The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-03-28

poIACICS, uelSdtcQ ~, anu Sehdto1 SAAPS
are still bought in some Of the states
as negro votes are bought in the
south.
Another grave question which now con-
| fronts the people of the state is the rela-
| tons of the corporations to the people. 1t
cannot be denied that there have been in
| stances in the past in which corporate
power has been employed to Cypress the
| people, and on the other hand, provoked
! by these wrongs. juries have sometimes
shown a disposition to retaliate by render
ing unjust and eXorbitant Verdicts against
| the corporations. Corporations, too, rail-
read, banking and insurance companies,
have as have also individuals, often tried
to evade the law and to build up monopo-
| lies by which they could enrich their stock
holders at the expense of the people These
evils of gradual growth. and for them
no remedies had been found prior to 1877.
In the days of reconstruction, when
honor and virtue We're at a discount and
ignorance and bigotry Nnd venalty and
fanaticism were enthroned in Georgia,
when the master deCtizeniZed and the
slave was laWmaker, and elections were
presided by armed soldiers of alien
BIRTH a constitution framed by carpet
bagGcrs and ratified by scalaWags and
negroes was foisted upon unwilling
people This instrument made no ade-
quate provision for the regulation of
poratiCns. In 1874, |, with this hand drafted
and introduced a bill providing for a con
V"ntion of the people of the state to shake
Oft this bastard organic law put upon us
by negroes, aliens and enemies, and sub
stitute one of making. one of the
chief grounds on which | urged the call of
a convention was the necessity of incorpor-
ating in the organic law n provision en-
towering the legislature to regulate and
control corporations and prevent monOp-
oily. l said: The time is fast approach
ing when, if the people do not take control
of the corporations, the corpora TOMS will
take control of the people. | do not want
to injure or cripple the corporations, but
they must not be allowed to eXtort on the
people nor to discriminate between per
sons and places" For three successive
sessions. aided by such men as A. r.
Lawton, Patrick Walsh, John Il. Cor
don and Robert Toombs. | pressed my
measure and finally in 1876 it became
law. a convention of native Georgia
white men was held ana constitution
made by Georgians for Georgia was adopt
ed and ratified by the people and the last
ycstige of the carpet Dagger and the UNI
saVory scalawag was wiped out and the
virtue and intelligence of the state re-
sumed control.
Helped Establish Railroad Commission
The first legislature that assembled at
Ter inc duOUilol OF the tbtlSt ilNtlpl Oh 1910
enacted a law to create a railroad com
mission to regulate apd control the rail
roads of the state and prevent eXtortion
and unjust discrimination. l was a mem
.bcr Of the committee in the senate which
drafted ana reported that bill and secured
its passage. 1t is the law today and is
considered one of the best railroad commits
sion laws in the union and has served as a
model in many other states. | was re-
fT,, t,., tit,lti jrI,
this law possible, and aided in drafting
and onactug the law which has already
saved many millions to the people OF the
state and will save many more. My gen
ial friend. Mr.. Bcrner. cries aloud and
says: mir. Gambler, you must stand upon
the constitution. You must take an oath,
a solemn OATH in the presence of your
people assembled TO witness your maugu-
ration and YOU take a solemn oath in the
presence of heaven and earth that YOU
will obey the constitution. VIII you take
the OATH Mr.. Gambler? If you do take
it, will you keep it,
IrrpIy to this question, yes! Twill take il
and keep il, too. This il cas-, for me 10 d" be-
cause this il m, constitution. ! am RESPONSE
bic for il n nd the railroad commission law by
| which he swcars 10 stand il my hnndiwOrls'
| and will stand by il as the mother stands by
! her babe. I am the iniher of this law !; he is
not even its sieptuthcr bur only its scif-comsti-
tuted guardian.
| Yes, Brother Berncr, ] will take the oath
! and | will keep it and enforce the law,
because it is my law ANA believe it is
| a righteous law. Can you do more?
| Under the same constitution, it was for
the first time made possible to enact a law
to regulate and control insurance compa-
MES Soon such law was enacted Great
ing the office of insurance commissioner,
=, ,,-ifh /, rpgI,Iltp al
control these corporations and prevent oX-
tortion and monopoly. But for the con
stitution. for which 1 was primarily re
sponsiblc this law would have been inn
possible.
IN 1856. while a member Of congress from
Georgia, | prepared and introduced bill
to repeal the law taxing out of existence
the issues of state banks.
This law ! believe to be unconstitutional
and ! know that it was enacted to create
and foster the national bank monopoly.
70 destroy this monopoly l introduced ard
advocated this bill; but the republicans,
who are the friends Of special privileges
were too strong for me, and defeated my
measure and the national banks stiil en-
JOY their monopoly, to the great "etrImcnt
of the people ana in violation of that an
cient democratic doctrine of equal GuI cX-
act justice to all aud special privileges to
none"
MY whole legislative career tor MT
teen years in our state Legislature and
in congress is marked by uncompromls-
ing hostility to monopoly in it's every
form, and yet l am not an enemy to
corporatios. All corporations are not
monopolies They are necessary to the
development and progress of the state
and the convenience of the people. l
would not destroy or Cypress them.
They are the most potent agency in
developing and building up the state,
and do for each individual what he
cannot do for himself Corporate CAPT
tai is entitled to the same rights, priv
ileges and immunities as individual
capital, and no more. If / We're gov
e1nor of Georgia I would protect them
in the enjoyment of all their legal
rights just as far as L would protect
a natural person and no further.
So long as they remain in their proper
sphere and attempt no evasion OF tne
law / would protect them with al the
power of the government but should they
10. lafn