ILLINOIS. 



367 



sioners against the Chicago & Northwestern 

 Railroad Company for various alleged viola- 

 tions of the law, which will doubtless be made 

 a test-case to try the constitutionality of the 

 act. By the terms of the act, the schedules 

 prepared and published by the commissioners 

 become prima-facie evidence after the 15th of 

 January, 1874. 



This important subject is thus referred to by 

 Governor Beveridge, in a message to the ad- 

 journed session of the Legislature in January, 

 1874: 



The act approved May 2, 1873, was in force July 1, 

 1873. On that day, rates were largely advanced on 

 gome of the leading lines in the State, under the plea 

 of conforming to law. While this action may have 

 conformed to that part of the law forbidding unjust 

 discrimination, it hardly conformed to that part of 

 the law forbidding extortion. The plea for this ad- 

 vance cannot be maintained. The wisdom of the ad- 

 vance was soon doubted by railroad managers, and 

 their schedule of rates, in many instances, modified. 



What the railroad corporations will do after the 

 15th of January, when the schedules are in full force, 

 I cannot say. Should they fail, or refuse to comply 

 with the terms of the act, it will be the duty of the 

 Executive and the officers of the law to execute with 

 energy and enforce with rigor the will of the people, 

 as expressed by the Legislature. The people de- 

 muud that public corporations shall subserve public 

 interests, and to this imperative demand every branch 

 of government must and will conform. The sooner 

 the problem is solved, the better, in my opinion, for 

 all concerned. Once solved, I feel assured the peo- 

 ple will be just and reasonable in their legislation 

 toward corporate bodies, and give them all privi- 

 leges consistent with the public good. 



1 recommend a full and fair trial of the law passed 

 at the former session ; and if, upon trial, it is found 

 that the schedule of rates prepared and published 

 by the commissioners is unjust or unfair to the peo- 

 ple or railroads, the commissions can change and 

 revis,- the satm-. and such action will meet the ap- 

 proval of a candid an 1 considerate people. 



As early as the latter part of 1872 the com- 

 plaints of the farmers attracted no little public 

 attention and discussion in the public press, 

 and early in 1873 the importance of the farm- 

 ers' movement became manifest in numerous 

 conventions, mass meetings, etc., representing 

 the granges and other farmers' associations, 

 which were held in various places through- 

 out the year, not only in Illinois, but in other 

 States. The most notable of these was the 

 convention held in Springfield, 111., on the 2d 

 and 3d of April, 1873, which was addressed by 

 Governor Beveridge and ex-Governor Palmer. 

 The resolutions adopted were as follows: 



Resolved, by the farmers of Illinois in mass meet- 

 ing assembled : 



1. That all chartered monopolies, not regulated 

 and controlled by law, have proved in that respect 

 detrimental to the public prosperity, corrupting in 

 their management, and dangerous to republican in- 

 stitutions. 



2. The railways of the world, except in those coun- 

 tries where they have been held under the strift 

 regulation and supervision of the government, have 

 proved themselves formidable of arbitrary extortion, 

 and opposed to free institutions and free commerce 

 between the States as the feudal barons of the mid- 

 dle azes. 



8. That we hold, declare, and resolve, that this des- 

 potism, which defies our laws, plunders our shippers, 



impoverishes our people, and corrupts our govern- 

 ment, shall be subdued, and made to subserve the 

 public interest, at whatever cost. 



Resolved, That we believe the State did not and 

 could not confer any of its sovereign power upon any 

 corporation, and that now is the most favorable time 

 to settle the question, so that it may never be here- 

 after misunderstood : that a State cannot create a cor- 

 poration it cannot thereafter control. ft 



Resolved, That, in view of present exertions. 1 ' we 

 look with alarm upon the future of an interest wnich 

 can combine in the hands of a few men a capital of 

 nearlv two hundred and fifty million dollars in our 

 own Slut*-, aud four thousand million dollars in our 

 Union ; and we believe it essential to the prosperity 

 of all classes, that this contest continue until these 

 corporations acknowledge the supremacy of law. 



Resolved, That we regard it as the undoubted power 

 and the imperative duty of the Legislature to pass 

 laws, fixing reasonable rates for freight and passen- 

 gers, without classification of roads, and that we urge 

 upon our General Assembly the passage of such laws. 



Resolved, That the existing statute [that of 1871], 

 providing for a classification of railroads, with a view 

 to adjusting a tariff of charges according to gross 

 amount of earnings, is a delusion and a snare, and is 

 so framed that railroads are able to classify them- 

 selves, and that it ought to bo carefully modified or 

 repealed. 



Resolved, That, inasmuch as the Supreme Court has 

 clearly pointed out the way to reach unjust discrimi- 

 nations made by the railroads of this State, we can 

 see no reason for delay on the part of the Legislature 

 in enacting the necessary laws on this subject, and 

 we urge immediate action thereon. 



Resolved, That wo urge the passage of a bill en- 

 forcing the principle that railroads are public high- 

 ways, and requiring railroads to make actual connec- 

 tions with aft roads whose tracks reach and cross 

 their own, and to receive and transmit all cars and 

 trains offered over their roads at reasonable maxi- 

 mum rates, whether offered at such crossings or nt 

 stations along their roads, and empowering the mak- 

 ing of connections by municipal corporations for that 

 purpose, and for the public use. 



Regained, That we neartily indorse the action of 

 the General Assembly looking to the enforcement 

 of the performance of their duties by monopolists as 

 common carriers, and that, in addition thereto, we 

 believe that railroads should be required to carry all ' 

 the freights and passengers offered from the country 

 through which tney pass, and not be permitted to 

 limit the amount of their business, and destroy its 

 natural increase. 



Resolved, That the constitution and laws of Illinois 

 are as binding upon railroad corporations as upon 

 the citizens, and that the State must require obedi- 

 ence to the laws from all alike, whether the same be 

 deemed constitutional or not by the parties affected, 

 until repealed or declared unconstitutional. 



Resolved, That we indorse most fully the action 

 of those who tender legal rates of fare upon the rail- 

 roads, and refuse to pay more, and that it is the duty 

 of the Legislature to provide by law for the defense 

 by the State of all suits commenced, or that hereafter 

 may be commencedj by the railroad companies against 

 individuals who, in good faith, have insisted, or 

 hereafter may insist, upon the right to ride on rail- 

 roads at legal rates. 



Resolved, That we demand of Congress a repeal 

 of all laws preventing the competition of all vessels 

 which may choose to engage in the carrying-trade on 

 our inlanel lakes, between ports in the United States, 

 without regard to nationality. 



Resolved, That we are in favor of the immfidiate re- 

 peal of the protective duties on iron, steel, lumber, 

 and all materials which enter into the construction 

 of railroad-cars, steamships, sailing-vessel*, agricult- 

 ural implements, etc., and that we urge upon Con- 

 gress immediate action for this purpose ; that cheap 

 railroads and cheap ships are necessary to cheap 



