The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-28

preferrnent-~
Thlrd-Ihe amount Of its funded debt
and the rate Of interest.
F'ourth-The amount of its floating
debt.
Fifth-The cost and actual present
cash value of its road and equipment,
including permanent way, buildings
and rolling stock. all real estate used
exclusively in operating the road and all
MIXTURES and -conveniences for transact
ing its business.
Sixth-The estimated value of all 9th
er property owned by such corporation,
with q schedule of the same, not in-
Guiding lands granted in aid of its con-
struction.
SEVENTH list Of all its officers and
directors vith their respective places
of residence.
Eighth-Such statistics of the road
| and of its business for the year IS may
IN the judgment of the commissioners
be necessary and proper for the infor-
nation of the legislature, or as may be
required by the governor.
Ninth-Ihe average amount of ton
mage that can be carried over, each road
IN the state with an engine of given
/ power.
| In disobeying these laws the railroads
1 do not question the fact that they were
! honestly and regularly passed. the rail-
roads do not question the fact that these
! laws are representative of the sentiment
/ of the people, Neither do they ques-
ton the basic equity of these laws. The
railroads appeal to the courts upon
/ technical questions, and attack the con-
stitutionality of the laws. This means
4 in a word that the case will be decided,
not on its merits as a fair proposition,
! but that the case Will be decided upon
precedent, upon law forms, upon the
mummery of legal verbiage.
When a. man steals a ham he goes to
Jail. When a man is caught stealing
food he has to suffer for it, even though
he may need the food; and society says
| this is right But here a corporation
| or rather a number of them-are seek
ing to ignore laws honestly passed. on
purely technical questions; and by ig-
noring these laws, the directors and
stockholders and bondholders are given
an opportunity to steal from the peo-
ple-food2 No. Not food-for they
don't need that They are given OPP
portunity TO steal money from the peO-
pie in high rates to pile up money to
buy legislators. and courts and news
papers, to gain power to steal money
that they do not need. These gentlemen
are breeders Of anarchy.
Anarchy faunts the law. So does the
railroad Anarchy says down with the
law-so does the railroad when the rail-
road is made to walk straight by the
law As compared with the railroads
who are seeking to tear down the honest
laws which the people have made, Mr.
August Spies and his associates, of Chi
cago, who were hanged, are gentlemen
The Chicago anarchists were wrong
but they were crazy; these Kansas gen
tlemen are wrong, but greedy.
And right here and now it should be
said that by seeking to attack honest
laws upon technical questions, the rail-
roads are Fastening the time when tbs
people viii make it impossible for {
law honestly passed to be reviewed By
the courts. 1t is so in EnglaSld- L
should be SO in America. When the
people through their representatives de
clare the law-what right have courts
to set the peoples will aside2 VIVA
right have the lawyers to run this coun
try, anyway? The lawyers are th'
class that is making most of the trou
bic. By breaking laws and getting law
yers in high places to stand by then
and declare. the law breaking legal, tn
railroads some day will breed enough
anarchy to rise up and raise the devi
of lust and envy and malice in thi
land, and in that awful day about tn
only good that viii come out of tn
cataclysm, viii be the hanging. Of a few
hundred lawyers, who in courts and out
!, manage to pluck the people of thei
natural rights.