People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-26

n ASus Il nO NOnSACSS CduuOJ U.S.
avow the obligation which this pro-
vision imposes, retrocede it to the
State, or surrender it to the various
traffic associations. 1t cannot grant
to individuals or corporations such
control over the instruments of
commerce as will place the great
body of the people at the mercy of
those individuals or corporations. 1t
cannot so regulate commerce among
the States as to compel the farmers
OF the north west to ship their pro-
duce to Chicago and New York, when
they wish to transport it to St. Louis
or New Orleans. The Congress
could not prescribe such discrimina-
tons in freight rates as would COM
pei Western merchants and iobbers
to purchase their supplies in Chicago
or Philadelphia, when they desire to
buy at Des Moines or Omaha. The
Congress may not prescribe rules for
the control of the commerce among
the States, which are designed to
bankrupt the merchants and manu-
facturers of one locality and to en-
rich those Of another. The Congress
cannot rightfully grant to individ-
viduals and syndicates such control
over the public highways and facili-
ties for interstate traffic as will en-
able them to concentrate the entire
cattle of the continent into q single
city, or number of cities, domi-
mated by a combination of harpies
and commercial bandits. It cannot
conspire with individuals to grant to
them such rates of transportation as
would build up a gigantic oil mo-
nopoly, and enable them to crush
out all competing producers and re-
finers. 1t cannot enter into con-
spiracy with the great anthracite
coal companies to afford them ample
facilities to transport their product,
and refuse like favors to competing
companies.
If the Congress should openly at
tempt to commit such outrages as
these, an indignant people would
sweep them from place and power
like torrent. If persisted in de-
spite public sentiment, 1t would be
regarded as declaration that gov
eminent had been dissolved, and
the people would fly to arms as the
only refuge from an atrocity.
The fathers evidently foresaw that
evils of this character would arise, if
the power to regulate commerce
were left to individuals or to the
States, and hence took it away and
vested it exclusively in the Congress.
Apprehending that at some time To-
calities might still attempt to levy
tribute upon others, and that the
Congress itself might not always be
disposed to act with fairness, the
trainers of the Constitution were
careful to expressly declare that ono
preference by any regulation Of com
merce or revenue to the ports of one
State over those of another"
We will now consider the powers
and corresponding duties which this
provision confers and enjoins upon
the Congress.
Commerce among the States con-
sists in the interchange Of merchan-
disc or other movable property on
an equitable basis between the peo-
pie of the different States. It finds
its chief expression in the instru-
ments used in the change and trans
shipment of the same. These are
three in number:
First Money;
Second-Facilities for transporta-
ton;
Third Facilities for the transmits
sion of intelligence.
1t will be readily seen that these
instrumentalities are the indispen-
sable factors in modern civilization,
and relate directly to the acquisition
and distribution of wealth, and hence
to the tranquility Of society and the
maintenance of personal rights.
Faithfully welded by the general
government, they constitute triple
armor, capable, if held steadily
toward the foe, of turning aside the
heaviest projectiles Of tyranny, and
broad enough to shield at all times
the whole body of the people. With
this view of the subject before our
minds, the wisdom of the provision
which vests this power exclusively in
the Congress, and which excludes the
Unsuitable passion Of avarice from
any share in its exercise, becomes
apparent to all.
How has the Congress discharged
this important trust, and with what
effect upon Democratic institutions :?
1t will be readily seen that within
the limits of this paper we can only
treat the subject suggestively. But