Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-01-24
EFFICIENCY EXISTS,
SAYS MR.. JENKINS
Right of Government to Seize
Mines and Railroads Is
Undoubted.
FUEL A PUBLIC NECESSITY
Chairman of House judiciary Commit.
tee Explains Purpose of the Re-
markabIe Resolution Intro
duced Wednesday.

Washington, Jan. 19.-Representative
Jenkins of Wisconsin, who is no tyro in
legislation, but who, on the contrary, is
chairman of the judiciary committee OF
the house, and who from that fact is
presumed to be a good constitutional
lawyer, offered the remarkable resolu-
ton of Wednesday which provides in
brief that the government of the United
States shall both seize n operate not
only the coal mines, but the t~ransporta-
ton companies which carry the prod
uct, and in this way distribute coal TO
the people,.
Such a proposition coming from an
obscure member of the house would not
have attracted any more attention than
dozens of others quite as radical. But
a bill of this kind offered by the chair
man of the judiciary committee upon
the members OF the house like a dash
of cold water, and seemed to bring
them to a realization of the fact that
the country has reached a condition
where ordinary constitutional methods
must be succeeded by extraordinary
and almost sociallstic expedients.
Mr.. jenkins did not offer his resolu-
ton in an idle moment, but after care
fully thinking it out. He is undoubt-
edly a good lawyer, and his position at
the head of the great committee which
is even now Formulating the antitrust
legislation entities him to more than
the usual credit for his actions.
Crisis Demands Action.
That his proposition is radical in the
extreme every one must Concede, but
it is also apparent that nothing but the
presence Of a great crisis could have in
duced him to father such q proposition.
MIR. jenkins has previously gone on
record as asserting that the government
could not regulate the trusts without a
constitutional amendment.
Not only does Mr.. Jenkins assume
complete responsibility for his actions,
but he justiies them by the gravity of
the crisis which the country is now
facing, and in an interview he gave an
exposition Of his reasons for introduce
ing a resolution which he fully recog-
niZes will be denounced as socialistic.
He does not propose to supply the Coun-
try with free coal, but he does believe
that the time has come when to pre-
vent widespread famine and hardship
it has become necessary for the govern
ment, as an act Of supreme sovereignty,
to give the people IN opportunity to
provide themselves with coa at a fair
price.
So far as his resolution is concerned
ii is not prompted by the high price of
coal, and he does not necessarily de-
L " NOlICNl that w nat lC ID dllGI
is merely to use the power of the ma
tional government to see that all the
coal possible to be mined is mined, and
thereupon also to see that it IS distrib-
uted on an equitable basis to all Sec
tons and all classes in the country.
Right of Government to Act.
For some time we have been calling
attention to a want of power on the
part of the federal government to deal
with tho ~ nn-plnpin1 rtrA1tiAra
confronting u people," said Repre-
sentative Jenkins, in discussing his
proposition. by this resolution | am
calling attention to q power that / be-
lieve exists and should be developed. 1t
is one of the sovereign inherent rights
Of the government. The situation is
not as favorable for the exercise of that
power as during last September, but
conditions are much worse. Coal is a
necessity Of life. The people cannot
obtain it and are suffering greatly for
the want OF it. Therefore, it is within
the power of congress in such a case
to declare that an c~Xigency has arisen
for the exercise Of the power of eminent
domain, aud this declaration is not open
to inquiry by the courts.
ut is not the price Of coal that Gre
ates the eXigency, but the fact tina the
people cannot obtain 1t, and hat CON
ditions are growing Wors daily. Hence,
it becomes the duty Of the government
to exercise this attribute of sovereignty
and relieve the distress not by buying
coal for the people, but by providing
that they can buy it.
This is the first time in history this
nation could justly exercise that right
Of control. Unquestionably the power
exists, as certainly as the exigency is
present.
Immediate Relief Wanted
ut is a painful condition of affairs
where the blood and sinew of the ma
ton are suffering and freezing for the
want of fuel, when money and fuel
are plenty. The people are not inter-
asted in who is TO blame, but are en-
titled TO immediate relief. Some steps
must go taken to improve present con-
ditIons, or, in addition to aggravating
the suffering, we certainly will have a
condition of affairs that Will be less well
come.
we cannot sit here idly and listen
to the crisS of pain n suffering from
all parts OF the country without doing
something. The powerful monopolies
sapping the life blood of the people. to
add to their wealth must allow con-
science to control them, or in q short
time a suffering people will be aroused
so that no power will control them, for
lley are llOt going 10 SulLCI longer ana
submit to this continual robbery. They
know that the coal question is but an
index to what is coming.
The greed of the ~monopolies is so
great they overlook everything but The
acquisition of wealth at the expense
and suffering of a nation of people. Let
the m~onopolies treat the people as fair
ly as they do the almighty dollar, and
there will be no complaint.
1T is to be regretted that in an in
telligent nation like this, controlled by
Christian influences, where the people
are the government, sue a radical ex-
ercise of power is even deemed neces-
sary. 1t is not a step in the direction
IF government ownership, it car only
De justified by the ~exigency Of the sit
lation; and it can only remain in force
until the cause for the condition is re-
moved"
SHEER AT CONGRESS.