Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-09
violating the fundamental principles
of our government.

of our government.
Is Dangerous Doctrine.
ut has been suggested that the
rights of the states can lapse through
non-usa, and that congress is justified
in usurping the authority of the state
if the state fails to make proper use
of it. While this doctrine has been
advanced in the pretended interest of
the people, it is as insidious and as
dangerous an assault as has ever been
made on our constitutional form of
government. The people of the state
can act with more promptless than the
people of the nation, and if they fail, to
act. it must be assumed that the peo-
pie of the state prefer inaction.
THE real purpose that those have in
view who complain of the inaction of
the state, is not more strict regula-
ton of corporations. but the relief of
corporations from state regulation.
THE democratic party favors the
full exercise of the powers of the gov
eminent for the protection of the
rights of the people-each government
to act within it's constitutional sphere.
Our platform demands that federal
legislation be added TO. not substi-
tuted for, state legislation.
"The predatory corporations have
taken advantage of the dual character
of our government and have tried to
hide behind state rights when prose
cuted in the federal courts and behind
the interstate commerce clause of the
constitution when prosecuted in the
state courts.
Is No Twilight Zone.
There is no twilight zone between
the nation and the state in which the
exploiting interests can take refuge
from both. There is no neutral ground
where. beyond the jurisdiction of eth
re sovereignty, the plun1eTers of the
public can find safe retreat. AS
long as corporation confines its ac
tivities to the state in which it was
created, it is subject to ctate regula
ton only; but as soon as it invades
interstate commerce it becomes amen
able to federal laws as well as to the
laws of the state which or Gated it and
tIic laws OL the STATES III WHICH IL
does business.
How strict can these laws be? Just
as strict as may be necessary for the
protection of the public
Our platform outlines the regula-
ton deemed necessary, and the regula-
ton is specifically set forth in order
that our opponents may not be able to
scare the public by predicting hurt
full legislation. Our platform. unlike
the republican platform, says what 1t
means and means only what il says.
Draw Distinction.
"A distinction is drawn between the
railroads and other corporations. The
railroad. being a quasi-public eorpor-
alton and, as such, being permitted to
exercise part of the sovereignty of
the state, is subject to regulation at
the hands of both the nation and the
state, but this regulation is intended,
not to cripple the railroads but to in
crease their efficiency. The people at
large are as much interested as the
stockholders are in the successful op-
Grafton of the railroads. Their own
pecuniary interests as we'll as their
sense of justice would restrain them
from doing anything :hat would i'm
pair the road of reduce its efficiency
The travelling public is vitality interest
ed in the payment of wages sufficient
to command the most intelligent SER
vice for life as well as property is in
the hands of those who operate the
trains. guard the switches, and keep
the track in repair.
Another Way to Do 1t.
"The democratic party would distin-
guish between those railroad owners,
directors and managers who. recogniz-
ing their obligation to the public, earn
their salaries by conscientious devo-
tion to the work entrusted to them,
and those INSCRIPTIONS 'Napoleons of
Finance who use railroads as mere
pawns in a great gambling game with
out regard to the rights of employees
or to the interests of the patrons. 1t
is in the interest of honest railroading
and legitimate investment that the
democratic party seeks to ascertain
the present value of the railroad prop
critics and to prevent for the future
the watering of stock and the issue OF
fictitious capitalization; and it is in
the interest of both the railroads and
the public that it seeks only such re-
auctions in transportation rates as can
be made without wage reduction, with
out deterioration in the service and
without injustice to legitimate invest
ments. The democratic party insists
that in the matter of regulation OF
railroads both the state governments
and the federal government shall ACT
up to, and yet within, their powers
for nothing else will restore the con
fidcnce and good will that ought to
exist between the railroads and the
people. In dealing with manufactur
ing and trading corporations the dem
ocratic party draws a distinction be
tween those corporations-and they
constitute the great majority of al
the manufacturing and trading corpor
ations-which are engaged in lcgiti
mate effort to supply what the con
sumers need, and the very few cor