, 1890-12-16

CORPORATION LEGISLATTON

There Is danger OF the anti monopoly
game being PLAYED a little too fine in the
senate. Several bills in relation to cor.
porations have been introduced. and those
who accepted surface indications as the
true condition ofafairs imagined that the
senatorial idea was to regulate and control
the corporations within conservative and
proper limits. 1t Cow seems a very safe
assertion to make that the senate will
stand as q guard over the interests Of rail-
road sud other corporations, no matter
how the people may fare. One Ct Sena
tor Chatterton's bills provided that the
passenger rates on all railroads be limited
to three cents a mile. Ii was taken up in
committee OF the whole yesterday. and
there was scarcely any attempt At debate
over it. Even the reputed father Of the
bill had HIIls to say in its favor, the eight
for it being conducted almost entirely BY
Mr. Keenan,. Practically the only ding
alleged in opposition to it was that
it might deter the builIins Of railroads in
the state, just a. though the present pas
senGer tariffs had ever Influenced the
building Of a single loot Of railroad 10
Wyoming In this connection it should
not be forgotten that the loss to the rail.
road companies IS more apparent than
real Should the new rate Of three cent
a mile 20 into effect We venture to a.ser
that the passenger travel on the Union
Pacific will be at least doubled. 30 that
while shere would be greater convenience
10 the people there would be no actual
loss to the company.
In Nebraska the rate is two and a half
cents a mile. Why it should be double
that rate ia Wyoming is pretty hard to
understand aud those who opposed the
bill SHOULD at least have the decency To
come forward aud furnish a plausible cz-
PLANTATION. We are not OF those who be.
lieve in putting arbitrary and vexatious
legislation aimed at corporations on the
statute books. Combinations Of capital
are necessary to carry through Zig enter
prises, but at the same time the people
have rights which should be respected
and if the legislators are untrue to their
trust the people should be made aware of
it. Wyoming legislatures have usually
been the tools Of railroad attorneys and
oorporationists in the guise Of territorial
officials. We begin to believe that go far
as the senate can make it so the present.
legislature will prove no exception to the
-uls.
Senator Chstterton bill providing for
tho assessment Of railroad aud telegraph
companies in the state is ingeulously
but scarcely secures the confidence
that at first blush was given it. One Of
the provisions is that in case the proper
officers OF a railway fail to make a sworn
return to the state board Of equalization.
the auditor may make out assessments
for them on their real estate and build
iugs aud return them & the various
commissioners Who are prohibited
from raising the assessments more than
10 per cent Under such a provisioR. IT
the railroads elected their own auditor,
their taxation would take care of itself
In such a contest as this the people
have decidedly the worst of it. The
corporations have their paid attor
Deys and lobbyists and they keep honestly
disposed Legislators so busy il terretiup
their schemes that they have but lit
tie time left to checkmate them.