St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-02
AN UNJUST LAW NUfLIFIED.


AN UNJUST LAW NUILIFIED.
The decision of Judge GroSscup, of
| the United States district court of Chi.
| cage. which practically nullfies the
| interstate commerce law. is not only
| good law but good common sense, and
| will have the effect OF overturning a
| law that never had any occasion for ex-
| istence, and which has been employed
almost exclusively to disturb Legitimate
| trade conditions and to work private
revenges. The decision simply is that
under the law the persons accused of
/ It's violation are required to furnish the
| evidence under which they may be con.
| Victed, and that this, being in conflict
| with the common law principle that no
| man need testify against himself. rem
ders the law invalid. 1t is probable
that the case will be appealed to the
United States supreme court. but there
is every reason to believe that the de-
cision of Judge Grosscup will be up
held.
The interstate commerce law was the
offSnrlng of centralism. 1t was sug-
gested, promoted and finally placed
upon our statute books by those who
hold that the federal government has
the right to interfere with and control
the domestic affairs of the states, munic-
Qualities aud individuals who form the
nation. 1t was a denial of the right of
the states to control their internal af-
fairs, and of the right of corporations
created by the states to control their own
business in their own way. 1t was re 50
pugnant to law, to our governmental
traditions. and to the best interests of
the public, and should never have OBJ
aimed place upon our statute books.
The Capitalization idea, OF which the
Interstate commerce law was the Off
spring, has long been menace to re-
publican government. 1t mad no place
in the mind OF the trainers of our con-
stitution and our original code OF laws.
While the controlling idea of the found
erS OF our system Of control was to
subordinate the government to the in
tereStS Of the people, the constant effort
of latterday Republican statesmen has
been to subordinate the people to the
government and render the masses the
slaves OF the classes.
The interstate commerce law was the
most pernicious of all these enactments.
1t had the effect Of destroying that most
beneficent of all laws of trade-compe-
tition. 1t declared that the man who
shipped hundred pounds of freight
should receive all the advantages that
were given the man who shipped hum
dred tons, and that no more should be
charged per mile for transporting
freight five miles than for transporting
it five hundred miles. although the cost
of handling in the one case was proper
tionately ten times greater tina II III the
other If the same system were pursued
in ordinary business all gradations
would be Obiiterated, for the consumer
could procure from the manufacturer
all the goods be might require On as
favorable terms as the jobber or whole
sale dealer. 1t was also a declaration
that, although there must OF necessity
be two parties to crime, only one should
be punished - that the briber should
suffer for his otfense, while the man
who was bribed should be held to be
blameless. The old law, 1.-THE receiver
is as bad as the thief" had no part in
the calculations of the trainers of this
statute.
There are many reasons for congratu-
latiOn on the overturning of this per-
nicious law. The greatest is that the
theories of the centralists have received
a quietus. and that henceforth the fed
eral government will be restrain ed
from interference in affairs that con.
Germ only the states and in dividuals.
And then 1t strikes the shackles from
the limbs of commerce, and permits it
to stretch and develop itself in accord
ance with fixed laws, which cannot be
interfered with except at the risk of a
general paralysis of the whole system.
1t will give the railroads the right to
consult their own interests in the max
ing of contracts for the transportation
of goods. They will be enabled to offer
favorable terms to large shippers, by
means of which they in turn may be
enabled to offel more advantageous
terms to purchasers, and thus the mass
Of the people will be benefited.
Trade, if left to itself, will be self
regulating. Combinations may be
formed to enhance prices on occasions.
but these will be met by counter-com-
binations, which will result in restoring
the general equilibrium. The trans
portation companies are anxious to sat-
| isfy their patrons. They dare not be
extortionate, through fear of competi-
ton and the public displeasure. They
| must cater to the public favor if they
would receive the benefits of its pat
roDage, and they do so when left alone.
The competition of rivals keeps the
| cost of transportation at its minimum.
st. Paul, for instance, need not fea1
high rates on Eastern traffic. for she
has six trunk lines under separate man.
! agements, and, if any one of these should
| attempt eXtortion, the business it con-
| trolls would soon leave it and flow into
other channels.
Nothing but good can come from the
notification of the interstate commerce
| law. 1t was conceived in paternalism
and brought forth in Capitalization. Ii
has existed only to prove its own i'm
| potency to bring about the results which
| it was intended to accomplish.
THE Chicago papers are discussing
| the question of how to get good alder.
man frha Suract yvov 1youId ho RI oa,