146 
STATE AGKICULTURAL SOCIETY 
merce ; and consequently, as to such business, is equally subject 
to the constitutional power of regulation by congress. Con¬ 
gress may at any time regulate the running of trains, fix the 
tariff ot rates, and in every respect regulate and control the pro¬ 
ceedings of anj^ railroad company in regard to such commerce. 
A company whose road is situated wholly within the limits of 
a particular state, as to all produce which is destined for a dis¬ 
tant state, is also engaged in commerce among the states. And 
even those cases, where the charter of the company amounts 
to a contract which would prevent the interference of a state, 
are nevertheless within the power of congress; because no 
state can exonerate any person or corporation from the duty of 
obedience to all constitutional regulations of commerce by the 
general government. Therefore, the railroads of Iowa and 
Wisconsin, although wholly exempt, by recent decisions, from 
state control, may nevertheless be kept within just limits by 
the exercise of congressional authority. (Applause). 
Another course is worth considering. There may be insu¬ 
perable objections to it; or it may become a necessity in the 
future. 
The power to regulate commerce, includes the power to fa¬ 
cilitate commerce ; if not, then every lighthouse on the Atlan¬ 
tic coast is shedding an unconstitutional light upon the mid¬ 
night mariner. (Laughter.) It is impossible, I think, to dis 
tinguish between the power, in congress, under the constitu¬ 
tion, to build a lighthouse, and its power to build a canal or a 
railroad. The practical construction which the constitution 
has received, is, that congress may legislate in aid of com¬ 
merce. It may build harbors, improve lakes and rivers, and 
do whatever else may render commerce easy, safe and profita¬ 
ble. The encouragement as well as the protection of commerce 
was one of the chief motives which led to the adoption of the 
constitution ; and in this light the constitution has been re¬ 
garded by all our statesmen. The United States might build 
roads between such prominent points as the general interests 
♦ 
of commerce require, and make the common highways, over 
