New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-07-16
CLEVELAND AND CORPOR-
ATIONS.
The Democratic Nominees Deliberate
Insult to Workingmen.

The New York E'eeni11g Post, which
has finally taken its stand on the side
of the corporate violators of the consti-
tutional, legal, and industrial rights of
the people, defends Governor Cleveland
for his veto of the bill to reduce the
fare of the elevated railroads of New
York to five cents. This bill, it says,
awas passed in the teeth of a charter
which says that no such bill shall be
passed until it shall have been ascer-
tanned that the elevated roads are earn
ing more than a certain amount OF mon
eY on the capital actually invested in
them" That is a very pretty phrase,
aIn the teeth of a charter" 1t is so
pretty that we must use it ourselves
and call the attention Of the Post to the
fact that the charter itself was passed
in the teeth" of Constitution which
reserves explicitly to the Legislature of
the State the right to "alter" or repeal"
any; charter granted by any preceding
Legislature. The language Of the Con-
stitution of New York State is as fol-
lows:
Art. VIII. Sec, 1. Corporations may be
formed under general laws; but shall not be
purposes, and in case where, in the Judgment
Of the Legislature. the objects OF the corpor-
alton cannot be attained under general law.
That is clear enough. It is the SUI
preme organic, constitute law OF
the State of New York, Interchangeable
except by a direct vote OF the people
amending sthe, Constitution that the
Legislature may alter OF amend the
charter of any corp ton, whether it
may have been a special charter or 9
nj oprf or <,nroforro1 NJ a rro 1oyu If
was under this supreme, unquestiOna-
BILE authority that the Legisla pass
ed the law, to reduce the rate Of fare on
the elevated roads Of New York City.
It.WaS Tin the teeth" of that authority
that Governor Gle eland vetoed the bill
on the ground that the Legislature had
no right to do what it was explicitly
empowered by the Constitution to do.
1t is Gin the teeth" of the Constitution
that the Post declares that the Govern
or was right.
The act of Gov. Cleveland in forging
by this veto another. link in the heavy
chain which the corporations are load
ing on the people called forth very
properly an indignant protest from a
meeting Of Workingmen in Buffalo.
The Post turns angri1y on these citizens
who have dared to express themselves
on a matter of vital imp rtance to their
pockets and their personal liberties,
Involving as it does the relations of all
the citizens Of New York State with
every corporation by its Legislature.
It ridicules them as "so-called working
men," 1t declares supercilio usly and
specifically that they have no more
interest in fve-cent fares on the New
York elevated roads than in the rates
L u o,,o Nf Gro0%
Britain. And it concludes with the
dastardly remark that probably the
Buffalo Workingmen who passed this
resolution exercise their industry most
effectively in the saloons" This cruel
and deliberate insult lis a good speci-
men Of the feelings and methods Of the
Cleveland men. WOrkingmen who
venture to meet to consider on broad
constitute grounds the acts Of their
Gubernatorial servant are at once
branded as frauds and "sO-called" work
ingmen. IF they go farther and dare
to disagree with the opinions Of the
tool Of monopoly, his newspaper organ
pitches on them and stigmatizes them
as run-guZzlerS and bummers.
The nomination Of Cleveland by the
Democrats brings at once to the front
Of American politics the supreme ques-
ton whether this country belongs to
the corporations or the c0rpo rati0ns be-
long to it. The keynote OF the strug-
glest determine whether the corpora
lions or the people are supreme was
struck in that very case Of the bill t0
reduce the fares on the elevated roads
Of New York, which the supporters OF
Gov. Cleveland with a hollow and sin
lister insincerity strive TO make us be.