, 1877-07-26


II In we'll for all persons engaged in tho
railroad striko to uniorstanl tho legal effect
Of some of their proceedings. Railroad OPP
erntives ind all other persons participating
in tho proceedings to stop railroad trans-
rortasion will .io well to read uul uIiler-
stand tho following sections Of tho law OF
this Stnte, enacted by the lust Legislature:
!. II any locomotive cngnrrr. In EnrtlIsrnncc OF
any c0nbtnAelun Hgrctnieht. Eali wliifliiy and
nal,c.ous1y abandon his locusnotlyc upon any rail-
rnu at nny oll,ct point than Tic regular schedule
destination Ut such locomotive. ie shall ba fined
not lc.s thun so nor murc than 3lU0, ami ronancI
IN tho Gnnnty Jail not less thau twenty laya NOE
1i0re lhan ninety days.
=. If&pny ict+&u Or rcsrons shait wtllfu'ly and
nnlactuiIslY. by any act hY lueans Of fmtimida.
lion, impede HF obstuct, except by duo process of
lhw. the uEnIar operation and cnndnct of TIM
hustncts VI nny satlroud company uthtr corpora.
thu. ,trm, lu'iYisua1 tn 3h,s State, or nj the
regular running VI any ktonuttYc, cngtHc freight,
Or passenger train " any such company, or The
1ahor Hnd b.slhcra Of any risrh corporation. atn,
or fntiIsi.luat. hs Or they shaIt, IN conviction
thttrnf. h. punished ny II 6nu nat less thar SO
Hur 1l,osn thin $.tu, and cUnlned In tho County
LaIl not ltts thai twsa!y days nor ,nort thuu
nlnety IayT.
IS. II two or more rcrtoua snail wtlIfuly sud
naltrfoAsIy combine ur cunspItt together 10 Oh
atFuct " Impede. Gy any act, or by means of In.
timfdatiun, tte regular operation mud cot,duct OF
tho uusnrss of any Eatitoad company. or any other
corporation, asiu ur indtsiAua! In this State, ur
t1 impede, hlrIef, Ur obstsuct. except bY duo
proce.s y! law. tha regular running Ut any loco.
motsr, HMgtne, freight, os PASSENGER train on Any
ra1lsual nr lha labor 0f business OF any such cur.
potat,on, ar,,, or individual, such pessuns shall,
Oh conviction thereuf, ba punished BY hus not juss
thsn SO nor muea than $:u0, and confined In tho
County Jail ,ioL ics4 than twenty days nor n,oss
than Ilnely days.
This law was enacted by tic farmers Of
this State for tleir own protection. They
wero unwilling to trust their interests and
their property to The mercy Of any body or
organization Of men. whether engineers,
tiremsn, conductors, brakemen, or SWITCH
nen. Thu agricultural producers must have
free aa1 unobstsucted road to market, and
they do not intend that any body Of men
shall blockade that roal or play the part Of
higLwaymen thereon. Thia law is ono Of
the Granger laws, and its enforcement will
be insisted OIL not only by the entire co,u-
nerolal, but tue eatire agricultural, grazing,
horticultural. aud rural population OF this
6latc.
1t should be remembered that railroads
are public corporations. Tile Supreme Court
l,as In all thu modern decisions affirmed the
.loctrins ahat railroads arc public corpora.
lions to the extent that they aro within
tic cou!rol Of Stale Governments. This
public character vests tho whole aBo-
pla with certain rights au1 rriyi-
lrgas; tho roatls are public highways
which the Stats cau compsl the companies
I" keep open 10 tho public; they ars public
highways over which ths public have tue
right Of transportation for persons and prop.
sFty, aud, being corporations, the State has a
right to determine tho rates to bs charged
for transportation. OF course, being public
institutions subject 10 tho control OF the
State, they are under the protection OF the
laws. No man may obstruct tho operation
aud running Of trains Oh railways any moro
than he may interfere with Cor. CuL1ou OF
the 6sato officers in the management ot tls
State Government, or Ut Ills management OF
thu States Prison, or Of the 1nsane Asylum,
or any otAcs public institution.
This law " intended for the projection Of