, 1879-01-03

ycFlGd TO the CONSTITUTION provision pron0ltlnG
the State from loaning lis credit tn tnain-
tain any EA,'rond Of canal, saYtng tho
question among members Of the Legislature
was how wore they to do anything for tho cana1.
Some Of tho best lnwyers In the stntc held that
tho object OF that legislation was 10 prevent the
1,clptng of outsiders, tho canal At tho time be-
Ing IN tho hands Of Trustees. In 1871 the canal
came back to This State, and now IL was fnain-
tatncii that tha State had right 10 make an 40.
proprtation. The attention Of members should
be called 10 this. The Board had only s5o,0
and when that was expended, II nothing were
dopo by tho Legislature, they 1ould hhvc to
quit.
Mr.. Hart didn't think the Convention should
labor under nisapprehcnslon. Tho Constltu-
ten was cicar on tho mntter OF prohloitinE the
Legislature from approprfatinR cent lot tho
e1tcnsion or improvement OF tic caual, aud the
provision was .....r
Inherited WITH THAT INTENTION,
and no other. There was, therefore, no norcncdY
through the Legislature. It was With the peo-
ule. They should demand that tho Railroad
law be enforced by tho Commissioners. It
never Ind been. Tint was pn1pable to any Ono
Of observation. Mr.. Glover Ind told him either
the Inv itself was weak. or tho Commissioners
were. The speaker believed an enforcement of
Tile law hUulA QllAA tuV 1AAtVAA1 ~ ttlAEt
TINT tho State wns able 10 copc with
sny corporation or combination Of corporations,
no matter whether they had $500, ,00o.oO0 or
5000 600. II the law was insufficient, ono that
wns sufficient should bo passed. tApplapsc.1
Railroad Commissioner Smith, who was also
rrcsent, IN response 10 calls said perhaps the
puard hadn't donc Its duty. II they Ind not
they were willing to 6e forgiven, and commence
now to do It. (Laughtcr.] lie believed the
power to control railroad corporations was ID
the State, mud, II there were no canal at nil,
that the people had tho power to protect
themselves by law from extortton md
unjust Determinations Ia the matter Of
freight. Eo then stated tho difficulties
in tho way Of the Board.' the rhicf
drawback beInr tho delay Of the Supreme
Court to render decisions In tho ratlrond cases.
They had lntely adopted a policy when COM
plants wero nlado to collect the evidence. and.
before beginning suit, 10y 1t bcfornthe rail-
rpad managers and ulve them thancc to
correct tho evils. Tie roads usually acted
promptly. lie Ind heard through the Cnnai
Commissioners TINT the Rock Island nonl had
DiscnlMINATED AGAINST TIE CANAL
While tho law said ncttona should be for un-
juBt DETERMINATIONS or exsortIous Ia cascs Of
individuals, there was nothing In 1t which
called shipping cheaper than the canal nm
unjust discrimination. The men who framed
tho Railroad law never dreamed that
tho railroads could cut the rates SO low that tho
canal couldn't bo maintained. Tic couldn't eco
how the Board could bring suit against tho
Rock Island Road for carrying frcights for lcsa
than tho canal. II tho road Disseminated
against shippers, or II they gave rebates, mado
out way-btll for stx or cINht cents and Eavo
buck TWO OF three. Judgment could bc obtained,
and tho Board was really 10 pros .cute suits
IF THEY COULD GET THa Hv1pKsCK.
II Was tho duty Of the Stats to foster, and en-
courage, and keep mp the canal. and tho duff OF
tho Genera! Government to make It q ship cannl
to connect the waters Of tho t3ulf and lakes.
[Appausc.] Such an improvement would not
ouiy be benoat to tho General Government,
but would regulate freights nll over tho State.
Mr.. Hart asked as to tho practlcnbitty Of
getting an amendment to tho Constitution per-
m!ttu0 an appropriation for tho canal.
Mr.. En,lth believed It could b. done, a. tho
people OF tho Stats werc moro allyc 10 tue ad-
rautnEcs Of watcr transportation tEan ever be-
fore. ri
Air. Hart--Would not thnt bo tho best way to
get On appropriation from tho Gencral GosGru-
luont to makc ship cana,t
Mr.. smlth-1t might be-,
Mr.. Hart-fhat Is the remedy.
Some ono tn tho audience asked II It were tho
proper tim0 now when tho Southern pGOple
wanted tho Texas raciQc md improvement OF
tho Mississippi to 20 to Cou0rcss md ask for
noucs.
hlr. Smith thought the present wss q good
time for the ncoplo OF Illinois to ret their
oar in.
THR REsoLEr1oHs.
At th(s point tho Committee on Resolutions
A. f.II
OF tbs land donated bJ The United sts.cs, By tic
aet Of cong1ess ot March =. 1927 (which act con
tsin.d , r ptoysfo a tas tas sana! whsn Somplc!ea
tbs u.e OF tho uoyesnmcpt Of tho United Suites,
sss G sg as S g s.s sao whasSs ,ss
VA contract ,nads by tic sid State 10 nantai,
of lno United statcs, II could not impair by aaY
provision In its own constitution Of 1870, to nsain
tain t.id canal Only 20 long a. ~ Income shoul4
Ntsolrsa, That the state Of lslinois, by tho
voids in decentralization Of 1870. "That iLc Gem
State Or mako appropriations from thu Treasury
thereof tn ad OF railroads canals, provided that
pTatsa 2 ior IL en.istme. ess or c1sa.on a Or IL.
nexer unas7taksn to thxaltdats IL said contract
With tho United ststea nor 70 pcfpstsste 30 absurd.
propesty 10 90 to obstruction rather Than 10 rc-
Ss!s I'D ,prs'eF,s s I t., whsssyst nees:: 4;
credit Of the Htato to railroads and canals" docs
not meAn loannV il credit 10 Itself but to othcr4
that making appropriations IN aid Of railroads and
canals to aid In tho conhtEucs!on OF thoso Of
others. but does NOT mean making appropriations
70 repair lis own railroads or canals. II 4 bad nny;
that the proviso did nok have any application 10
the Illinois T. Michigan Cana! except 70 long a. it
belonged to tho bondhodcrs In trust. aud thus
temporarily the pEopursy Of 0ters. ~ It wss until
under the act Of april ~, la7l tho State took II
buck from them.
I'tsotttd, That. In our opinion, II II prorcr for
q Rnf tnlA L% In.
teFnaa improvements which nte national 10 theIr
character, and that We know Of no uloEs !ndlcious
expenditure OF money out Of tho National Ttca4ury
than to uss in converting thu prcsent canal into
a.hip.eanal, connecting ths great lakus with tho
MtsaIaaippt. aud, through II atlu tho Gnf Ut Mex.
leo. With tue ocean,
Rtsoir<d, That our Senators. and Kcprescn natives
Ia ConGress be urgently Eequcitcd to their In.
luenca 10 ubtaln suitable appropriation for tas In.
pfoYement Of tho Illinois Il Michigan caus aud
tau Illinois River 70 MAKO the xauo nAslsaba for
ships from tho lakes tho s[tsR!talppf, and that
our senatoss aud Representatives, in tho 0cnrral
Assembly ho requested 10 forward tha objects inoi.
dated by the foregoing revolution, aud 10 urgs tho