The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-03-15
Modern Business and State
Rights.


The federal government constantly
gains power at the expense OF the
states, as industry and commerce
weld the state into a firmer union.
Business has a greater consolidating
power than politics. Business is
sweeping away the vestiges Of state
rights" and stripping the states of
powers that the makers of the con-
stitution probably thought were guar
anteed forever
The decision of the United States
supreme court in the Shreveport rate
case several months ago has establish
ed the principle that while "a state is
supreme IN its purely internal business
relations, whenever those relations
come into conflict with those of any
other state the federal government
may step In and override the local au-
thorities.
In this case the Texas railroad
commission had sought to stimulate
the commerce OF its own cities by
giving them an advantage in trans
portation rates over Louisiana cities.
The interstate commerce commission
asserted it's authority to cancel those
rates within the Texas borders, and
the supreme tribunal upholds its con
tention.
The power OF the federal govern.
ment over business within the yari.
Gus states, whether railroads OF any
other form Of enterprise, seems des.
tined TO steady growth. 1t Is an
evidence of the new nationalism"
which, however may be deplored by
extreme individualisis, seems forced
upon US by the logic of industrial
progress.
The railroads have been complain
liz of late that they are subject to
forty.nino public masters--a federal
congress and commission and sim.
liar legislature and regulating com.
mission in every state Vice President
BrowneI of the Erie railroad, testl
flying before n congressional commit.
tee in the Rayburn bill, declared that
he was mot opposed TO the proper
regulation of security issues, but that
liz congress should pass such law
II should take over that function ex-
cmsiyely and not allow the several
states to supervise security issues as
at present"
Ii Is certain that congress will as.
sumo more and more of the legislat.
i've power IN such matters held hith.
erto by the state legislatures, just as
the interstate commerce commission
has, with the approval of the supreme
court. asserted It's authority over the
state commissions when thcir pow.
cra conflict. This will be better for
the railroads and better for the pub
lie. The jurisdiction of the individ
ual states In railroad regulation has
given rise TO as many contradictions
and embarrassments as the conflict
OF divorce laws. Even yet one state
may hold up" transportation line
| while neighbor may grant privil
eyes with extreme laxity With re.
spect to common carrier engaged
in interstate traffic state lines are
artificial and should have little to do
With the matter
In spite of criticisms being made
in the United States senate by sensi
tive statesmen, the tendency of the
times is inevitably toward the aboli.
ion of state rights" In what might
he called national business matters"
the federal government as the only
public authority having complete
jurisdiction and able to deal with
railroad or other corporation and the
public il serves. throughout its whole
sphere OF operation.