The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-21
DEGRADATION OF THE srATg COURTS

The recent decision of the Supreme Court
OF the United States declaring that goods
sold in original packages in one state pay
able on delivery in another state must be
subject to prohibitions Of the latter, is at
tracing considerable attention in the east.
1t is generally taken as reversing the de-
cision OF the same court in the Kansas and
Iowa liquor cases.
When the Republican party came into
power the state courts possessed certain
1u risdiction over cases arising in the states
which the Federal courts were accustomed
to respect; but this judicial authority Of
the states did not suit the northeast money
power. II was extending its insurance
agencies and money loaning agencies into
the west and building railroads through
the western states, and it was important to
its schemes that the vast litigation growing
out OF these agencies should be taken out
OF the state courts and given to the
federal courts. And this has been
done done gradually and in-
sidiously through period of
nearly three decades, but done very eff
fectually nevertheless. Under the pre-
tence of clipping the wings Of southern
state courts, the long-headed northeastern
statesman persuaded Republican Con-
gresses to pass one law after another trans
ferripg from the state tribunals suits in
which non-residents and outside corpora
tons were parties, until in the end the
state courts were degraded into insignifi-
canoe and the federal judiciary exalted into
that unnatural eminence which it now &C.
cupies.
The state courts have almost ceased to be
respected and the federal courts are every
where feared. The west is full OF corpora
ton agencies having their heads in the
northeast. These corporations do business
to the amount of millions in the western
states and territories, and yet they are not
responsible TO any but the district and cir
cult United States courts. Even an out
slider doing business in any of these who
sees fit TO challenge its laws, may have bis
suit taken out OF the local court and trans
ferred to United States tribunal; and a
northeastern corporation doing business
through al agency may sue citizen and
compel him to appear before a United
States court 80 miles from his residence.
Why should not northeastern corpora
ton doing business and earning large prof
its in Nebraska or Colorado be responsible
in Nebraska or Colorado courtsi Why
should not Colorado courts be allowed &c
interpret Colorado laws in the case Of
Colorado railroads! Why should not lowe
and Kansas courts be permitted 20 inter
pref Iowa and Kansas liquor laws9 The
truth 10, this exaggerated federal author
ity has become heavy yoke upon the necks
of the people OF the west-and they them
selves have helped to put it there. They
Isncied they were laying it on the necks o.
the ''rebsr' states. and they are now find
ing they have yoked themselves and the
people of the south under the same north
eastern supremacy. Republicanism from
the beginning has meant nothing else bu
this; and it has brought about this sec
tional supremacy by giving the northeas
control of the treasury and the judiciar!
} and divesting the west and the south o
their natural and logical power and right