Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-10-21

MISSISSIPPI, tne people OF New York
undertook what was, in its day, the
boldest work of internal communication
then known. Carrying forward, at their
own cost and hazard, its system of in
ternal Improvements at a cost of more
than eighty millions, they gave pros
perity not only to the State, but other
portions of the Union. In 1870 efforts
were made to cut down the tolls of this
State on its canals. This was gradually
done, to the extent of reducing them to
one-sixth Of their former rates, retain
ing only enough to keep in repair works
that had cost so many millions. This
liberal policy has proved of the utmost
value to the whole country. Not only
has it cheapened transportation upon
the canals, but it has reduced the
cost upon all competing routes.
When canals are opened railroads reduce
their rates; when they are closed
the railroads put up their charges. At
no time in the history of the country
have these water channels been of such
benefit to the producers of the West, to
commercial men, to mechanics and
manufacturers, by making demand for
their work. For nearly century no
one doubted the exclusive control Of the
laws or our State over its own works.
The way Jurisdictions creep along is
shown in q striking light by the judicial
decisions with regard to our water
routes. Less than thirty years ago it
was not thought that maritime law ap.
piled even to our great inland seas.
There were many reasons in law and
justice why it should be extended to
them. This was done with many doubts
and by divided court. Since then,
jurisdiction has crept up our rivers, and
within a few months one of the courts
of the general government decided that
maritime law applies to the Erie canal.
One step has been taken after another,
until the judge felt compelled to
take the final one, and dec are that the
Erie canal is "navigable water of the
United States, within the meaning of
the law as used to define and limit the
jurisdiction of the admiralty courts"
The following sentence is the only
notice taken of the grave questions of
the rights of New York:
Nor, aS it seems to me, is there any
force in the suggestion that this propo
sition trenches upon the rightful power
and Jurisdiction of the State through
whose territory and by whose laws in
force for the time being the canal is SO
or ened and used; because the exercise
and in itself impair or affect the rights
of the State, whatever the rights may
be, to withdraw or terminate that dedi-
cation of its property to the public uses
Of commerce"
We have the poor consolation OF
knowing we can abandon our canals
and destroy the commercial advantages
of the West and New York.
1t is q grave evil when jurisdiction Is
suddenly extended over great and va
ried interests, where it has heretofore
been unknown since the esta blishment
of our government. 1t does not merely
give power to new courts, or only en-
barraSs by proceedings with which busi-
ness men are not familiar, but it makes
sudden change in the laws which at
feet rights and properties. The mari
time law now established changes the
legal rights of persons and of property.
CONGRESSIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH
THE CANALS.
But the evils of the decision subject
iEg our canals to maritime law do not
stop there. It makes foundation for q
claim that Con gress has right to inter-
fere in their management. A movement
in that direction Is not merely to be
feared; it has already been made. In
March last Senator Cameron, of Penn
sylVania, q distinguished Republican
leader, offered a joint resolution in Con-
gress that commission be appointed, to
be made up of three Senators and three
members of the House, to inquire what
Congress should do with regard to trans
portation among the States by land or
water routes.
He asserts that "t the railroads and
canals, as highways of State intercourse,
have come as legitimately within the
commercial power OF the national gov.
ernment as the lakes and the seas"
What is the scope OF this speech and
resolutionp It means that Congress
intends to seize upon the control of
the free competing routes by lakes
and canals. Now, combinations for
rates of carrying can only be formed by
corporations. The lakes, canals and
rivers are free for the use ofall. and this
fact has, by competition, kept down the
charges to that degree that we are able
to export our farm products to Europe.
But there is a lurking purpose, in some
way, to destroy this free competition.
What will the people of the great States
of the W est. or business or commercial
men in al parts Of the Union, think OF
these phases of nationalismp If the Re
publican party succeed at this election,
Mr.. Garfield will point to his speeches,
the Senators will refer to their action in
ways like that of Mr.. Cameron, and will
claim that the public have indorsed
their views of natiOnalism, and they
will 90 on and assert their further rights
of Jurisdiction. Where will the weight
of this fallp Not so much on the South,
with its agricultural pursuits, and with
products where they have a monopoly
in the markets of the world, but upon
the varied. extended and complicated
pursuits of industry and commerce of
the Northern and Western States.
ELECTION OF 1876.
A majority of the American people
| feel they were wronged by the decision
which put Mr.. Hayes in the presiden-
tial chair. 1t was made by partisan
vote against the recorded wishes of the
people. Not only the final act, but the
early steps leading to the result were
marked by facts which will stand out on
the pages of history as acts of usurpation,
springing from numberless schemes at
the capitol of the Union, growing out OF
the system of centraIization. If, in mere
contest between private citizens, the
winning party should shower honors
and emOluments upon the court, the
jurors, and the witnesses who gave him
q verdict, the moral sense of the COM
| munity would be shocked and the pub
! lie voice would ring out with cries OF
| fraud. Yet, in this matter, the members
| of returning boards, the ready wit
nesses, the skillful party agents. fl the
highest offices Of State, represent
our country with other governments,
or draw their salaries from the public
treasury, with clear sense OF the fact