The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-10

AuEll wv yO0A 90 WI AAAS AssSS S~~IF
:ook great interest in his success Dur
ng our civil war was war Demo crat
and supported the war measures OF Inc
to the best of my ability. !
lid not vote at all for President when
Lincoln was elected for the second term. |
Since then l have voted the Democratic
ticket when l have voted at all, always
erasing the names Of those considered
but have not been an active
politician, especially during the five
years have served as District Judge.
have been thus explicit because | de-
sire no person to act under mistake as
to my political principles or course OF
conduct.
am in favor of common sense con-
struction Of our National Constitution.
think we should employ only such
means to carry out the express powers
as are actually necessary to that end'
and not those which are merely con-
venient or conducive to such purpose.
This doubtless would somewhat abridge
legislation, which would operate
for good. Too much legis-
lation IS the great evil Of the times.
We have come to think that everything
must be regulated by legislation. That
s'the world is governed too much is
true in this country as well as in the
monarchies Of the old world.
l am opposed to high protective tar
ifs. Our Governmental levies on in
ported articles are It's to 200 millions
yearly The protective theory increases
the price Of foreign articles to enable
our manufacturers Of theI same
kind to get the same high price, or
nearly SO, so that they can manufacture
at profit. We purchase more than
twice as much Of the home protected
articles-some say three times as much
so that the governmen: collects It's
to 200 millions on imported articles.
We actually pay in all not less than
some 500 millions. The Western states
are almost exclusively agricultural, and
the proportion Of this enhanced price
paid by them flows to the manufactur-
ing States, thus producing a continual
drain upon the West. It is for our
interest then to moderate the tar
if Of duties, as we woulo pay less,
and suffer less drain Of
currency or value. So long as we are
paving our national debt we must levy
a tariff for revenue and thus render an
incidental protection to the manufac'
turers which ought to satisfy them
AS all property is exempt from taxa
ton under the tariff system, and as the
man without means pays nearly a
much towards the support Of the gov
eminent as does the millionaire, the ar
ticles of necessity should be taxed less
and of luxury more, and thus the bur
dens of taxation be distributed more
equitably.
believe the State has power to reg
ulate the freight and fare upon rail
! roads. In the Eastern States the power
to alter or repeal all charters is reservee
in express terms in the charters
In Wisconsin the power is reserved
in the Constitution. In our State
however, we have no such provision
either in railroad charters, or in tn
Constitution. Hence our power to d.
this rests upon the inherent right o
the State to claim rights which hav'
been conferred unwittingly or through
| corrupt means or otherwise upon char
tered companies. l maintain this right
If it does not exist, the Legislator
having given the railroad companie
perpetual charters, have put it out Q
the power of posterity to reclaim thei
rights. Here comes the significance G
the question propounded by Jeffersoa
when considering this very principle
''Can the dead rule the iving!'
claim that in the very nature .
things they cannot. Such an ex
traordinary power cannot be d
rived from any constitution by implies
ton. It cannot be conferred even b
express provision, because it is contrar
to the law Of nature. It takes fol
generations unborn, the power Of Sc
defense, the right Of self protection IN
the right of self government. As.i'
the rights Of the public are not subject
of barter or gift. Whoever takes sue
rights by charter will be presumed
know this, and must hold them subjet
to the right Of the State to reclaim
them at its pleasure.
Our constitution provides that "a
corporations being common carriers, Ell
Toying the right Of way in pursuant
Of this section shall be bound to carr
the mineral, agricultural. and oth'
productions or manufactures on equ
and reasonable terms One Of our Di
trict Courts has already decided tn
; this applies only to cases tried m cour
But we need no constitutional provisit
for such purpose. The common Ia
: and common sense has never above
but a reasonable compensation for ar
service in the absence Of an agreemen
Under this construction. the clause
f the constitution is without mean;n
, But if it is construed to give the Sta
power to declare by law what reason
bic terms are, we give it r easonat
and clear meaning.
But, say the owners and managers
: the roads, if the State exercises Il
e power it will reduce the rates so as
make our business unprofitah
and confscate our roads. Capi'
q is always timid. Such 3 result d
:, not seem possible. We are entirely
q pendent on railroads to carry our VIII
to market, and if, by legislation,
IT rerdor fhen unnrofitahle the RI.