The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-03-03

/ fathers of the Republic had got possession o.
this country for their own purposes, would
their memories be respected as now? Sup
pose an official abuses his trust, what ought
| you to do with him? You should do pre-
cisely as you ought to do with these railroad
people-turn them out and get a new set
Who is entitled to the benefit of the increas'
ed facilities for carrying passengers Surely
the railroad companies should not have al
the profits What are the remedies Some
gentlemen propose confederating railroads
Originally there were four running from the
East to the West
GRIMM AL CONSPIRACY.
They put their power under one maH and
pool their receipts. All the profits of the
four are divided equally. The call them
selves not the Confederate States, but the
confederated railroads. They have con-
stitution in which they have divided their
departments into legislative, executive, and
judicial. Laughter.l They charge what
they please. They propose to destroy COM
petition. They will decide whether rates
shall go up or down. The whole set of them
are criminals in the eyeof the law. II has
been decided a hundred times that such
combinations are a criminal conspiracy, for
which every man concerned in them was
liable to be arrested, tried, and imprisoned.
Under fair competition, which is the law of
trade, these companies would rival each
other in doing the people service. What is
the true remedy? The State, the power that
governs, the authority that wields the
public power of the country, has the right
to prevent one part of the people from in
juring another. You cannot make any law
in this country which will suspend the
operation of the eighth commandment.
There are difficulties, said Judge Black,
in the way of making a State law that will
remedy the evil. 1t was the intention of
our Constitution that all the States should
be one for the purposes of commerce. For
that reason we have mint and postoffice
For that reason Congress has the power to
regulate commerce, not only with foreign
nations, but also between the several States.
What should the Government do? am in
favor of the simplest possible way. When
you have got gigantic and monstrous evil
like this, the best way is to hit it between
the eyes. There is no doubt that the damage
done to individuals by these companies
should De compensated. Then the law
should fix a reasonable toll. Whenever
there is a controversy about what is a
reasonable toll, the burden of proof should
always be compelled to show in court that
their charges are reasonable. The pre-
should be against them, and the
burden of proof should be on them, and as
they have got the books, they can, of course,
submit the proof. [Applause.]
RESOLUTIONS
Mr.. Thurber read the resolutions, which
presented, as the practical results sought by
by the League, the following:
l. Laws compelling transportation and
companies to base their charters
upon "cost and risk of service" instead of |
the new theory enumerated by them-"what |
the business will bear"
,. Laws to prevent pooling and combina-
tions.
3. Laws to prevent discrimination against |
any citizen or class of citizens on public |
highways.
4. Railroad Commissions or courts, State
and national to give effect to laws which |
are or may be placed upon the statute books
5. Laws making it the duty OF public law
officers to defend a citizens rights against
injustice by powerful corporations.
6. Laws to prevent taxing the public to
pay dividends on watered stock.
Z. Stringent laws against bribery, inclu>
ling prohibition of free passes.
s. Laws enacted by Congress enforcing
The provisions of the first article of the
Constitution, to regulate commerce among
he several States, making maximum rates
% be charged by corporations for labor, SER
rice or the use of property.
9. A liberal policy toward our water ways
which, during the season OF navigation, are
potent in preventing exhorbitant charges by
corporate monolies.
10. Laws providing for the restriction
within proper limits of corporate powers
md privileges generally, and for the protec-
ion and elevation of the masses.