The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-08-17
EXTRACTS FKOM JUDGE CLAEk''
SPEECH BEFORE THE toNyEN-
TON or RAILROAD CoMAIs-
sIONERs AT DENVER

sIONEks AT DENVER
From the golden mile stone in the
Roman Forum radiated those mag
nificeut roads which to this day tell
how Rome built for the ages. Along
them poured the tide OF the Repub-
lies and the Empires commerce;
over the m tramped her legions, and
as the God Terminus successfully re-
moved further and further the limits |
of her domains, these magnificent
viaducts carried to the remotest YER
ges the arts, the literature, the laws,
the civilization that was Roman. In
deed her roads made possible the
vast extent Of her dominion and
bound together for 80 many ceutu- |
ries go many countries in that Ro-
man Peace which created and main
tanned the civilization and the learn
ing without which humanity would
not occupy the advanced stage that
it does to day.
Suppose for q moment that those
Roman roads, the arteries of the en-
pre-, had been owned by private
companies of millionaries, that not
a wheel could roll nor a man move
along tho m, nor even the legiOns ex-
cept On terms dictate by the corpo-
ratious; would not those corporations
have had the empire by the throat 7
Would they not have appointed con-
suls and pro consuls, every Senator,
every general and every judge9 They
would have been the government.
1t is q universal maxim that pri-
vate property can not be taken for
private uses, but only for the public
| use. Yet no railroad can be built
without the appropriation of private
property.
1t results that the real question
and we are face to face with it's
whether it is practicable to control
these great forces, these immense az
gregations of c spital, by Commissions
and py statutes, or shall it be neces
sarv to take the absolute ownership
of them over in the government.
In all the countries of the world
save Great Britain and the United
States, the answer has been that
govern ment ownership is indispen-
sable to safe and just control.
ACCORDINGLY in almost all other coun-
tries, including even the Australian
and other British colonies, the rail
roads, or at least the controlling
lines are owned by their respective
governments. In the United States
and the contracted territory embra ced
in The British Isles, the experiment,
70 government control, without gov
eminent ownership, is on trial.
, One of the greatest evils Of the
present system is the proneness Of
these corporations to intervene IL
politics. Realizing that govern
ment by the people is only possible
when the government is kept IN
touched by the power of great mon
eyed combinations, there is nothing
which arouses public indignation
more than the almost unconceale,
4 Interference of these corporations il
3 the nomination and election of legisla
tors, congressman, Governors an
United States Senators. Their con
: tributions to Presidential csmpaig
:. funds is a National scandal. Wors
y than all is their influence in tn
. appointments of the life judiciary Q
u tie Federal Government and recen
evidence given before the 1ndustris
II Commission shows that they are nc
above tampering with the nomins
ovl nf Sfofo 1n6nc
# chosen by the people.
- The crucial question for solutio
~ is whether the interference of gres
Is corporations in politics and the
at secret discrimination in rates, wher
by trusts are created and sustained
70 can be suppressed without resort
government ownership. These evi
1e must be eliminated. TIE hope
r. America lies in the very fact tn
of our people will not submit to SUI
n abuses much longer.
X
In all the countries of the world
mt believe except this and Canada, Il
he telegraph and the telephone are pa
e9 of the post Office system, legally
~. we'll as logically, for they are sim p
= methods of communicating intel
ny gence. l have always believed as
at lawyer that under the provisions
ill the Federal Constitution which !
70. xuires Congress to establish posto1
- ces and postroads, it is its duty
49, transmit intelligence by wire as W
lily as by rail, by electricity as we'll
lat by steam or pneumatic tubes, and
re-. this power vested IN Congress is he
by the United States Supreme Co,
to be an exclusive power, that t
operation Of telegraph and telephor
for hire by others than the Cover
ar ment is as illegal as their runni
~ 70 the postoffice would be. Great B,
ain which alone has stood with
ag- against government ownership
ley railroads, has had to leave US on t
nill matter fer there the telegraphs
ain a part of the postofiee departing
x
This forgotten man the patrons
"o the railroads elects no preside
vas superintendent or board of direct
AXIS but he has to bear whatever burd
her they see fit to place upon him.
cot has no voice in fixing the salar
GOV many of them as high as or hlg
pu- than that of the President of
ing United States, but he pays to tn
the last cent. He rarely rides
tho palace car OR upon a free p
but he pays the fare of til
ID WHO do. He has no hearing as
lug the tax which shall be levied for
de- movement of himself, his produc,
re- his purchases, but be pays it m
surely than he does the taxes for
support of his CRY, State or Fed,
Government, for the Station Ag
like that Other tax collector,
Custom House officer, extends
nu- credit or delay, but requires casl
in hand