The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-19


Law; "a. Railroad Supervision; Sd. Al
State University for Young Ladies; 4th.
Other masters of public and local Inn
portanee. A letter from you on either
q the above subjects win be highly ap
prscietea Yours truly,
J. &. McNEELY.
Jackson, Miss, Dec, 10TH, 1888.
Han. J. <. McNesly, utica, Miss:
Mr. DEAR SIN: Answering concisely
your fattsring request, | append my
Views Of the qustions stated:
l-TRE AGRICULTURAL LEX Law.
In those features protecting laborers
and landlords, IL l. invaluable Ia our
present condition, and should not be
disturbed. But, that part of it per-
hitting the hypothecation of crops to be
grown, Is as pernicious as the other Is
useful. Laws are designed for applica
ton to men as they are, and not as what
they might be, or ought to be. The
prime objects should be to protect fanli-
lies from restitution, to guard men
against their own infirmities, to promote
industry, sobriety, thrift and economy,
and. for the benefit of the poor, to
cheaper credit and prevent extortion.
Under any form of government the
rich man can enjoy life and take care Of
himself. 1t takes a very wise govern
ment indeed to shield the poor against
oppression-a wiser one than this world
has vet seen. And yet it Is true that
the government which best guards the
humble and the lowly is the best also
for the rich. The breeze which fans the
brow Of the workman is the same breeze
which bears health to "the perfumed
chambers of the great" and 50 the Law
should be.
To do this there should be no fetters
on enterprise. and mans energies
should be his own. We must have no
shackIes on industry. A man should be
permitted to do what he pleases with
what he has made, so that he may ascend
in the scale it nature has given him the
power. Let him sell or mortgage that
irhich he hds but all the public have an
interest, and himself and his family a
vital interest. in his power to produce.
Hold that sacred, for II il the gift Of
God, and the life of the wife and little
ones, and he should no more be empaw.
cred to mortgage that than the air he
breathes. Men are improvident, and
many, If they could, when pinch came,
would mortgage their earnings through
all time. The power 10 enslave them
selves should be denied them, and this
is the voice of the common law which
the statute in question has not improved
upon.
The result OF the attempted improve
ment has been the opening of Pandora :
box. II may be seen in impoverished
homes, arising from exhorbitant prices,
in the discontent of labor, the general
fretfulness of all classes, broken mer-
chants and ruined families.
Repeal is urgently demanded. Wheth-
er this should be total and immediate,
or gradual, is yet q question. | advise
the former course, but not with absolute
confidence. Ny plan is, when a tooth
aches TO pull II out. This is generally
but not always, the Wisest plan.
2-RAILRoAD SUPERVISION.
Here the difficulty lies in finding the
true middle ground. 1t is unstatesm8n-
like to yield wholly TO an insane ami
mostly to corporations which, just now,
are the great hope Of our State, and the
very greatest factors in her progress.
Nor, on the other hand, Is it wise to
ignore the popular clamor, and give to
the corporations unbridled license?
Nv o~n view is that while it is clear
that railroads are supervisable by the
Congress, and, within certain limits,
supervisable by the State, it would be
better If popular demand could have
been, from the first, brought to bear on
the Federal Government, armed as that
is with so much greater power.
But, so it is that the next Legislature
must, as far as it can, within the limits
of the constitution of the United States,
aud with fairness to railroad enterprises,
meet the demands Of the people of Mis-
sissipi, whether that demand be from
real sentiment or merely the voice of
Fictitious feeling generated by dema-
gogues. The latter, suspect, strongly
predominates, though there is really
some inst ground for complaint.
How to meet it ia the question. Very
clearly the State cannot interfere with
contract made in another State to trans
port through this into third. That
certainly is the province Of higher
power than State Legislature. Alissis
sippi can properly only supervise trans
portation beginning and ending within
her borders, or contracted within them.
To arrange q tariff will require great
skill and provision. The cost of
must be considered. If
the same price per mile for ten miles as
for two hundred be adopted, it plainly
would not pay the Railroad company to
lift the freight from the depot to the
car. 1t will have to be adjusted on the
basis OF so much for the first ten or
twenty miles and then at a fixed rate for |
zach additional mile, so as to insure |
for the cost of handling !
II is clearly my opinion that the Leg |
stature should do the whole work by |
prepared bill, drawn by tariff
able, and vindicated by appropriate
thus avoiding the salaries and |
expenses Of 81 useless hum
pug as a railroad commission. If such !
i concern is to be foisted on Us let it be
elected by the people. II they riH be
1idden, let them select their riders.
In this connection. permit me to sug-
rest tho wisdom Of law making it
,enal offense for any railroad company
% issue a free pass 70 anybody not be-
onging to their corps of officers or
'peratives. While have never thought
nybody who was worthy TO hold an
flee, ever was or could be influenced
y q pass, and have always regarded
asses as q compliment to the people,
trough their officers. still, in order to
1uzzle all who are quick to question
motives aud suspect the integrity of
theirs, it would be we'll TO put all in the i
anne category and just stop the whole {
usiness. ,
The press IL our greatest safeguard !
nd that should be put beyond possible
lfueBce. The railroads should pay /
hem for their work, in money, not I
asses. G
] suggest, too, that provision be made a
" suing Railroads which have merged /
Ito others, or gone into or out of the $
snds Of receivers, or changed their q
ames. To the extent of the values re- I
lived the new companies should be Q
,und for the liabilities Of the old, re- i
Irdless of mortgages, and process should b
good, served on the agents of those +
,eTating the road, in suits against the
mpany incurriDg the liability. III
"A STATE UNIVERSITY FOR FEMALES :
! course. We should have this. and a
gument is not needed. The only ques- iC
10 IS one of finance. Can we afford RI
other institution just now? Ii we st
a, kiveit to the girls. g
GENERAL MATTERS or LEGISLATION. e
I have not leisure TO 90 into this. The Ia
kim Of Sir Robert Walpole quieta non pc
EeTe," regard the wisest for the con-
ct of any statesman. 1t is the
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