The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-21
WHICH DID TIP

A prominent Connecticut lawyer who Is
vouched for by The Waterbury American,
in criticising Senator Hills defense of the
coal ownership plank in the New York
Democratic platform, takes the position
assumed by The Advertiser some time ago.
He says:
That municipality, either State or
National. can acquire possession of pri-
vate property by right of eminent domain
When IL is to be used for the benefit
OF the municipality as a corporation but
tnat II cannot do so simply for the good
OF the citizens of that municipality. That
Is. II the United States needed coal for
itself las government. to run it's war
ships or to heat its public buildings, it
might forcibly, legally and constitutional
~ possess itself of the Mines but it can
not do so constitutionally in order to
supply its suffering people.
Both Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Hearst are get
| ting credit, such as it is, for that plank
OF the platform, and we do not know
who is really the guilty party, but GER
tainly Mr.. Hill comes out in defence of
it, and declares that the government has
legal and constitutional right to take
| possession of the coal lands of Pennsyl-
| vanit and mine coal for the benefit of the
people. 1t is a dangerous doctrine, and
we are surprised at Mr.. Hills defence
of it, and at the same time we are not
surprised to find that Mr.. Coler, the
Democratic candidate for Governor. has
repudiated that plank of the platform
in as definite language as was prudent
for him to use In a recent speech on
the issues involved he said:
In respect to the suggestion in the Demo-
| cratic platform that federal ownership OF
the anthracite coal mines may be found
necessary in the public interest, l must
be entirely frank. My view of all such
questions Is that before the government
| Is called upon to assume the responsible
should first of all be honestly and
thoroughly tested. l Furthermore believe
that State regulation and control of cor
porations of its own creation should.
whenever possible, be preferred to the
concentration of such power in the hands
OF the federal government. = IT,
however, when these steps are taken
(tartn reform and enforcement of present
laws( 1t should appear that the evil still
survives. there should be no hesitation In
adopting government ownership as a
meaps of preventing a recurrence of the
present deplorable situation in Pennsyl-
vania.
That is a reputation or condemna ton
of the public ownership plank in almost
direct language. True he says that as
last resort the government may assume
or take control of coal lands, but 1t will
be noted that he adheres to the good old
States rights theory which has always
been part of the Democratic creed, and
wants each State to control and regulate
corporations which are organized under
State laws. Then, when all the powers
OF the State have been exhausted, and
when the present tariff system which Is
the parent of trusts, has been revised IL
Will be time for the Federal Government
to take action.
AS before stated, Mr.. Golfer definitely
declares that the course required or d.
rected by the State platform shall be
resorted to when all legitimate and con-
stitutional methods have failed. This is a
widely different proposition from the de-
mand of the platform. and it is a proposi
ton that all Democrats can and should
endorse. 1t is true that from present
indications there is no near probability Of
any need for interference by the govern
ment, but that does not lessen the dan
gerous nature of the proposition.