The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-04-11
Railroad Determinations How to
prevent them-The remedy not
by Legislature.

Railroad Observation-Disclosures to
prevent them-The remedy not
by Legislature
There have been many, aud loud com
plants because the railroad companies
make what are considered, unequal and
unjust determinations, between local
and through freight Some of these com
plants may b. just and well founded,
whilst others may be without good cause
We are anxious, says the Journal Of
Commerce, for cheap transportion upon
all freights, local as we'll as through. But
the question is what is the best method
for obtaining them It canno5 be denied
that it cost railroad companies much
more to transport and deliver, local than
it does through freights. A train of cars
full loaded with through freigbts, that
does not have to stop at way stations to
deliver any Portions of freights can Iun
at much less expense than train of cars
which contains local freights, many of
the cars being not more than half loaded
1t is well known to ali who are acquaint.
ed with railroads that in the transporta-
ton Of local freights, if there is not
enough freight for any one station to fill
4 car it has to be carried in a car that is
only one half or one fourth loaded-thus
making it very expensive to the company
the delay in stopping train at each
way station for fifteen or twenty minutes,
or in some instances half an hour to de.
liver local freight Is very costly. And,
therefore, no company can transport and
deliver local freight, anything like as
cheap, rs it can through freight We do
not deny but in many instances the dis
ordinations may be unjust and unfair,
but our object is to show that it would
be unjust to require local and through
freight to be carried atthe same rates per
raile. If the cars were smaller, and the
expense Of running the road less, there
would not be that difference between 10
cal and through freights, as is now the
case when the cars weigh sixteen thou
sand pounds each, and often do not carry
more than six or eight thousand pounds
Of local freight. The true remedy for
these freight determinations is for other
and cheaper roads to be built, which can
deliver local freight, at less expense. The
remedy upon which many rely, that is
Legislative action, is of no value Unless
the railroad companies violate their char
ters by charging more than the law al
lows, the Legislature has no right to
regulate their charges, or to interfere
with the contract, made between them
and the State 1t is true they are to a
certain extent public corporations, which
the Legislature had a right to control,
hut the time for regulating and controll-
ing these corporations, was in the grant
ing Of the charters, and neither part, has
a right to violate The terms then agreed
upon, as contained in the charter. Until
the railroad companies charge higher
rates, than their charters allow the Legs
| islature has no right to interfere with
| them. If the companies choose to charge
! less upon some freights, than they dc
/ upon others ifthey agree to carry fr eight
! 500 miles for as little as they carry freight
/ 800 miles, they have the legal right to dc
so. They could, if they thought proper
charge nothing upon through freights
provided they did rot charge any more
Ill L. -
authorized What would be thought il
the Legislature should attempt to pass ;
law, that railroad companies should no
give free passes to any without givins
them to all persons who applied that /
should be their duty not TO discriminate
between members of the Legislature ant
Judges of the courts, and other Partie :
These arc matters within the discretion
Of each company, and they have the
right to charge as little, as they thinI
proper, on freight, and to grant passes t
whatever persons they may wish. Tha
they always act rights or exercise due dis
erection either in the one case or tn
other, we do not pretend to say, not b,
Legislative action except in the granting
Of charters. We can only correct thi
evil by building rival aud competing
roads, which will cause the present CON
panies to reduce their local rates withou
injury even to themselves. These ncv
roads will increase the wealth, bushes
and productions of the country, and a
the business cf the road increases tile,
can afford to reducs their freight ch2rges
This is the only remedy which we legall
possess. And by the proper use of thi
remedy we can secure cheap local, a
we'll as through transportation.