The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-09-13
and strongly put bnt it Is based on sue
caaa In avoantional caaaa


and strongly put but it Is based on sue
cess in exceptional cases,
Hand over all the railroads to the
United States, and we fancy the same
difficulties in controlling strikes and
riots that meet the local authorities
would confront the Federal power, far
more deficient than the States in the ma
chiuery necessary to grapple with them.
II is true that there are United States
Courts and Marshals, but it will hardly
be urged that it is to become perma-
nent feature of our jurisprudence, this
summary procedure for riot by contempt
of court.
1t may do very well for an emer;
genCy, with such discreet, capable and
upright judges as McKennan, but we
wouldn't like to try it with the Dnrells,
Bonds, and others, who have Illuminated
the Federal Judiciary.
Another point Col, Scott loses sight Of
When be invokes Federal control over
railroad corporations, he must under,
stand this supervision of strikes, but will
90 10 the extent of determining freight
and passenger tariffs, and regulating the
general affairs of the corporation. This
is what the anti monopolists of the West
have been clamorous for, and they base
their demands on precisely the same
constitutional and economical grounds
asserted by Col. Scott, viz; The power
of Congress over utter state commerce
and the immensity and national charac-
ter of interests involved. Extremes GER
tainy meet when COL Scott and the
Grangels, for purposes, as opposite as
the poles, invoke the power of Congress
over the railroad corporations OF the
country.
1t is difficult 10 get around the consti-
tutonal argument of the existence ofthiss
power in Congress, but one may have and
vet not always wisely use the strength
of the lion. The grounds of expediency,
for the railroads as we'll as the people,
we entirely dissent from the idea the
Federal Government should arrogate the
police powers that belong to the States,
even to prevent the recurrence OF the
recent riots. That government was new
er formed for such purpose and could not
adjust itself to it. Give IL the power and
our whole system would be changed.
Seventy thousand miles Of railroad, five
thousand millions of capital, half a mil
lion of workingmen, and business reIa-
tions permeating every school district in
the land-to transfer these mammoth
and incalcuIable interests at one stroke
to the control Of the Federal Govern
ment, would be little short Of revolution,
and would be productive Of direful re-
suits.
No, no; that is not tie remedy, Col
Scott himself SHOWS where it exists, In
his statement that in some localities the
local authorities were fully competent to
the preservation Of order and protection
of life. 1t was where they acted, as he
says, with great nerve and efficiency,
and were supported by organizations of
citizens, and by public sentiment de-
termined to maintain law and order at
any cost" Instead of this being the ex'
ception it can be made universal, 1t is
in that direction the remedy lies, The
people must be educated anew on the
Importance of strengthening their "home
rule" and seeing that it is welded by
men of capacity and courage, and not, in
the supreme hour of a great crisis, by
your Pearsons and Pittsburgh
Post.