, denying the
power of Congress to interfere with that
question in any way whatever. Then |
ask of my farmer friends in the State of
Illinois to whose arms are you going for
relief if you leave those men who alone
have extended you protection in this di-
rection? They will fail to find it, fear.
The farmers, numerous as they are, are
but small class when compared with
all the other people Ct the United States,
and 1t is not for any one class to run the
machinery of government like ours in
one interest. 1t must be combination
of more elements than one-more classes
of business than one, more classes of
people than one-and the only result is,
therefore, these men will either have to
stay in the Republican party or go over
body and boots to the Democratic party
And now / ask them simply to read the
pages of history for the last few years
% E,.rt -, al -
get in the Democratic party. No,
party is to give all men equal rights,
equal protection under and before the
law, and to see that rights so guaranteed
to communities and individuals shall not
be invaded without the provision of a
remedial statute for the reformation of
abuses. That is the theory upon which
we go. Our people are progressive; they
are developing new interests every day,
and when men tell me that government
stands still, tell them if it does it is n
government controlled by fossils and not
by men of energy, vigor and intellect. AS
the government grows our ideas expand
as we advance; we learn that rights of
men are sometimes trampled upon, and
we learn TO shape our movements to the
redress of evils and to the defense of the
rights of the people. Any person who
denies the progress of government de-
MES patent fact. In reference to this
transportation question, | knew there
would be difficulty. Whenever it was
brought up in the Senate it would be
fought there by the Democracy, who hold
that nothing can be done by Congress on
the subject, but that 1t must all be done
by the States. They will put it on that
ground, and you have few Republicans
who will go with them; but the majority
of Republicans in Congress are the other
way, and when the question can be got
at properly it will be decided in favor of
action by Congress regulating the subject
# transportation among the States.
- And now, my countrymen
4. tho ,"epublican party worth savingY |
1L - 4. most decidedly. | read in a
snXct sS.nn = nAsii,. red at Springfield, the other
rs se'1 ~ S"s. SSSe,, ION that both political
nsy nsyyt;es ~" btSSSltsa. and Democratic, had
become SO corrupt titws snecessary 70 drop
them and organize 0ew '"isy. - snese
parties are both rotten 10 -comPoSition' ,IS
out of what class of people 10 'nis he"'
honest party to be organizedy
"in defense of the Republican pa ~
and in answer to that little speech made
by man once honored by the Repubii-
can party land certainly II is not the iault
of the party that he Is not stlll SO non
ored), II Is safe to assert that the kePuD,
lican party is the only party in the oniied
States of America that mas saved this ms
couatry from all foes, and governed the
cnnuntrv we'll In peace and war, giving
prosperity to the whole land; the party
that protects citizens IN all lawful enter
nrises. And I cannot imagipe e day
Ehar Tho Ranuhlican marty will do less