Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-27
Suffrage Upheld
by Supreme Court


strain, and that the case therefore bc-
came moot, not presenting q contro-
very for judicial decision.
In the Lesser case, the Government
acknowledged that the proceedings had
been instituted By voters who had suf-
fcient interest to warrant their pres.
encc In court. but that the issue raised
was political, one for decision BY Con,
gress or for settlement in some other
avenue than by adjudication in the
courts. While the State Of Maryland
had refused to ratify the amendment, Il
was pointed out the State also refused
to question Its constitutionality.
The power Of Congress to propose
the amendment to the State Legisla.
lures for ratification was assailed by
Its opponents on the ground that the
people reserved to themselves in their
State constitutions the right to regulate
ment legally could not have anything
whatever to do with changing the ''sov.
ereign power embodied In suffrage
qualifications.
Replying to an assertion that the
amendment had not been legally
ratified. the Government asserted that
Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia
had been properly counted. but that if
Missouri was excluded that being the
only one in the view Of the Government
open to question. under any reasonable
cOntentiOn--it was offset by Vermont
and Connecticut, which had ratified
after the proclamation had been issued.
U. 5. Control Of Fares Upheld
III deciding that railroad passenger
fares within State are subject to rcgI-
'ntion by the Federal Government the
Supreme Court sustained the lower
courts, which prohibited the Wisconsin
Railroad Commission from interfering
With the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy Railroad In putting into effect
increases In passenger fares In State
travel authorized by the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
The court in another decision held
that railroad rates. fares and charges
within the State Of New York are sub
jcct to regulation by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. 1t affirmed tho
decision Of the United States District
Court Of the Northern District Of tba.
with orders Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission increasing passenger fares
ard charges and the rates on cream and
milk.
Both rate cases grew out of M or.
der of the Interstate Commerce Gem
mission authorizing railroads to in
crease interstate rates. fares and
charges. and to bring their intrnstatc
rates and fares 70 the lcvc! Of inter-
state rates. The commission held the
State rates must be adjusted to clhnln-
ate preferences and determinations In
favor Of traffic moving between points
wholly within State and against In
tcrstatc commerce.
New York State authorized increased
rates upon State freight traffic. but re-
fused to Increase passenger fares. sleep
ing and parlOr car charges. and rates
on milk and cream transported by pas
scnger trains. II claimed control in
State rates and fares under the char
ter It granted the railroads to operate.
United States Fought Discrimination
The Government in the New York
litigation contended that Congress IN
providing for the rehabilitation of the
railroads intended to regulate all aud
that Inadequate state rates were bur.
den upon interstate commerce and q
discrimination which the commission
had authority to remove.
The merchant marine net Of 1920.
known as the Jones law. prohibits
transportation OF merchandise between
Alaskan ports and continental United
States by Canadian rail and water lines,
the Supreme Court announced in case
brought by the Territory of Alaska and
the Junenu Hardware Company against
the Collector Of Customs for Alaska.
The territory Of Ala ska contcndcd the
law was unconstitutional because il
Disseminated In favor OF the States and
against the Territory, in that it per.
mitted merchandise to be shipped to and
from the States by way Of Canadian
ships and railroads without imposing q.
from Michigan to the Juneau Hardware
Company BY way Of the Canadian Pa
cific Railroad to- Vancouver and BY
Canadin nvessel from there to Alaska
was ordered contiscatcd.
Justice McReynolds. delivering the
opinion Of the Court. announced the
Judgment OF the Court below was af-