The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-10-22
u A GREAT Speech.
Read! Read ! ! Read F! |!
The Railroads and Tariff.
Delivered BY Hon. VIM. Burchard'

In representative government par
ties are necessity; for as long as men
think fer themselves just so long will
they differ in opinion. Political par
ties have their origin in the exigiencies
of the times, and are usually formed to
correct some abuse or to effect some
change in the form of government or ia
its administration.
In our own history we find that the
Wing party of colonial times,
after conducting the country
through the war of the Rev.
olution, gave way to the Federal
party, which had it's origin in the ne
cessities of thirteen independent States,
impoverished by seven years of contin-
ual warfare The Union Of the States
was the watchword of that hour.
Under the Federal party the consti-
tutien was adopted and the government
organized, when it was succeeded by
the Republican party under
Jefferson; which was formed
to resist the consolidating
tendencies of the Federal party. The
avowed object Of this party was to pro-
teet the rights of the States. Without
stopping to trace the order of succession
it may be confidently affirmed that ne
party of any significance, representing
new principles, arose until the forma ion
OF the Republican party in 1856, which
succeeding to power in 1850, has admin
istered the government ever since. Let
no man suppose that am unmindful of
the Democratic and Wing parties.
The Democratic party always claim
ed to be Jetiersonian in it's origin, and
was SO in all its distinctive prime ipies
while the Wing party was only party
Of Reorganization, whose members
differed from each other in everything
except in opposing the Democracy.
The extension of slavery, the issue
on which the Republican party came
into power, disappeared almost the
very hour that party took possession OF
the government, for the extension of
slavery soon became involved in that
other question, how to preserve the
government itself.
This is not the time or the occasion
to review the management of the war,
or to call in question the measures of
reconstruction. All this is a matter of
history. No controversy can reverse
the results of war. We must accept
them as they are. The question of this
hour is not what the government might
have been, but how to administer it as
1t is.
In discussing present issues we must
not fail to consider the changes which
have taken place in the habits and
social customs of our people, and the
actual relations between the people and
the government. At one time in our
history, domestic manufactures we're
the most important branch of our
national industry, for nearly every
household made the articles necessary
to supply the wants of its members
Wool.was grown to be carded, spun
and woven by the frugal housewife,
and under her manipulations flax soon
became the fine linen of that day.
Then the all important object with
which every freeman was to produce
everything has Gepoadants could con-
Salntt and to e.rchdNSe as little as pos
si6le. New inventions and the conse-
quent divisions Of labor have changed
all this, until our day when the farmer
SellS hedr!yd all he can produce and bugs
all he CONSUMES.
In consequence Of these altered con-
ditions of society, we find that
laws regulating the transportation
and affecting the exchange of commod-
ties which were matters of little mo-
ment in former times, now, are the con-
trolling questions of the hour.
And here strange anomaly in legis-
lation presents itself. Government it
Is claimed has no right to regulate
charges for transporting commodities
from the producer to the consumer. but
has the right, by discriminating be
tween different branches Of industry. to
dictate to whom and for what these
commodities must be exchanged.
If these doctrines are true then the
condition of our agriculturists is indeed
lamcntable, for while raill Dads, crea-
lures OF legislation, may by ,cxhorbitant
rates Of freight contiscate their proper
ty with impunity; government itself
has the right to rob them, under the
pretense of protecting home industry.
A dispassionate, but trust not wholly
uninstructive discussion of these ques-
lions is a part Of the duty assigned me.
The first matter for consider tor, is
the regulation of the charges for trans
portation and its relation to arricul-
ture, the chief industry in our State
The doctrine that railroad corpora
tions, created by legislative enactmeats.
are beyond legislative control. is not
only before the courts for adjudication.
but is also on trial before the people.
that tribunal of last resort.
The result of this controversy cannot
be doubtful in a country where "gov-
eminent is Of the people. by the people,
and for the people,
The decision Of court in q matter be-
tween the State and an individual. or
between private parties may be final
AMI safe as precedent, but you cannot
frame an indictment 0suinst an en-.
tire community or enforce q judgment
affecting the rights and interests of a
zrhole people mithoUt their consent.