The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-17

PIONEER PALACES.

David is nothing if not fallacious. He
gave US the other day an article on
Railroad legislation, in which appeared
the following points. First:
II may he udicious for the Legislature 10
Interfere, il the railroads, possessing the
power of giant, use it like giant. But
reverse the case, and the State may be as
tyranlous as the railroads could possibly
Ee
4n$Wcr Exactly, bat as the rail
roads have not, so far, submitted to the
laws of the State, the people cannot
have used them UNANIMOUSLY. On the
other hand the railroads, being practi-
cally above the law, have shown a
giants strength and have used it like
a giant. Would it not be we'll,
David, therefore, to wait until the
people have oppressed the roads before
you pour forth the gushing streams of
your sympathetic soul in their behalf!
Secondhand then gives case of a
man who went to Europe to borrow
money on real estate in Illinois, rather
an extraordinary case, with this result:
He was startled to receive this significant
answer: "If q legislature can destroy
the value of 3 mortgage on a railroad,
it may do SO with o mortgage on real es-
tate
.4ns.0er IL the suppositious char
acter in that Hypothetical conversation
had known enough to go under cover
when it rained, he might have replied -
that not only the State Of Illinois, but
every nation of Europe, claimed and
exercised the right to destroy the value
Of mortgage on real estate, or of the
real estate itself, if the public Interests
required it. For Instance, A mort
cages to b a certain piece of property
for $1,000; C. ID and f form railroad
company. seize upon AS property for
public use, take it for road-bed or
depot grounds, and commission
awards 4 $500 and one. half Of B mort
gage is wiped out. Nay more, the
State can, iii, sees fit, reduce the lien
sf the said mortgage to any number of
years: it can create q stay law; it can
refuse to permit its officers to foreclose
the mortgage; and, as in the South to-
day, it can tax the property out of ex-
istence. Nay, if war arises, it can
take B himself and shove him to the
front of battle, with a fair chance to
get back his gold in a fair measure of
lead.
In short. what limit is there to the
power of the people Is it in consti-
trhonal provisions The people can
amend the Constitute they can an
null it; they can create new form of
government; or they can determine to
exist with none at all. There is, in
fact, practically no limit TO the power
Of the people.
Third. Our Legislature cannot affect the
tariffs in Wisconsin, and therefore the pro-
duee from this State goinS to Milwaukee and
Chicago will still be victimised by the dis
eliminating policy OF the Potter law. Il is
GU, ofthe power OF the legislature of either
state, or both combined, TO lessen the frei ghts
from one State to the other.
iasrer. This is to be doubted. The
Uuited States Constitution declares
,Sec. .. Article W. that 1.-The citizens
of each State shall be entitled to all
privileges and immunities Of citizens in
the several States" If we understand
this correctly. it means that . citizen
of Minnesota has as many rights, under
the laws of Wisconsin. as . citizen oil
Wisconsin. aud 7scs versa But if we
are wrong in this, If our laws cannot
p-etec. citizens Of Wisconsin aor the