Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-02-27
A. B. NO. 49,.
a Crowded Senate Listens to its
Discussion.

HAcA1y OHaxn pIOn INC N1uSc 1 INV
PeOpIe-The Fate of the Bill In
the Womb Of Futurity.
CARSON, Feb. "a, 1888.
Friday evening at 1880 the Senate Cham
Der was crowded by people interested tt
hear what would be said on the specia'
order for that hour, Assembly bill No. SO
introduced by Mr.. Melarkey Of Hum
boldt. A great many ladies were present
some of whom could not get seats inside
the railing, and had to sit in the crowded
lobby. 1t had been arranged to give both
sides two hours for discussion. Each oil
the two first speakers spoke IN hour and
was allowed q half hour more. We give
below the gist Of what they said:
Variants SPEECH.
Mr.. Varian opened his address by say
ing that it is time to determine whether or
not a sovereign State can control corpora
tions doing business by its authority and
under its laws. He argued that the right
of building railroads is a concession by
the people of the commonwealth to indl-
viduals. The concession is made not to
enrich these individuals, but to subserve
public interest. The right Of eminent
domain abides in the people-in the people
of the sovereign States. Mr.. Varian,
though conspicuous in politics as q Repub-
lican, uttered in this connection these
eloquent words, which startled the Sem
ators Of his own party: "Mr. President:
The sovereignty of this State is as com
plete and a. well-defned IS is the sover-
eighty of the Federal Union. The rail-
roads and other corporations are created,
given their existence, by this sovereign.
AS creatures they arc fully amenable, then,
to the laws of their creator"
It would be. a waste of words to deny
that discrimination is carried on against
the people Of this State in the matter Of
fares and freights. 1t is recognized as a
crying evil, and it should be stopped.
Maximum rates should be established by
the representatives Of the people in self
defense. The threats of the roads that
they will press the maximum if lowered,
and raise rates on things o freighted
below the present maximum, thereby max
ing it.worse for the people Of this State
than it is row., are idle. Their business
would hinder them from 80 doing.
Those who hold that Congress alone can
on interstate railroads ignore the
opinion of the Court OF last resort in the
United States. But if any Senator's mind
is troubled with doubts as to the constitu-
of the bill under consideration,
let those doubts be resolved in favor of
the people who are crying for relief.
The Central Pacific is not a creature OF
the general Government. 1t was organized
and came into existence under the laws Of
the State of California. 1t was first sub
by that State aud counties of that
State and then subsidized by the United
States Government. 1t had to acquire its
right of way through Nevada by grant
from the people Of this State; otherwise it
never could pass through and do business
Nevada. This shows the relationship
the creature and the creator in its clear
light. Mr.. Varian read cases decided
in point by the Supreme Court of the
United States showing that until Congress
legislated upon inter State railroads
the power to do 30 remains in the several
States in which these roads do business by
their license. He cited the famous "Ele-
vator" cases coming up from Illinois, and
the case Of the Chicago & Northwestern,
which were regulated in their extortionate
by the State, the Supreme Court
the decisions of the lower
courts, and, in effect, affirming the con-
s~titutionality of the Melarkey bill itself.
As to the objections urged by the friends
of projected railroads in this State, the
construction Of which would be stopped il
this bill were passed, it is only q dodge.
and if any present or prospective road can
not do business according to them, it ought
10 quit, because it cannot be a legitimate
business enterprise, and it really proposes
only to get Its living by oppression Of the
MR.. BAKER SPEAKS.
Mr.. varian was followed by Hon. Geo.
W. Baker, whose announcement to speak
the bill surprised his Democratic
in view of Mr.. Bakers unques-
toned Democracy. He said he appeared
not as q lobbyist, nor as the attorney OF
anv railroad. I'VE understand that the
OF Mr.. Baker is that he is unwill-
ing for the present to have any reduction
in fares and freights because such cutting
down would brighten off those who are
expected to put up the money to construct
the Denver e. Rio Grande Railroad Of
which the proposed local road from
Eureka south, the Eureka & Colorado
River Railroad, is to be an extension. - Ed.
SENTINEL. He took the ground that the
Melarkey bill is contrary to public policy.
He drew a lugubrious picture of the pres
ent outlook in the State. He cited the
expiring Comstock. Eureka, he said, does
not boast Of q mine that is paying ex-
4! Adverse legislation on railroads
would indirectly paralyze these struggling
industries. During the prevalence Of the
celebrated "Granger Law" in the North
western States not 100 miles OF railroad
we're built. In this State sparse popula-
ton and light-carrying trade and adverse
legislation bring abouta similar disastrous
effect to that which resulted in Iowa. The
law passed in Iowa in 1874 was repealed in
1876, and the people bresthed easy again
when the old schedule of rates was re.
established, making it possible for the
State to resume its course OF growth and
development. Eureka depends upon the
rates under the present maximum for its
very existence in the shipment OF lead
and the ~freighting into the camp OF
heavy articles, principally lumber, for
which more is paid ont than for labor in
all the mines in the district. On his ar.
ticle alone the freight would be raised
from S13 so to $50 per ton from Truckee.
II would psralyze Eureka. II q law is
passed. however, doing this thing let the
people hold the lash. Do not let them
feaye II in the hands Of the railroads where
this Mclarkey bill would leave 1t. He got
on the train at Palisade aud all the
wav to Reno.-SO0 miles not another pas
senger got on. The trade Of the Central
Pacific in this State does not pay the ex-
uenses OF the road. The Granger law de-
creased the value of assessed property in
Iowa in two years, from 1874 to 1876, $780,.
600, 900. Some classes of people cry out
continually against railroads. Political
conventions are hotbeds for buncombe on
this topic. He was known well to be a
Democrat. In the last Democratic State
Convention a resolution could have been
passed in the excitement that prevailed
declaring that the rails should be torn
up on the Central Pacific from Palisade TO
Truckee! No difference in conventions.
Republicans and Democrats are alike IN
-, ~ call 70 %ho NantrAl PACING