The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1907-08-22
RAISING A FALSE ISSUE.

Nothing Is more talal 10 a RAISE doc
trlne than to have II clearly stated
and the defenders OF false doctrine
admit this when they studIously mis-
state the Issue. The st. Louis Globe
Democrat furnishes an illustration
Of this, In an editorial entitled "The
New Irrepresslble Conflict" the
Globe-Domocrat takes Governor
Glenn, Governor Conner and Cover
nor Swanson TO task for prosecuting
the railroads and declares that these
governors are assisting the doctrines
that led to the civil war. The charge
Is not true and the Globe-Democrat
confesses the weakness OF Its posi-
ton yken It attempts to present a
false issue, Neither Governor Glenn,
Governor Swanson nor Governor Co
mer has disputed the supremacy OF
the federal government In the regu-
lation OF interstate commerce The
question involved in North Carolina
and virginia is, have these states the
right to regulate commerce wholly
within their borders?
A federal judge undertook, at the
request Of the railroads, to suspend
the state rate law and TO release per-
sons arrested for violation OF that
law. The law had never been de-
clded unconstitutional or confiscatory
but the judge ASSUMED that the
exparte statement OF the railroads
was correct and proceeded to restrain
the states. The governors decided
to test the question, and the roads
finally decided to do what they ought
10 have done in the first place, name
ly, comply with the law while they
contested its validity through the
regular channels.
Governor Conner OF Alabama is
testing another question, and this is
the question which most disturbs the
Globe-Democrat, namely, whether a
state can forbid corporation to
transfer a case to the federal courts
when suit is brought against It. The
Alabama legislature enacted law
forbidding the removal and provid-
ing for the revocation OF license as
a penalty. The Southern railroad
violated the law and the roads IL
cense to do business in the state was
revoked. Governor Conner is enforc-
ing the law, and why should he not
enforce the law? He swore to en-
force the law when he took the oath
OF office, but probably the Globe
Democrat would nave him read into
such oath except where the law con-
Germs a railroad"
II a state creates a corporation can
1t not fix the terms on which it can
do businessY And II a state permits
a foreign corporation. to do business
within Its borders can 1t not prescribe
the terms and compel compliance
with those terms? And what re-
quirement is more reasonable than
that the corporation shall submit its
to the courts OF the
state? The state courts are less ex-
pensive and nearer to the ltlgants.
A state acts not only within its
rights but according to its duty when
It protects It's citizens from the vex-
alton OF litigation in federal courts.
The Globe-Democrat does not dare
to state the issue as 1t is for then 1t
would have to admit its sympathy
with the corporations as against the
people. TO conceal It's bias in favor
Of corporate aggression 1t refers to
the war and appeals to prejudice
But It's attempts will fail. Every
state ought to have law like that
which Governor Conner is enforcing
and every state ought to have
governor like Governor Conner. The
readers of the Globe
Democrat In Illinois and Missouri are
just as much interested as the Dem
oerats In securing protection from
delays. Inconvenience and costs of
the federal courts,
All OF these controversies are hast
sning the day when the rights of
will be defined and their
powers properly limited. There has
been confusing OF the rights of
the man-msde corporation with the
rights OF the God-made man. The
corporation has only conferred rights
while man has natural and inal-
ienable rights. II is time to pro-
tect the God-made man from the
man-made nts.--Bryan's Com
moner