The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-03-18

conclusions are forced UPON me b. the facs thaa
they declGred unconsiitutional 6 law that had
been passed upon. signed. ana enforced b.
Abraham Lincoln as preside1t O. the United
States llr- Lincoln. ia siglIEE the law and
enforcing it 70 the extent az collecting hun-
dred8 Of Millions 81 dollars. made plain the
fact th1l ia his opinion tie law Vas con
stitutioEaL As 70 the wisdom and knoEl-
edge o. law possessed By Abraham Lincoln,
need not speak ana the report q the adminis-
istratior Of his estate shows that in his coHciu-
sions he h9d not been moved BIZ corrupt means
VIII the administrators u the estates q Judge
Shirss ana MS gang b. able % show as much
Tor E1Emt Being profoundly convinced DF
these considerations that the supreme court
had gone SO far along the path Of iufQuity that
u could not and would not retrac5 It's steps, the
railroad law that I propose was framed espe-
cialiy 70 accord with what conceived &c be the
decision Of the court
am sorry 20 say that my opinion Of the ne
farious practices q the court have been susti-
ded BIT this biil having been draUu for the
purpose Of according, not with the Constitu-
ton, the law, OF the decision Of the courts pre-
Fious 20 lss5. but drawn 20 accord WITH the
views nov held by the courz, that the rates must
be reasonable 20 be constitutional and that the
court IS the sole judge Of that matter, be
heve this bin VII agree with the reasoning OF
the court
In the frst place. as maximum. 6 rate has
been fixed that was made By the railroads
themselves, and which, IL enacted into law.
would be o rate indOrsed BY the railroads and
By the legislature. and want 20 put the courts
On record 20 see II this Is a reasonable rate OF
not. ana IL they declare 10 unreasonable, upon
what grounds
Court Parted from Its Virtue.
Again the court ia its decision, takes the
ground that the making OF rates IS a judicial
not legislative function Having read the
decisions G. she courts on this question since
they first parted with their virtue in 1885, and
seeing no place for them 70 land short Of this
powers Of the railroad commissioners so as TO
give them equal judicial standing with the dis
trtct courts This was for the purpose Of haT-
ing the supreme court pass upon the
question as 20 whether one court can At
tack the decisions Of another cOliateraliy.
Either the courts win have 70 say that and
thereby set aside the universal practice Of
the courts o. the United States or they wiz
have 20 say that che rates made BY the COM
mission cannot be cujOined and culy changed
NIT the correctness OF these two propositions
which are In line with and not opposed 70 this
last decision o. the court. we VII have gained
point If on the other hand, the court still
pursues the corrupt and rotten practices that
ft has heretofore, By changing its decisions
70 suit the shifting interests CT the rail-
road corporations. It VIII make plain the
fact that the people Of the United states need
not look further 60 the courts fOr justice. but
that they must either make up their minds 70
submit not only 20 the present eEactions, but
70 the payment. or future mortgages that my
be piled upon them by the railroads. OF the 9
must take issue with the courts and exact from
them guarantees that provisions Of the consti-
tuition that have been construed By the courts
AID sanctioned bv the people for a hun
dred years shall be beyond the power Of
the courts 20 change. or, what seems 70 me 70
be q better remedy TO set the idle labor Of the
country 70 work TO build railroads Of their oWo
without bonds or stock 70 be Watered, and r.
Watersd and Watered again Gs IS done to-day,
whenever the interests OF corporation judges
and foreign owners Of our railroads deem il 70
their interest