66 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOClATIOIsr. 



that does not belong to the state is obnoxious to every notion of justice, and 

 indefensible on any ground of common honesty ; and that it is done accord- 

 ing to law, does not inject honesty into the transaction. It is only in time 

 of war when every interest is properly subordioated to the supreme purpose 

 of saving the life of the nation, that the forcible interference with private 

 rights can be tolerated by a free people. 



Many persons doubtless understand and interpret the word law as another 

 name for justice, and indeed the words should be synonymous, for it is re- 

 volting to think of wrong legalized ; but the fact remains that laws are of 

 human origin, and blemished by human infirmities, while justice is heaven- 

 born and pure as its source. 



It does not, therefore, necessarily follow that a thing is right simply be- 

 cause the law so provides. Nor can the decision of any court make that 

 honest which in itself is dishonest. Judges, who interpret and enforce, are 

 not different from those who draft and enact laws. They are human also, 

 and imperfect also. All the wrongs I have already mentioned were perpe- 

 trated not only according to the law, but their enforcement was put in mo- 

 tion by the enginery of the courts. 



And so, Mr. President, I find occasion, if not justification, for insisting 

 that it is no answer to a charge of plain injustice to say, " the law so provides 

 and the courts so hold." 



But, lest I be misunderstood as recommending resistance to law and re- 

 volt against its enforcement, let me plainly say that I am in favor of neither, 

 and am in favor of perfect obedience to the statutes of the land and the 

 highest j:espect to the decisions of the courts, so long as the one finds a place 

 in the statute book and the other remains unreversed ; for otherwise we must 

 have anarchy where order is indispensable. But I address my argument to 

 neither makers nor interpreters of the law, but to the people, which in this 

 country " is the power behind the throne, stronger than the throne ; " and to 

 that public opinion which makes the law-maker and judges the judge. With 

 the sentiment of the country on the side of honesty, we shall find infrequent 

 occasion to either sustain or oppose unjust legislation, for the enactments of 

 the legislative body, with rare exceptions, reflect the views and policy of the 

 people. 



My argument has proceeded upon the assumption that, whether or not 

 they be profitable to their proprietors, the railroads are of undoubted ad- 

 vantage to the communities through which they are operated, and it were 

 doubtless a sufficient enforcement of this assumption to say that the use of 

 these roads by the people is in no case compulsory, and every citizen is at 

 the largest liberty to go on foot or on horseback, and to convey his freight 

 on his shoulder or in his saddlebags in spite of the railroad, and that he may 

 protect himself from any threatened hardship and every possible injustice 

 by simply letting it alone ; but I prefer briefly to show something of what 

 these roads have in fact accomplished toward the development of the coun- 

 try and the prosperity of the people. 



As I have before in substance said, transportation is a burden upon pro- 

 duction—a necessary burden to be sure, but none the less a burden. To 

 reduce its cost is to lighten this burden, and add so much to the profits of 

 the producer. Kow, it is matter of statistics that the railroads of the coim- 



