The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1880-12-23

NAAkANNas AaNEA AtNAh NAAA "+tA'f ~
ous, IL goes into the various districts :
Ieleets its supple servants, and, by
ieirauding the su9rages Of the poo
Die, puts upon its plant tools the
seal Of authority, by which they be
come law makers, to betray rights
Of citizens at the bohest Of a soullcss 1
master. Or, il the expedient OF d.
rect representation be not employed, (
they do not hesitate TO use brides
upon legislators, for there is abund
ant testimony showing that they
have purchased the honor Of sens
tors and representatives in many
legislatures, and trampled manhood
in the covetous dust Of frail nature
until in some states the debasement
Of law makers has become a by word
and lasting shame. Even now, while
we deliberate upon the means OF re-
straining the monstrous tyranny OF
railroad power, those who WELD II
are plotting to send into the United
States Senate their paid attorney /
from the most powerful state OF this
Union, to foreslal the day Of Teck /
onlng, and In four other populous /
states Senators, directly 10 the ser
vice Of railways, will soon be chosen
If the people do not make prompt |
and vigorous protest Already these |
corporations have secured powerful
influence Ia the Senate, and they
have numerous willing and obse
auious servants in the other branch
Of Congress ready always to barter
away our rights in the interest OF
the magnates they serve.
Intrenched In the several state
capitals, domicil, d in the central cit
adel, confident and strong, the rail
way power to day sways the CON-
merce Of continent, and dominates
its industries with cold neglect Of the
golden rule that is the vitalizing spirit
Of free government, and with cynical
contempt Of the common honesty
and homely virtues that support the
structure of civil liberties. A power
within the state, accelerating IN
growth, licensed by its own inordi
nate greed, usurping as desire ad-
vaaces, limitless in audacity-hnw
long will 1t be before the state Itself
will be a supplicant to its creature
that lays lustful hands upon the
shreds Of authority yet preserved,
swaggers in every precinct Of the leg
islative domain, with its mammOn
defles the ermine, and has towering
scorn for the people, aud especial
contempt for the class that suffers
most by its cruel exactions-farm-
ers Shall there be an organized
) effort by the people TO recover the
rights filched from them by the crea
lures Of their generosityG viii they
mark the limit Of concession and
thereafter guard its boundaries The
time is opportune, their strength
: equal TO the requirement-do they
lack the purpose2 Will American
/, farmers Join in positive, earnest, de-
. termined effort to secure just protec
ton, through the peaceful medium
of laws, wise in their design and JUS
Y in their operation, whereby railway
q corporations shall be gently bu
S firmly restrained within the limits 90
!. defined? n they will, the day il
e near at hand when their industry vii
s be free to distribute It's profit
r through all channels Of trade in jus
It measure, according to deserts, an'
= they will themselves share equitabll
s in the blessings that reward free, un
n trammcled labor in the primary avo-
9 cation Of man II is not the purpos
r new to mark with precision eacl
e step Of the benefcent work, nor cal
J. this be done at once by any legisla
II ton; for there must be nice adjust
= ment of the great forces engaged Of
e the one hand in production, and Of
d TIE other in transportation essentia
to the development of all useful in
e dustry. There must he wholesOm
g growth Of common honesty, so tina
a legislator will spurn the bride in
Z sidiously covered in railway pass
IS Judge he abashed and ashGme
e when the int is given that his pals
" can be tickled by the favor, and
h Senator Of the United States eXecra
lie ted when be betrays the honor c
IS bis high position by accepting a fe
d to carry the case of a railRay OorpC
Is ration against the government he hs
IS sworn to serve before a judge who's
sr appointment be has procured, and b
4. the damnable prostitution Of homo
ID mulcts the people be is unworthy {
l. serve. 1t is not yet enough tbs
G, there must be honor and honesty
70 high places. Power will not be mot
t, pure than its source the peop
le must be honest and delegate the
Is power only to those who are worth
II of the trust.
% In answer to the assumption {
se private rights, vcciferously pr'
IN claimed by railway attorneys, theT
d is the opinion OF Chief Justice Wait
IS delivered from the bench when RET
u deTing the decision In the famor
,r "Granger Cases." 80 called, carrie
6 to the Supreme Court upon this We.
IT point. These are the words quote
" from the decision: "When, Their
% fore, one devotes bis property TO
is use in which the public has an inte
10 est, be in effect grants to the publ
= an interest 10 that use, and mui
submit to be controlled by the pub
le lie for the common good to the ex
9 tent Of the interest he has thus ere;
ID ted" This is complete refutation {
6. the charge that the people assail pr
e, vate rights when they try to regulat
It the methods Of transportation j
le the interest Of the whole public
Is They have an undoubted right to el
o tablish regulations for the cOnservi
It ton Of their private rights, and the
!, ask nothing more in the restraint
II they would place on railway man
q agement They do not lose sight Q
Ie the inter dependence Of their intel
ls ests and the corporations created b
It the stale 10 render public service
y but they would regulate aud estat
., lish these relations on the basis
s common justice.
81