Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-10-24

THE presidents of the trunk lines of
railways between Chicago and the east
have had another meeting and again
advanced the rates for shipping grain.
This is the second advance since harvest
and the combined advance equals ten
cents bushel on wheat and other cere-
ais in proportion If this advance is
necessary to enable the trunk lines to
do business, the low rates previously in
force were what compelled the compa-
MES to cut down the wages of employees
to starving rates and led to the strikes
and trouble caused during the summer
Hence the former rates on frelghts were
an outrage on the railway employees, or
the present rates are an outrage OF. the
producers Of the whole west.
In this connection the following edito-
rial comments of the New York Journal
Of Commerce on the Potter law decision
is suggestive. That paper is one of the
most conservative in the country and
opposed what was designated as the
granger legislation. 1t says:
The United States supreme court has
at length recognized as valid the ex-
tremest power claimed by state over
railroad. The question involved the
authority of the Wisconsin legislature
to establish a maximum of charges to
be made on passengers or freight taken
up outside of the state and brought
within it, or vice versa. Has the state
a control over the interstate commerce
which affects its own people, or does
this matter wholly belong to the federal
government? The supreme court de-
cides that a state, where it has not
parted with its power by contract, can
regulate the fares and freights, under the
circumstances mentioned, ON road
outside of its limits which is consoli-
dated with one on its own territory.
The power of the state reaches beyond
its confines as to things which directly
concern its own people, however its
action may indirectly affect the people
of adjoining states. This is good law,
says the supreme court. until congress
takes to itself, by special enactment,
the regulation of interstate commerce
by rail. The grasping railroad monopo-
lies which are planning to raise their
freights this fall, and to keep up their
odious pool arrangement, should take
warning in season from the ominious
drift Of the supreme court decisions in
the Granger and other cases. When
the people of the different states realize
nov much power they have-if they
would but use it-ovar the railroad cor
porations, they will not much longer
abstain from exercising it through the
legislature
The Chicago Tribune, another equally
conservative paper copies the foregoing
and adds:
The recent combination of the
various trunk lines, by which they have
resolved to take from the producers
larger portion than usual of the prodnct,
may evoke a popular storm which will
not easily be Quoted Five years ago
the railroads demanded three bushels
of corn for carrying one bushel to mar
ket. The outraged and plundred pro-
ducers resorted to the ballot-box, and in
due time what are known as the Gran
ger laws were enacted. The railroad
managers have now resumed their
policy of combination for extortion The
people of all the states are now advised
of their power to deal with these cor
porations; they know they have the
legal power TO limit the exactons of
railroad companies, and with that
knowledge they will not long submit to
such combinations without exercising
their power. Let the railroad COM
panies take warning that, when this
power of control shall be exercised, it may
not mark the limit of tolls as much |
less than would be willingly submitted