, 1870-02-08
The Railroad QuextRon-Lc&1er from
I1oD. a. W. Mack

To the Editor Of Tie Chicago Tribune:
! have read the editorial IN tn1a mornings TRI-
BuNE, On 1.-THE Railroad Question:" with uausual
satisfaction; nfst, because It evidences disposi-
Sion to aaIume the only tenAhle Rruuad upon which
the pe eople can ever hope 10 exercise auy control
over rallrosd Tatea: and, second, because il IL a
complete justification Of the po1tton taken By me-
Ii 1861, In .he introduction ard advocacy in the
Legislature Of the " Railroad Commissioners
Bill" It will be remembered inas carly In the
Eesstou Of 1867 bill was Introduced and passed
Trough the House Of Representatives, providing
for redncton Of 20 per cent upon tna thea exist
ing freight tariffs Of each aEd every railroad IN
this stale. Wnsu thss IL reached the Senate It
was 1e!erred to the Comu ittee On Ra'lfpadA oE
te1posed ~ oblsctions 70 tde ueasure, and Of
feted - substitute pill creating Board Of Rail-
road conmlAteheEs." and consesEtnE upon said
editorial As betrg vested 10 the Massachusetts
Commissioners, TO VII: the power TO make per-
sonal examination into ali the a1atra Of all these
compatteE, 10 require than 10 furnish all 11forma-
tlon Necessary to disclose t3e actual wefEinE Of
the system" md, In addition to tat1, aud more
especially Tor the Pn1po.e Of testing the power OF
tie people 0yer the Eoads, the Rallto4d Comtpis-
sonerS were authorized and -eQai1ed to call upon
tho soaos to mate proper reducsiSns and changes
In thelr rates whenes er snch rates were deemed
eIorbltant ard urtusr, ard, In case Of Refusal
Of ahy read TO comp. J with The request OF the
COZ m'E s!ouess. rad Commissioners we're to sp-
Ply directly to the Supreme q court for 4nandamas
ftor
Tns principal objection urged BY me to what
The following quota11on frota speech, made bJ
neia the Senate, upon the subject:
"Mr MACK sa.d In lcs1ssatins upon this subject Of
he fssmEi.o q .ai5osa s9ss; - one' S nos n9sf 70
s g ~ snat M HFS n
oi a sae ,3e Il au ns
tiop that vouid impa!r tho ability Of Tho Foaas 10 do
fnfeftGt& Of the entire pubc.
~ ~ e. .as I 10 po3e5 etea @ at"ss & r.
f e. u iaS Ie;.avss zeg tn A"' '4'
Iats ii: S9 Is W ,es5, e
upon tbis queron. md dttermnc BY lte.1lt!s enact
mem Hrs tnat es. bs dss.sea y ne eeatt.
be pssvade1 for By l. ~ -. a,, ,oa,.,,,o, ,o,. =.
s1eeS t 2. iaS eta t,,s ac61 aG
y ~, n2iS er.s,v snn,It,en n 1nns ed,tara1 A. ~
nnct - r.s}d ~ III ststa IL Inc nnTer ID tSs
s,a:s 10 . n,t be charges for tfe'sa:s sna pss,en.
Eso,e ha,,nr ra.ervad Thn oTer n tara nosssS
s'nr ~ nnv ara,1Eas h. nnt19r ina1efors ia ~
oS.enet ~ s,teh yesyroion ~ 1oureemd thaf such
1tht De- noftrsL" Tne co1fscs statement Of ina
oYns,ndx MAJ N, nenis IN ina feo1sIst1re nj
r. r. nasssrotrs and RI irns6 compsfSes IN th,s
Stsss i Sssts, i that 1ns sta,e y Pos1,vs coz:
az -. a. 1etT n aesaes ~ thss ,s,ht ~ =
a. M 10 !sSs sno esss1. nos anis ils1s m y
sap!sct 70 sae neGes1a1ny ampnea co9ol1oa tnas
t9fEe es !a.es sosM W. ~ ltaeo: ~ aHe s9o 1ust;
.nG e ussGs ~ .ne nouo auup 81 " tue -
sanea 1esnlc 1onasts iuI sae NoDttul " tne
!a!toaas n 1oe mater o. tael1 lts.eas aaa pas.
.ass pas - 80 10 ~
interpo:ifion Of the legislative Department Of 1ne
state, alone Upon tnls point 4uote agA!a from
mJ alRnmens ID tue sehste Waen 1uecfattt1, "t1sl
| lteTer CID Eay thSE tue State mad no power 70
cobtiO Il ere nattcrA helIHVe fhat tue State has
fre power to do tn1f, but tue difference On sh,s
roars between nygelE aud tue nnBos sahl le Ssneses
| 1Iom Booze, II. ira conceive that the Leg1sla.
tu1e Of the Slate OF Ilt.nols does no comprise tue
| tInre poGer Of the State, ! recognize tpree CO