Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1879-04-19
RAILROAD COMMISSION.

New Constitution, that which opposes
the Central Pacific Railroad is the one
which it il attempted to make the most
powerful That such prejudice or to
speak more mildly, determined opposi
tion-exists, none will have the hardihood
with or without cause, right or wrong,
men who patronize railroads little or
none, are heard to proclaim loudly
against corporation oppression, monopoly
and dscrim nation. or this character is
the rank and file Of the so-called anti
monopoists OF California. And il is
now the urgent endeavor of all who have
ridden into power on this popular cry in
the past to lead their deluded followers to
the support of the New Con stitution by
the claim that that instrument contains
a panacea for monopoly ills. While
we do not agree with thase who would
have us believe that railroads have only
proven a curse 10 the Pacific Coast, we
will admit, for the sake otargument, that
there does exist just grounds for com
plant that there are railrord abuses
demanding correction. Granting all this
and much more If desired, we still main.
tain the New Constitution will absolutely
afford no relief; more than that it will
bind tighter the chains with which it is
claimed the Railroad Company has en-
thralled the people.
Let us look ut this commission bust.
ness in the light Of history and as Amer.
lean citizens, believing as we all do that
our form Of Republican government is
the best ev err vouchsafed by God to msn.
From the foundation Of the Federal I'M
ion it has been one of the never changing
theories of this nation that there shall be
only three branches Of the Government,
namely The Executive, the Legislative
and the Judicial. This is the acknewl-
edged first principle ia the Federal and
each of the several State Constitutions.
These three Departments are distinctly
outlined as to the duties of each and it is
expressly provided that neither Is to be
given or allowed to usurp the functions
belonging to the others or either Of them.
Thus The Executive has neither Legisla-
tive nor Judicial powers; the Legislative
has neither Executive nor Judicial au>
thority and the Judicial has none OF
the functions bestowed upon either the
Executive or Legislative b.anehes. For
the proof of tho beneficial workings of
this fundamentsl law. IL is only necessary
to review the increasing prosperity o.?
these United States during the hundred
years Of their existence as an independent
nation. But the Constitutional Conven>
tion of the State Of California virtually
proc lsims the system failure, and pro-
poses to erect over the people and the
material interests of the State triumvi-
rate Commission, giving to it executive,
Legislative and Judicial powers, confirmed
by authority which places its dlctation
beyond appeal. That government by
commissions has always proved disas.
trous to the very interests it has been de-
signed to protect, is the history Of every
nation of the earth into whose political
economy this ialacy has been allowed to
creep and fnd even temporary resting
place. But the confines of a newspaper
column are too limited to admit of even
n general rev lew of the evil effects Of such
government, and it is unnecessary, for
they are admitted by all eminent political
econom lists the world over. The very
admission of the necessity of a commits
sion in the instance under discussion is
an acknowledgment that this triumvirate
will be but an additional power in the
hands Of the railroad magnates. lis ad-
yocates say that we cannot get relief from
either of the present departments of gov
eminent or from all combined, but we
certainly can from this new tangled rail-
road commission, which will doubtless be
elected by the G. P. r. r., and which has
been empowered to do-what ? Simply
anything which they may please, and no
questions asked. The whole business is
a humbug and- only goes from bad to
worse, as is shown by the arguments of
even its most admiring advocates.
Although this article is longer than we
had intended, we cannot forego the salts
faction of closing it by the adoption of n
suggestion made by valued friend in
conversation recently. He said this Rail.
road Commission business could best be
summed up in the shape of a pream BILE
and resolution. We most respectfully
present the following as the platform up
on which the anti monopoly advocates Of
the New Constitution stand to day:
WHEREAS, The Central Pacific and
other railroad corporations are a great
evil and are monopoliss which cypress
the people, we demand that their business
shall be regulated, in its ninutest details,
by law and
WHEREAS, The Executive Depart
ment OF the State Of California cannot be
trusted to administer such law, because
OF monopoly power, notwithstanding it
is elected by the people and
WHEREAS, The Legislative Depart
naent of he State of California cannot be
trusted to make laws to regulate fares
and freights, because the Railroad Com
pany buys it, notwithstanding 1t is elect
ed by the people and
WHEREAS, The judicial Department
of the State of California cannot be trust
ed to interpret such laws, because of
Corporation gold. Notwithstanding it is
elected by the people therefore be il
Resolved, That we will give the powers
Of all three of these Departments to a
Railroad Commission of three men, who
cannot he bought with monopoly gold,
because they are to be elected by the
peoptei
Gentlemen, there is your platform !;