Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-03-30
THE VANCE BILL.
The Biakes Prairie Grange Resolutions OF
Censure-seuator Hathaway Replies.

4
EDITOR HERALD: - The Blakes
Prairie Grange of Bloomington hav-
ing passed resolutions charging ne
with violating pledges made to the
said Grange in writing and person
ally, and they having omitted to make
public what they consider broken
pledges, l am under the necessity of
asking room in your paper to publish
what | think in fairness and justice to
me, they should have done.
In the latter part of October last
received by special messenger from
James Prideaux, Master of Blakes
Prairie Grange, the following list of
questions with the request that
make an early reply:
/. Should you be elected will you vote to
sustain legislation which provides for such
maximum charges for the carriage of freight
| and passengers on railroads as allows a rea
sonable compensation TO the companies, and
| are not oppressive to the people?
2. VIII you vote TO sustain legislation
which provides for a thorough and continuous
| investigation into the affairs and doings of
railroad corporations bv the states and for
making the results of the same public?
3. VIII you vote to sustain legislation
which provides for State control over the
management of railroad companies?
f. Should you be elected will your vote
and influence be used to sustain the principle
OF State control already established in Wis
cousin?
8 Should you be elected will you vote
for such additional legislation as is required to
prevent Irregularities in the management of
railroads. and 10 secure the full development
aud enforcement of the principles of the "Pot-
ter Law"
6. Do You believe it to he inconsistent
with the duty of the State legislature to pro-
tect, bv ample and suitable enqctments the
stockholders and bondholders of these semi
public corporations?
Z. Do you believe that with such protec>
ton extended by the State, the effect would
be to restore public confidence in the manage
ment OF these corporations?
8. Do Won believe that in the absence of
such protection there is any encouragement
to invest capital in railroads in Wisconsin
9. Do you believe that with State SUPER
vision and protection in behalf of the honest
stockholders, home capital would have conf
dence to invest in railroad companies, and
new railroad enterprises be encouraged.
10 Do you believe that the people of Wis
consin have any intention or desire to ''con-
fscate" railroad property?
H. Do you believe that any legislation has
| yet been had in this State, or will ever be con-
templated by the people of Wisconsin, in any
railroad property?
IL. Do you believe it to be the true inter
| ests of the people of Wisconsin, and of the
railroad companies thereof that such legisa
| ton should be had as will secure confidence
| in railroad management and encourage rail
| road enterprise by controlling the manage
| ment thereof by the State?
I3. Should you be elected, will you uni
formly vote for such legislation as will secure
honest stockholders ard creditors of any
| semi-pablic incorporated company from being
| robbed by the managers thereof, whether such
stockholders and creditors be citizens of the
United States, or citizens of Amsterdam, or
any other foreign place?
Believing then, as | still do, that
the principle of candidates pledging
themselves to any man or body of
men, except to the party by which
elected, to be entirely wrong, / de-
clined to comply with the request, to
pledge myself to vote for any measure
unless thought it would meet with
the approval of the majority of my
constituents This being my opinion
l acknowledged the receipt of Mr..
Prideaux' questions by letter, the
following being a copy, giving in
general terms my ideas of the Legis-
lation to which they referred:
BEETowN, Wis, October 2S, 1878.
Mr. JAMES PRIDEAUx Bloomington.
Dear Sir Yours of the 18th was received
late on Saturday and as you desire an early
reply, would say have not had much time
a. would have liked to consider them. But
that laws fixing maximum rates of charges for
transportation of persons and property may
cOnstitutionally be enacted, such rates should
afford fair compensation to railroads and be
just to the public 0uf laws should provide
for obtaining full and accurate knowledge of
railroad management, its expenses and its in>
come / should not feel disposed to attempt
alteration of present laws, unless to perfect
them The laws should afford just protection
to all persons interested in railroads, stock
holders as well as bond holders, am not
stock holder or bond holder in any railroad
and have no pecuniary interes. in any railroad
and am not sufficiently familiar with the views
of railrea men and capitalists to be able to
say just what measure would restore public
confidence in the management OF railroad cor
poratons. | believe that however great the
confidence of investments in railroads proving
remunerative might be, we have not the cap.
ital required for such enterprises. | have al
WAYS thought that men were honest and ras-
Gals exceptions and / should be 10th to be
lieve that many could be found DESTROYS to
confscate railroad property. More than half
our State is without railroad facilities and a
wilderness for the want of cheap transporta-
ton. Every man true to his State will give his
best endeavors by legislation and otherwise to
improve this condition of affairs. Believing
the above substantially answers all your inter
rogatories, remain;
Yours truly,
o. G. HATHAWAY.
Now, Mr.. Editor, during the pas
sage of the Vance Bill at the last ses-
sion of the Legislature, l voted in ac-
cordance with the views as ex-
pressed in my letter to Mr.. Prideaux
which I think was the right thing
to do-mY vote being supported by a
majority of the farmers in both
branches of the Legislature. And in
so voting | hold that l violated no
pledges made to the Bloomington
Grange or any member thereof.
1t is assumed by my accusers that
the Vance bill is an abandonment of
of legislative restriction by the
State"-the contrary of which is true
The Vance bill puts every railroad in
the State of Wisconsin under legisla-
tive control restrictinO their FREIGHT