Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-18

Mr. Shields was opposed TO this war on rail
roads. and lie srzued At length 70 show that the
business not profit lie one An immense
amount Of capital was invested IN them, and 50
far from its beng paying investment il was
considered dead capital
Mr Corbiu moved to recommit the bill 20 the
judiciary Committee. with INSTRUCTIONS
Mr. Browne, OF Randolph bad 10 desire 10
urge war against railroads The people had
invested largely Ia them. and they had done much
for the c0uatry- The Dill did not contenplat
reduction IN the prices, but be did desire 20
rect the discrimination against the local business
OF the country. How is IL that passengers and
freight are Carried iT0m one end to tue other Of
line cheaper than way passengers are carried.
Dir Mansfield and Dir Shields: IL is because
OF the competition Of cDmpeting roads.
Mr. Browne Of Randolph. knew that. and he
thought the Legislature had the power to correct
these wrongs he went on 10 illustrate the work
ing OF this discrimination against the way freight
and travel. and cOntended that Il unjust and
unfair 10 the great Of the people who did
not live at the termini of the roads The great
object of the bill was to prevent the roads from
giving all their means of transportation to the
ends OF the lines, where there competition,
10 the exclusion of the way stations Who even
heard OF shippers here beng obliged to wait tor
carsy But the way stations on ali the roads are
frequently crowded for weeks and months. Ii
WAS unfair, unjust. and cried aloud tor redress
1 he second proposition IN the bill TO make
the way ard through freghts uniform This was
also Just and should be the rule TO prevent the
building up Of monopolies at the ends OF the
roads by rObbing the farmers along the lines
The Dill does not propose to REFUGE the rates: il
simply proposes to make the rates uniform.
Mr.. Shields replied the arguments of Mr..
Browne. contending that the true rule for the
Legislature would be to let the railroads regulate
their own business. aud they SOuld do 1t with far
more advantage to the people who were their
cu-iOmerS) than Senators could do.
Dir. Murray would like the Senator from Ran
dOlph to tell him how this State could regulate
by law the fares on roads which had their termn
in other States The roads in his section ran
north and east-ther markets were at Chicago
and New York.
Mr.. Browne of Randolph. did not know that
we could regulate the roads outside OF the State,
but within the State ne could, and thus set a
good example TO o her States
Mr. CorDn explained The effect of the amend
ments he proposed TO the bill, and made able
argument He earnestly advocated some re
strainis upon the railroad corporations OF the
country. The people had been ground down
since the troubles cUmmenc ed, and II 1t was in
the power OF the Legislature relic. should be at
forded
Mr. March said there was great complaint and
dissatisfaction among the people The Legisla-
tdIe should act promptly tell the people that
they could not act. The railroads were built
mainly by the people along the lines, and the
stocks were now held by capitalists who had
bought them up at mere song. They had post
pored the local freight and given all advantages
to through freight and It had caused great dis
content among the people. We must do some
thing To quiet this feeling or it might eulnlinste
| III ala outbreak.
Mr. Ray said that there were two classes of
railroads in the State Some were built under
! snecai charters ana some under the general law.
Ii the Legislature has hot reserved the power TO
regulate under the charters the right belongs to
the corporations The general law did reserve
the right. and railroads built under this were un-
der tie control OF the Legislature. to their
tolls, &c, but thuse built under special charters
were free from control He conceded the right
those organized under the general Law, but
denied the right OF the Legislature to say TO
those roads al ting under special charters that
they should carry AT specified rates should
| keep "A sufficient amount of stock hand to
meet extraordinary emergencies. Mr. Ray an
swered the arguments of Mr.. March at length.
Mr. Graves did not feel like voting for the bill
as it now stands. and yet lie was anxious to have
some legal regulation OF the matters contained
! in it,
MT. OneluS 0pNeu 10 .lUutuulteIN pOctpOut the
! bill and amendment
| NJ Cobb moved to lay that motion the
table Prevailed-yeas 80. nays Is.
| The bill and amendments were then referred to
the Judiciary Committee.
! MEMORIAL.
Mr.. Browne, Of Ranpolph. by unanimous con
sent. presented "A memorial IRON the officers and
soldiers of the 34th Indiana regiment
MIR. Browne moved that il be printed with the
papers sent from the Army of the Cumberl land,
which prevailed
| The House bill for the relief of borrowers from
the Sinking Fund was read first time.
Adjourned.