Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“ No doubt in the case of an international bridge the action of a State will be scrutinized in order to avoid any possible ground for international complaint, but the mere fact that the bridge was of that nature would not of itself take away the power of the State over its part of the structure if Congress were silent, any more than the fact that it was a passageway for interstate commerce or crossed a navigable stream. ”

“ When Congress has acted we see no reason for not leaving the situation as Congress has seemed to leave it, if on the most critical examination we discover no intent to withdraw State control, but on the contrary an assumption that the control is to remain. We have adverted to the implications of the general law of 1899 and have mentioned the statutes that deal specifically with this bridge. ”

“ At all events the power of New York to insist upon its rights is not limited by speculation upon that point. As we agree with the Court of Appeals that this amendment to the charter was within the power reserved to the State the objection under the contract clause of the Constitution of course must fail, and, it would seem, that under the Fourteenth Amendment also. But as to the latter we may add, as the Court of Appeals added, that there is nothing to show that the addition to the structure will not yield a reasonable return; if that be essential in view of the charter. ”