The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-12
RAILROADS.

We called attention the other day to the
railroad bill drawn up by order of the rail
road companies Of Chicago for presentation
to Congress. This bill proposed to transfer
tho control and Jurisdiction Of railroads en-
tirely TO the Federal government; to take all
legislation on this subject from the various
State governments and place railroads. like
ships, under the control Of Congress and the
United States courts. This was the railroad
side Of the case. The ant-railroad men ap-
pear to be advocating identically the same
proposition on entirely different grounds. At
q meeting of New York merchants, the other
day, this railroad question was discussed at
length.
Mr. Simon Sterne, who addressed the
meeting, advocated the doctrine that the
railroads should be subject to Federal instead
of State control. The railroad corporations
to-day are too powerful, he said. for the
States; the New York Central and Erie rail-
roads have long controlled the Legislature of
New York, New Jersey has for years been
the abject slave Of the railroad corporations;
and one company, the Pennsylvania Central,
of Pennsylvania, elects majority OF the
Legislature Of that State. In California it is
the same story, and in no Northern State
can Legislature free from the control of
tho railroads be elected. These corporations
own the Legislatures and secure any meas
ures they need. The merchants, the peo-
pie, are utterly pOwerless as against them,
but the Federal government, continued Mr..
Sterne, and the Federal government alone. is
able to force the railroads to carry out the
terms of their charters and agreements. The
action of Congress q few days ago, In deal
ing with the Pacific Railroad, Mr.. Sterne
thought proof of this. No Northern Legs-
lature, he continued, could have withstood
the power Of the Central and Union Pacific
railways as the Congress Of the United
States had withstood the combined efforts
of these two great roads. And then, the
speaker went on to intimate, that tho time
might soon come when it would be neces-
sary to wipe out State lines.
From the applause given this speech and
tho subsequent action Of the merchants pres
ent, it would appear that they fully shared
Mr.. Sterne's wild views on this subject We
have, therefore, the queer picture presented
of the railroads appealing to the Federal gov
eminent for protection from the masses, and
the people appealing to Congress for protec-
ton from the railroads.
The pretence that the Federal government
should have jurisdiction Of the railroads on
the ground that they are engaged in inter
State commerce is. Of course, absurd and
It is greatly to be feared, however,
that the discussion Of this matter presages
a severe attack on the principle of State
rights, as large number Of people want the
under the control of the Federal
government; the railroad corporations want
it for protection from their employees, their
employees and workingmen generally for their
and protection from the railroads
tyranny; and the merchants and producers
also for protection from the roads. Such is
Northern sentiment.
In the South, on the other hand, the States
are reassertng their undoubted claim to con-
troll the railroads. as well as other corpora
tions within their limits. Georgia, In her new
constitution, has just reasserted the complete
jurisdiction of the State over this matter in
the most emphatic terms. Mr.. Reagan, Of
Texas has, 1t is true. offered bill in Con-
gress which, while it is directed against the
and the abuses committed by some
of them, Is dangerous admission that the
Federal, and not the State, government, has
jurisdiction over the railroads. The bill has
been reported on flvorably by the Com mttee
on Commerce. but it is likely that when 1t
comes up in Congress, Southern members
will find it too internal In it's character and
learn further that 1t Is unnecessary, as the
States have already passed similar acts,
that, If carried out, will protect the people
from the abuses Of these mighty corporations.