The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1884-01-29

rress and elterprize be deemed il ineIpe-
dent to hamper their progress and tie
building up of the State.
Mr.. Baker said he would vote very cheer
fully at the proper time for the indefinite
postponement of this bill; he thought there
were more important measures which
should be acted on than the one now up
for consideration. 1t having been rumor-
ed currently that he was opposed to super
vision of railroads and was q railroad at
torney, he desired to state that on the
question of supervision, every member
should do what he could TO carry out the
wishes of his constituents, and he would ad-
vocate the passage of a bill which should
be fair in all proportions. With the single
exception of having acted as attorney in q
railroad case several months ago he had no
connection with them. He called the at
tention of the House to the history of the
bill now pending. 1t did not receive the
endorsement of the legal branch of the
House; it was put on the House under
whip and spur, without the sanction of the
Railroad Committee.
The bill had but & semblance Of supervis-
ion and was gigantic fraud impos ii IpuL
the people of the State He should vote
against the bill because it took money from
the pockets of the people, because it put it
in the power of members Of this Legislature
to be appointed commissioners.
The only two evils complained Of by the
people were the killing of stock and the
great delay in obtaining remuneration of
the same. These matters were provided
for by another bill now before the House,
which he should support The fixing Of
rates was the other evil complained of. A
bill to arrange this matter was before the
House. The welfare of the people would
be increased b. diversity of crops and
the growing OF diversified crops could only
be accomplished by having sufficient trans
portation for tho crops thus raised. He
wanted the matter settled in a manner fair
and effectual.
Mr.. Nash: said why is it that those who
are opposed to railroad legislation do not
bring forth their amendments TO the bill
and have it put in shape desired by them
He desired bill passed which would re.
lieve the causes of complaint by the peo-
pie. Regarding the question of vested
rights to railroads, ne quoted legal opinion
ON the subject, and stated under State SOW
ereignty Legislature could pass any law
on any question, not prohibited by the
Constitution Of the State or Of The United
States. He road from the preamble of the
Constitution OF the United States, and said
it wa. an infringement on the rights of the
people living on the line Of tracks to be op
pressed by e1hor5itant rates opd finally
crushed out. The Constitution was pro
lection 10 the poor people when in danger
from oppression by great monopolies
The rty 70 regulate the commerce of tn,
peoI 10 lies in the people, All corporation
are subject to taxation the same as thu
property OF the people. Mr.. Nash tool
his views Of the case from a constitutions
point of view and spoke eloquently in 81 P
port Of the power of the Legislature U
supervise railroads, as well as other corpor
at ols.
Mr.. Orr said when the bill was first in
troduced he did not intend to take part il
the & 0cussion; he Was aware the friends 0
the bail aud those opposed to it were liabl
to criticism, bat he took his stand from
po:Rt Of honor, and let criticism go. As I
the Ailling Of stock along tho lines of raj
roads Aad no remuneration ofthe same b
ing made, he quoted the law which state
the mere fact of the killing of stock BIZ tn
railroads vas primd fdcid evidence that
was lssed by car s.esne on the part of th
railroad.
Regarding the statement that the pass
ton OF the bill would open a position fo
some member on the floor, be quoted tn
Consultation which debars any member c
the Legislature from occupying any pos
ton Of emOlunent created by act of Legii
latsEe daring the term he served as o men
Der. The adoption of the measure woul
save to Okolona on the transportation {
cotton alone, more than money enough
pay the whole commission. The suggel
ton 20 appoint an Engineer was simpl
dodgiBg the issue. The gentlemen WI
matured this measure we're not hostile
railroAds; they wanted simply what Il
Democratic party pledged the people
1877 that they should have, and it was upo
the report of Col. Prewitt that the artic
was engrsfted in the Constitution, and
asked, "Ls YsgOo holding her ownr T
quoted the times of Queen Elizabeth, wht
the necessities If life could only betb M
at eGhorbitant rates, the angry popula
arose aud demanded a repeal of the priv
leges which caused this state of affair
She yielded, and the speaker wanted o.
growing master monopoly" to yield to Il
wishes of she people. The demand of u
rights of the people over the rights of Il
mon0polists is demand that is attractiI
the attention of the people of the emit
Union. he asked no violation of contracts
supervision of railroads and not destru
ton. II . thought this bill v Iuld preve
tho hnfldi1.y dala he
another mile of road in the State, he won
vote against 1t. Regarding discriminate
he he'd observed that the gentlemen VI
opposed supervision were either ON col
psting points or on competing lines-th
is, they lived on water courses which cou
81 any time crush out any railroad. I
watsr courses were their supervisors al
their regulators Granted, for the sake
argument, that the States which had fri
supervision, had found it a failure, "
didn't they repeal the lawsi Why, lift i;
failure, do the friends Of railroads whore
lsw does not now exist, when one is init
ducsd, kick like four-year old Kentuc
muls' When measure is proposed for t
benefit of the people and to the detrime
of few capitalists, delay from day to
and week to week. On the question
COnstitutionslity, the Supreme Court of
United States had sustained the legality
supervision in certain cases and he want
nothing done which would conflict w
any vested right contained in I
charter Of any road, and he v