Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-01-25

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of The people, to question or etade
ncn 1t law. Their single duty Is to
| obey IL.
Sone of the sections of the consli,u.
tion from which most (, q was * pee
ted. aud most could be sc,urrd, have
as yet Yielded no mclsurc oi hcuciiI ,or
lcfi any visible effect. rhi, is pailicu
Iarly true OF article XVII of that in.
strumcut, regulating ralIroah aud
canal companies. Ey tacit consent. II
construction nt that article has been
ucGuesccd in hy which the great cur
purate bodies oi the State have cScup.
rd lis limitations, and been exempted
from its provisions. They have vIor.
ted it constantly, dcianrly nnd flag.
ranIIy. The people are entitled 10
hive AT least II fair trial made ut their
ability to bring the vast corporations
they have created aud iostcrcd under
their just regulation aud cumtr"l.
More than this /, not contend, Il Tor IN
article XVII "f the constitution. It
commands nothing hut what j. right,
ind turbds nothing but what i clearly
wrong. 1t simply requires corpora.
ions to act justly, aud treat all the
pcople alike, with unlinrmiIy, tuirnr.s
aud imparliaIlty 1t tpromblls unfair
discrimination against persons or
places, torhids cXtortion, and seeks to
prevent monopolics and compel the
creatures of the law, who owe their
breath to the people, to be law obedi.
rnt, and not use their granted powers
to harass aHd oppress. The same mr.
ticlc specifically commands the Legis.
Iature to enforce its provisions by zap.
propriate legislation Surely an hon.
est effort should be made to give
adequate effect to so wise and Just n
section of the fundamental law.
This leads me To say that, in my
judgment, there i, much to be done, in
the way of legislation, to prevent the
power of corporations from becoming
too vast and irresponsible. They are
II new element in our modern ClvIIiza.
tlon. They have oulgruwn the most
sanguinc expectations Ia their develop.
mcnt. aud have introduced new evils.
a. we'll n new benefits inio uur system.
Their influence ha. extended lr-rliiu,o
almost every department ui business
aud ui life Their notion, not only
affect the great crurrc- 81 mon. nuI
al trade, bur thu minute, aiiur- ui lu.
dlyiiual- are affected by caprirr
Thousands oi Iaborer- I.uk ,o them tor
employment. aud depend ulou, upun
fhrlr dc',rmin tiru ipr IN, m,u.ur, u,
hire. The price nl the u.rr--a.l.- ul
|u'.. too, az u''ru regulated hg lu.r
sill. Al rh.- j. nu exhibition ni .,.,.
cr ur' run'rmuIu.nt lu .hr,. rnn'la.
NhIrh had m view ,u..t ll. mpn
interest and .,r.J .r. iur ,>l.
t.urp %. such power Iu auy rrwiwa
trnu "f men l- L. b.. d,pa,rui. nui. B.
possible. prevented ;uJ. .lt l,u.s, r.-un.
i,d AMI ,"urui'rd !, -- uih' 80 la
mrut his cuu,I.Iru m utiur-, uui,,,
something i, dom ,o rurr,tt It II l-
Va u i"r thn-e iu authority GO shut
their tyrs :" lie tact lhat something
must hc done rn uuiug into proper
regulation tine computations oi rhc
country, aud adjust. upon -omr iair
and reasonable ha.r-. the cnnl,utruu-
between these objects ut the bounty ui
the State aud the people.
At the proper tine ! may tran>mii
+" the Assembly some further sugg,-
tinu> upon this -uiJert, with, po-,ibIy,
-nmc formulated thoughts Meantime
II may be said, that Ia the -,iIlrmruI
oi malrcrs Of thu, Kind. much drVrul>
upon the temper ,arh parry brings tu
the controversy. ltpH,,ou shall uI".
then will nu good be accomplished
hut rather evil tu all. Bot Il justice
shall be- thr guide. and her principle
the criterion, then there can be- uu
doubt uf ,qlitah,c CONCLUSIONS, aud
Determination The pen.
pie. | am convinced. ak for nothing