The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-04-03

State aBdtnot Congeessional.Lcg
islation.the Remedy of the Peo-
pie against Railroad Extort ion.


| We publish from the Congrcssiona
REcoRD. The following extract from d
late speech Of Hon. W. +. Nihlack ona
question in which the people are now
very much interested. Mr.. Niblack said
Whatever may IN reality be the power
OF Congress over the commerce uf tho
country, whether foreign or domestic. i;
: IL not claimed. believe. that Ion9res,
has ever al amy Time heretofore aiiemp-
ted 10 exercise tllat power 10 the extent
now proposed. Congress ha> COMPLETE
and undi.puted power over our foreign
commerce IA al il raniiicaiiou- ana in
all The various aci~ regulating our iuter-
course with foreign nations Iui the
slightest approach has ,s-e, ,e,.,l ,:late %
ward anything like ins-rlari.iling viii
The prices % ireigii or any Oilcr ariicip-
or commodity connected win commerce
or with charges - the transportation
Of passengers. tSiisc.Ernfiv ID j isOM
proposed 10 apply Ia our duinc,i'r CON-
'ncrce "A rule. a regulation. Nhir,i + em-
iirrlr new in our legislation Antl holly
wiiiuni precedent in ANY ;rl-. 10 ci-,..
We are ihcrciorc Invited - ih., nii. -
enter up1n EeAr i.eld o! .,gi-laiipn
and Wi,hn the boundaries ol a newly
discovered and undchnel power ~
view hi. The iamcn-r Interests Involved.
both public aud private. . behoovr- a.,
10 see That nu,hiH2 j. hastily and inron
siicraiely done simply i'.'au,e the cOUn-
iry expects u 10 do ~Dneihim.s io revive
oar druopins commerce ani brtau i.
we may not just at Tie moment know
what Else 10 10.
7 II tungrrss may regulate tie prices
of freight and pa~>cgcr~ carried hy rail-
road because they happen 10 be taken
across "A >i,ie line. then IL may 10 The
same thing a. TO "A yc->,. OF aHv kind
whether large OF snali. which nav nav
igate any o! our lakes which lie b.i \. ,-ei.
STAIRS. II may al-o regulate and pre-
scribe The charges and toll on ferries
aud bridge across rivers which cs,ii~gi-
iu,c the bonndarie, between State. ~,
We'll a. uppa o.mniOl- lines. wnich. ia
many Instances. iorm a connecting link
between railroads. The prinriul.. ia
VOWED ~ the pos-r j. i,.~s a. applicable
I" any other method of c,,nvr, alarc "A,
to railroads. IL will apply an tne came
TO lines of >iage-cclric~. ui wagons. uT
OF ptrk -nuuics. which carry freight or
passengers across state hnalaarie-
IL the power oi Lohgsa->- really cX-
tends 10 the eases enumerated. then wiir
may il not extend 10 the hotels ahi ..as-
IN -huu~es whirh are connected with. OF
lunirr the control oi. these iine- OF INFER
state communication. IA. pri,..s cnar-
ged at. these hotels and eaiin.-iiuu-rs
are as often eNioriionaie and unjust -
passengers ~ other charges they arc r.
lqurcd to pay Then WHY not regulate
those pficr, also. Ought not PRO-
vision. looking 10 the regulation os ~usii
hotels aud cating-honscS 10 have been
embraced ia the bill we are considering.
liz we are expected 10 cover All Tie
grounds of complaint.
Sir. ii we are Ia enter upon This bust
ness of regulating prices ani charges.
where j. the limit 10 be fixed bevond
w.,ich we may not go, IN iilat respect
where shall the power OF Congress cease
and that of the State begin: Ii does
seem 10 me that the committee have
conionndcd the power 10 regulate with
the power-to create. Congress il not
specially charged with amy duty IN the
creation Of commerce. That j. the work
of the States. of the local munr;pa..-
ties, and oi the people. in their private
pursuits. Commerce ha- Iirsi to be ere
ated before the power of Congress at
tarhcs 10 II. and Congress i not charged
with any of the duties Of proprictor~hip
or ownership concerning comm0digie.
which enter into il. Hence il is that
heretofore we have ALWAYS acted on the
theory that charges for freight iranspor-
tation aud travel are outside OF lhc do
main oc congressional legislation.
The demand for cheap trans >pcgtaii0n.
Mr.. Speaker. which come, np 10 ~
from the States Of the West and south.
is most natural demand. and tile only
surprise with me j. that il has been 20
long deferred aud ia that respect the
people Of those sections especially have
been patient aud long suffering. We Of
the West are no longer able 10 fini /.
market for most o. oar surplus proaiie.s
IL. tie South. a. Ne used % DO We
have had to seek new markets aud new
channels OF commerce. These new chan
nris consist almost entirely OF railroads.
- greater OF lesser extent. TO builI
these roads We have borrowed immense
sums of money. o!lem al ruinuus rates.
As a result they cost too much money 10
be profitable as an investment. at fair
rates for transportation. When ihev are
built, struggle for quick reimburse
mcnt begins. a widespread cissatss
faction with their management very OF
ten. aud indeed. very generally ensues.
In casting abnnt for remedy as To
some particular grievance. we look into
the charter of which .x. ..nn,nistn ~.