Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-08-30

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the conclusion that railroad propert
ought to be taken away from the own
ers. Can the Democratic partyeaffor,
to fall into il, even to get the votes 0
people who are ignorant Of the funda
mental principles OF property rights
Our noble leader, Grover Cleveland
was put TO the test on this question
Here is what he said in vetoing thl
ive-cent fare elevated railroad bill:
This bin prohibits the collection orreceip
OF more than five cents fare on any eievafes
railroad IN the city Of New York for any dis
lance between the Battery and Harlem River
and provides that if any person or corpora
| ton operating such elevated railroads shall
charge. demand, collect or receive any highe
| rate OF fare such person or corporation shall
in addition TO all other penalties imposed b!
law s.., forfeit and pay to any person aggrieveC
nifty dollars for each ofense, to be recovered
jurisdiction"
interest which il has excited has i'm pressed
me with my responsibility and led me 10 ex
anime, with as much care as has been posi-
Die. the considerations involved. ] am con,
| WINGED that In all cases the share which falls
upon the Executive regarding the legislation
| Of the State should be in no manner evaded.
fuliy-guarded and unbiased Judgment. In
MS conclusion he may err, but If he has
fairly and honestly acted, he has performed
ms duty and given 70 the people of the State
1By the sixth section OF the act passed June
| u, 1875, IL is provided that the New York
| and receive from each passenger on its rail-
road not exceeding ten cents for any distance
! Of five miles or less, and not exceeding two
cent? tor each additional mile or fractional
tN9Ta0f.
.'While the charters of corporations may be
altered or repealed. it must be done in sub
ordination 10 the Constitution OF the United
States, which is the supreme law of the land.
This leads to the conclusion that the alter
alton Of charter cannot be made the pre-
text for the passage OF law which iBlpdirs
the obligation Of a contract.
II I am mistaken in suposing that there are
legal objections to this bin. there is another
consideration which furnishes to my mind
sufficient reason why should not give it my
approval.
these fares at this time and under existing
circumstances involves a breach of faith on
the part of the State, and betrayal OF conf
dence which the State has invited. 1t
is manifestly important that invested capital
should be protected, and that its necessity
and usefulness in the development of enter
prises valuable 10 the people should be recoe-
nized by conservative conduct on the part Of
the State Government .
~ am not unmindful of the fact that this
blu originated in response to the demand of
a large portion of the people of New York for
cheaper rates of fare between their places of
employment and their homes, and realize
fully the desirability of securing to them all
the privileges possible, but the experience of
in the limits of law and good faith, lest in
the end we bring upon the very people whom
we seek 70 benefit and protect hardship
which must surely follow when those limits
are ignored" -s- .,a4
The Assembly by large majority
sustained this veto:
Commenting upon the veto, the
Memphis Appeal in recent editorial
said:
"His veto of the five-cent fare bill was not
in the interest of the street railroad monopo-
lies, but in the interest of the Constitution
which he had taken an oath to support. His
veto, in the face of the fact that /, would be
unpopular, was an act which viii ultimately
secure for him the respect OF the people, for,
however desirable Ii may have been to have
the elevated railroad fares reduced, and how
ever polite as measure Of popularity 1t may
have been to sign that bill, his objections TO
it are unanswerable. He believed the bill
was unconstitutional, and that his duty as
the Executive was not to sign 1t. He there
lore nS haG ehs1es Of
do his duty and stand by his convictions.
This is one of those acts which the clamor of
partisanship may obscure or pervert, but
which the abiding sense of the community
sooner or later is sure to indorse. The intelli-
gent workingman knows, in spite of political
rhetoric, thatthe best safeguard he can have
the courage to Withstand the pressure of
vested interests on the one hand and the idle
clamor of a class on the other
This endorsement must meet with
the unqualified approval of every
good Democrat.
Under the laws of New York
charter may be repealed or altered
still, under this, Gov. Cleveland held
that no such privilege could be taken
with chartered rights.
There is no power in our law to
alter or repeal charter, and hence
where rights are given in a Tennessee
charter the case is stronger than in
New York.
The sentiment over the State seems
to be that we made a great mistake
in creating a commission under
void law, which has cost US great
deal of money, and that COM
mon prudence, outside of the
practicability of it, forbids the
spending of more money until the
Supreme Court acts.
The delegation in the Legislature
from this county will, no doubt, take
business view of the question, and,
if nothing is to be made by a commits
sion, they will oppose it, and save to
the State the large outlay of money
which restrained commission must
bring. 1t will be time enough to ere
ate commission when the ruling of
the courts-is changed so as to allow
it. We must abide by the decisions
of the courts until they are overturned
by higher courts, or we must over
turn them with shot-guns. This is
not now proposed.
GEN. BASIL DUKE,