Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-24
states Rights-COngressiOnal
and Legislative Control
Of Railroads.

Of Railroads.
REPUBLICAN DOCTRINE IN 1850
ANTI-doNoP. DOCTRINE, FEB.
lS74--ANTT-MONoP DOCTRINE
JUNE, 1874-RBPUBLIC-
AN DOCTRINE, JULY
1874.
The Republican National Conven-
tion at Chicago in 1860 adopted the
following resolutions as a part of its
platform:
4. That the maintenance inviolate,
of the rights of the States, and espec-
tally of each State, to order and con-
troll its own domestic institutions ac-
cording to its own Judgment exclu-
sively, Is essential to that balance of
power on which the perfection and
endurance of our political fabric de-
pesds; and We denounce the ka,oyess
larasion Jy armed force Of the soil of
any State or Territory, no matter un-
der what pretext, as one of the grav
est of crimes.
5. That the present Democratic
worst apprehensions In the measure
less subserviency to the exactions of
a sectional interest, as especially
evinced in the desperate exertions to
force the infamous Lecompton COnsti-
tuition upon the protesting people of
Kansas, constituting the relation be-
tween master and servant to involve
an unqualified property in persons
In its attempted enforcement every
where, on land and sea, through the
intervention of Congress and OF the
Federal Courts, OF the extreme pre-
tensions Of purely local interest;
and in its general and unvarying
abuse Of the power entrusted to it by
a confding people.
The following was adopted by the
Anti-Monopoly State Convention of
Iowa at Des Moines, in February,
1874:
5. That all corporations are subject
to legislative control that those cre-
ated by Congress should be restricted
and controlled by Congress, aud that
those under State laws should be
subject to the control of the State
| creating them; that, while we recog-
niZe the value of railroads, and will
in all proper ways encourage their
construction, yet, while enjoying n
valuable franchise, they should bear
their full burden of taxation, and re-
ceive on the capital invested no more
than just and lawful interest, aud
should charge only a just and equita-
bic rate for transportation and travel.
In June, only four months later,
the same party met again in State
Convention at Des Moines and
adopted this, prepared for it by Gov.
Stone:
6. That railroads, and all other
corporations for pecuniary profit,
should be rendered subaervient To
| the public good that we demand
such constitutional and necessary
| legislation upon this subject, both
State and National, as will effectully
secure the industrial and producing
interests OF the country against all
forms Of corporate monopoly and ex-
tortion; and that the existing rail-
road legislation Of this State should
be faithfully enforced, until expert
ence shall have demonstrated the
propriety and and justice of its mod
ification.
7. That while demanding that rail-
roads be subjected to legislative con-
troll, we shall discounteuance any ac-
ton on this subject calculated TO
retard the progress Of railroad enter
prises, or work injustice To these in
valuable auxiliaries to commerce and
civilization.
The Iowa Republican State Con-
vention, in July following, adopted
this statement Of its creed upon the
same subject:
3. That under the Constitution Of
the United States Congress has the
power to regulate all commerce
among the several States" whether
carried on by railroads or by other
means, and in the exercise OF that
power Congress may, and should so
legislate as to prohibit under suita-
BILE peiIaltiesl eXtortion, unjust dis
CIliHiHdtiDHJ anu Otfci "iob5 "''
unjust conduct on the part Of persons
or corporations engaged in such com
merce. And, by virtue Of the same
constitutional power Congress may
and should provide for the improve
ment of our great natural water
ways.
4. That the State has power, and it
Is its duty to provide by law for the
regulation and control OF railway
transportation within its own limits,
and we demand that the law OF this
State passed for this purpose at the
last session Of the General Assembly
shall be upheld and enforced untii 1T
shall be superseded by other leglsla-
ton, or held unconstitutional Dy the
proper judicial tribunal.