Hutchinson gazette., 1897-03-11
THE VETO.

In vetOing the Harris railroad bill
Tuesday. Governor Leedy made a
stroke of policy which will place him
in first rank among the political leaders
Of the State and Fix him firmly in the
affections Of the people. 1t was what
they were every where anXiousIy hop
ing and in many places demanding.
The Governors reasons are clearly
stated in his message and show him to
be equal to the emergency. He out
lines his objections to the bill in six
propositions which serve as a text for a
very good sermon. The third and
fourth are paramount and contain the
gist of all objections to law framed
on the general pattern Of the Harris bill.
The following are the six propositions:
Flrst-"The bill suggests no way by
which an aggrieved shipper can secure
practical relief"
SecOnd-"The penalties named are
so hedged about that they will neither
compel obedience to the terms of the
law, nor enforce subsection to the Or
ders of the commission"
Third-"By its express terms the bill
makes of the railroad commission a
mere justice of the peace court from
which lit;gants pass to the district
court to begin anew the trial of their
cause, but fails to give to this tribunal
even the power TO compel attendance
and TO enforce its DEGREES with which
that less august functiOnary is gifted"
FOnrth-Offering the shipper no de-
fensible advantage that is not his un
der the present legislation and securing
to him no means of redress that is not
his already by virtue of the ancient
principles of the common law, this
bill actually CIrcumscribes the
rights that he would have under the
common law, in that it induces him to
a struggle before the railroad commits
sion, which only lands him in the dis
trict court in no better position than
that of his contemporary who begins
his action there without reference to
this statute, but who has not lost the
time consumed before the commission"
Fifth-"The bill itself offers OppOr-
tunity and suggestion for such an in
finite array of technical legal compli-
cations, that it is difficult to see how
anything can be definitely accomplished
under its provisions"
Sixth-"An attempt on the part of
the railroad commission to go into
court and enforce there their recon
mendations would involve the expendi-
ture of large sums of money for which
this legislature has made no apprOpria-
tiOn and without which the bill would
be wholly Intellectual leaving the COM
missiOners with neither power to give
effect to their opinions, nor to have
them heard in the court of justice
which can force its decrees."
These are followed by lengthy an
alysis, which shows the inherent
weakness of the bill 1t is not likely
that the legislature which has already
been serving \ week without pay, will
stay to attempt to arrange another bill
and a special session callei by the gov
ernOr is probable. The expense is the
only consideration against it, and a
good law will much more than repay
the cost.
1t may be good thing for few of
those fellows who opposed the maxi
mum rate bill to go home, bump up
against their constituents, and get a
little of the shine of the capital and
the dust of the railroad lobby brushed
off. They will be likely to go back to
do as they were bid.
Hurrah for Governor Leedy. He Is
I A. a. A