Corporate Power in Government
A RECENT statement by Mayor McClellan of New York City, accompanying a veto by him of a bill depriving the aldermen of that city of the power of granting franchises, gives an idea of the extent to which state government in this country has passed under the control of corporate power. A prominent railway corporation, wishing to obtain a franchise to operate its road in New York City, and failing to secure prompt and favorable action in the matter from the city board of aldermen, sought to gain its ends by going to the legislature with a bill taking the matter out of the hands of the aldermen. In referring to this action of the corporation, Mayor McClellan said:— The Pennsylvania Railroad Company but a few years ago acquired a foothold in this city, but it seems determined to exercise its power over public officials here, as it has elsewhere. It has already made plain to me its ability to crush all opposition to its plans. Its representatives have come to me in the mayor’s office to advise me that if I did not accept these measures, they would nevertheless be passed over my veto. I was urged, should I decide to reject the bills, to do so promptly, so as not to needlessly prolong the session of the legislature, which would not be permitted to adjourn until the bills were repassed. This corporation, which has so long dominated the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, should be taught that it can not grasp the government of New York, or take away or transfer power from public bodies, who, whether for good or bad motives, fail to do its bidding. Resistance to these measures on this ground is a public duty of the greatest importance. True to its word, the railway corporation secured the passage of its measure over the mayor’s veto. Thus a railway corporation enters the metropolis of the nation and exercises its will there against all the power and authority of the mayor and board of aldermen, who are supposed to constitute the governing power in the city under the American system of government.