Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1898-11-26
PETS OF POPULISM.
6. c. CLEMENS DENOUNCES MAXIMUM
RATES AND FREE SILVER
Rate Laws are Not Binding, Because Leg
islature Is Subserviert to the Su-
preme Court
From Capital, November II:

From Capital, November IL
Il am more than ever opposed to
maximum rate law, and were the Leg
islature called together, | would do
my utmost to prevent the passage OF
such make-pelieve legislation. My
reasons were publicly given two years
ago. and | claim NV full share of the
credit of the failure of Legislature to
pass the maximum rate Dill then
pending. These reasons have never
been Overthrown, and there are
stronger ones now.
''Freight crossing the state line, go
ing or coming, is interstate com
.merce, and the Legislature is power
hess to regulate rates as to such trait
TIC. The only rates the Legislature
tcan regulate are those for hauling
freight taken up in this state and put
down in this state. How much would
farmers and stock shippers be bene-
fitted by law regulating rates on
shipments beginning and ending
within the state? To reach Il market,
Kansas grain and Kansas stock must
cross the state line, or can easily be
forced to cross it. Besides, | believe
il to be true that railroad companies
could, within the Nebraska decision.
considerably increase their local rates.
they must operate their lines through
the state anyhow, and the local traffic
is So much clear gain. They don't
pay d cent extra TO employees for hand
ling ii; it requires no extra fuel, anF
it don't wear out the track or rOlllI
stock any more 10 load up Il dozen egs 5
and carry them Il few miles along Will
IL load of threShing machines passing
clear through the state The cOmpa-
MES can afford to be reasonable about
local rates. for all made by them is
clear profit. | believe, what l AM
told. that they nave been reasonably
good in that respect.
"But, even as to traffic beginning
and ending in the state, the Legisla-
ture is powerleSS. 1t can only pro-
pose rates for judicial approval 1t
can not act as Il sovereign authority.
The courts are above it, precisely as
they are above city councils ana
school district boards. The LegiSla-
ture may make the most thorough in
quiry and arrive at a schedule of rates
after the most cautious deliberatlOn
in vain. a Judge can take down his
bottle of injection germs and Instant
ly inOculate the law with a lingering
disease which will destroy its useful
ness for years, save as a more or less
interesting subject for judicial Scien-
fists to play with
.'In short, so far as railroad rates
are concerned, there are no LegiSl;
lures any more. What we call LegiS-
latures are merely companies or refer
eeS engaged in preparing reports for
the approval or rejection of their jul
dicial superiors. As matters now
stand, an attempt to pass a law regu-
lating railroad rates is but throwing
dust in the eyes of the people, and
concealing from them the actual Sit
uation. Such a law is not law: it is
not a sovereign act; for the Judgment
of the Legislature, not merely its
power, is subject to judicial review.
"Henceforth l shall not be silent
raj 81
tion, no matter how beautifully 1t
may be written about in party plat
forms. 1t were better for a Kansas
farmer to move to Missouri than to
get the railroad legislation virus into
his system; for at last it biteuh like a
tarantula and Stingeth like a picnic
yellow jacket crushed beneath crash
trousers in which the thoughtless
youth sitteth him upon the grass.
The only railroad legislation war
be manufactured by the Supreme
court of the United States. Take no
other. All other brands pretending
TO be juStaS good are worthless. Rate
me no more rate bills.
Neither am | going to keep still
any more about the free silver hum
bug. The man who says there was
no poverty or industrial tribulation
in this world before 1873 NAV as well
make up his mind that he has got to
call me liar l have steadily fought
the free silver nonsense within my
party after the keyhole had been prop
erly removed from all listening ears.
Henceforth l am going TO talk as loud
and as mean as / choose while the
present economic system remains,
about it,
More money, would only go where
the present money goes Now matter
how much it rains, the water won't
run into your cistern il the spout
don't point that way
Typhoid Fever and all kindred al
ments prevented and cured by the use
of BEGGs' LITTLE GIANT PILLS. We
keap them Homes & (ibSoo