The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-04
PEOPLE CAN SECURE CONTROL
CONTINUED from page one.)

He dealt with both English and Ameri-
can law showing how and why II is that
the people have acquired the rights in
private property. either in equity, pre-
scription or contract, and defined for the
information of those not lawyers how
such rights were obtained. Custom. usage
and dedication were the principal subjects
of discussion and he led up 10 the review
OF the law and TO precendents In law
which established the contention that the
people had rights. He maintained that
the problem was clear and there was no
reason to doubt that the people had sum
Client rights 10 enable them to seek relief
In the manner suggested.
He instanced that the procedure taken
In the Massachusetts state courts was
by newspaper which sought notoriety
and which procedure was altogether
wrong. He was of the opinion there was
no result to be obtained because there
was nothing within the state which the
courts could control But were the pro-
ceedings brought before the United States
Circuit court for Pennsylvania then there
would be Federal jurisdiction and Federal
jurisdiction was what was desired.
He told that in recent instances there
had been settlement of similar difficulties,
on the broad foundation that the people
must be considered first of all He mann
tanned that there was no reason TO believe
the people had no right in the mines ana
coal carrying railroads, for the custom
which had obtained, for the purchase oI
necessaries of life, (and he considered
coal necessary for nfe) by which the
mine owners and transportation COM
panies were legally bound to supply the
wants OF the people.
He did not believe that any two groups
of men, because of differences of opinion,
could tSr wdfuly deprive the p people OF r. what cnai
by the miners, the transportation. of coal
TO tidewater, was matter which nan
eeen custom for % YEARS. and q,
was one thing. but II was known of all
that IL the miners were granted better
wages the coal dealers would In turn
increase the price OF coal and there would
be no loss.
The neople were not disputing the price
of coal. What they wanted was coal,
sity. III the people han not a. right In
public franchises, IL they had not a right
In public utilities then cgstom Ssa and and law Nv
a receiver appointed then the United
States would administer the coal mines
and the railroads would handle the pro-
duct OF the mines and the revenue from
the mines and the railroads, for the besN
interests of the whole people and the
properties as well
speaker. had been taken. George A. Lit
tlefeld spoke briefly In general way: and
the result OF the conference at Washing
ton Then Gsares e 60 e aosn spoke
coincided with the speaker OF the even
ing that the people had rights In the
mines and railroads. and he believed that
such procedure as was proposed would be
of material effect. He turned to the right
of equity in the matter. pointing out that
certain water rights on the Blackstone
river have been In court OF equity since
1872. with no hardship to manufacturing
interests or TO the property OF any per-
son owning such rights: He believed that
the right OF the people rested back OF
any custom. That the welfare of the
people was superior I'm and to n court OF
equity on principles which were abstract
and which were not found in the struc-
tural law. There would be no right de-
stroyed were the court TO take turisdic-
ton The property, It's earning capacity,
and the rights OF the owners would re-
main intact.
Mr.. Chaplin was asked n he advised
immediate action. and he said that he
believed that IL would be well To await
the Importance OF the conditions that q
court would be compelled 20 take cogni-
zance OF n petition presented IL. The
prospect OF violence. OF hardship and OF
suffering would commend the cause "a
any court.
lie toid of the organization OF n citi-
gems committee at Boston which was for
the purpose OF having some definite for
nation for beginning action because
public need would be necessary in pre-
senting the cause to court But the
committee had taken no definite action as
yet
The association then decided not 10 take
any definite action and the meeting was
aA m week