Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-10-15
Our Railroad Law--Give It Fair
Trial.

The Potter Law will now be fully
test ed in Wisconsin. Let it have o
fair trial. Like every other expert
ment, it must undergo the crucial
ordeal of profit and l)ss. Ifit sha !
have sensible effect in adding any
thing to the value of bushel of
wheat or potatoes, or to any other
farm produce, it never can or should
be repealed. We are after all not
theorists like the French, but prsc-
ticable people like the English. Our
intelligent farmer after trying the
experiment will ask, what has the
Potter Law added to the valae of
our land, to our corn, wheat oats and
hay crop? This will be the final
test. We have our opinion, but the
success of our farming population is
far dearer to us than any doubtful
reputation we may have as prophet.
We never blamed the railroad for
resisting law at their peril, which
they deemed unconstitutional. They
could not bring the law before the
court in any other way than by it's
violation. When Capt. Sylvester
procured an act of the Legislature
under the seal of the state, enabling
him to turn Crooked Greek from its
natural channel down to his dry land
mill, oil David McCord from whose
land the stream was diverted, resist
ed the law and detied the majesty of
the state, aud jury of this county
sustained him in his rebellion. DEM
agogues found it to their advantage
10 j)inlng in this popular outcry OF
rebellion against the RAILROAD compan-
les. They have exercised the rights
Of the humtl,st citizen. Neither
have we any enoomIums to bestow
upon the companies for submitting
O the decision of the supreme court.
No thanks to q defendant for sub
hitting when the highest court in
The land has pronounced against him,
and the officers of justice are ready
to seizs upon his person and property.
The companies must now suffer
The consequence OF their mistake
like any other sutton Where they
have collected fare and fir, ight from
unwilling parties above the Potter
Law rates, they must restore it.
Let them be put through.
AS explained by the courts, we
have an extraordinary provision in
our State Constitution. We oan alter
and repeal not only railroad charters,
but the charters of Ill other corpora
tions. We can amend the charter Of
mining corporations by determining
at what price they shall sell their
mineral, or fix the price of newspa-
pers published by corporation, or
establish the price of cheese if man.
utsotured by an incorporated COM
pany. But should the Legislature
attempt to interfere in this way With
these corporations, we must expect
another rebellion, and other very
tough and exciting law suits. 1t ap:
pears that the act Incorporating the
two principal railroads in this state
authorizes the companies in express
terms TO fix their own rates. Que
question was, whether our constitu-
ton allowed US to violate this pledge
without first legally convicting the
companies of extortion. It has
been decided that our rights to "alter
and repeal charters enables US to vi
olate any pl ,dge the legislature may
think proper.
Now, the anti-monopolsts and
railroad reformers must shoulder the
responsibilities of government. The
villainous corporations whom they
have crushed, by swindling the PEG.
pie of the state and by borrowing
10 lions from abroad, have construct
ed more than q thousand miles OF
rallroad, extending their branches
far into Iowa and Minnesota-tbe
NJ lVaukee & ST. Paul alone has built
1900 miles Of road Under the new
dynasty will there be equal progress?
Will capitalists be equally anxious
to make investments in Wisconsin?
Will the project, untimely nipped in
the bud, of constructing bee-Iine
railroad from Chicago to the weet
end Of Lake Superior, and which
wouli have drawn into GU: state
the millions now lying idle in Wash.
ington, Wall, and lombard streets
will that project now be pushed for
ward to completion ?
Though the present companies
may have stolen millions from the
people, they have added five to our
aggregate wealth whore they have
sttl1n one. They also pay large
share of our state tax. Reformers
must not only talk, they must act.
They must improve upon what their
predecessors have done. If honesty
has DO capital. and can command
none if ID it's horror of monopoIiet
it will not boldly aggregate capital