Charles Evans Hughes

“ It is plainly of importance to the people of the state that this local traffic should be carried upon reasonable terms; and if, in the case of a ferry, a state may protect its people from extortion although the ferriage is to the shore of another state, there is, in our judgment, no ground for saying that where the transportation is between two places in the same state, it is less a subject for local action, in the absence of Federal interposition, because the voyage is over a stretch of open sea. ”

“ The vessels of the plaintiff in error, in their direct passage between the ports named, must traverse the high seas for upwards of 20 miles. Adopting the statement of the commission, the supreme court of the state puts the case thus: 'They do not touch at any other port, either of the United States or of any foreign country. They do not transfer their passengers or freight to any other vessel, or receive the same from any other vessel in their course. ”