Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-25
THE RAILROAD PROBLEM.
The Pennsylvania Constitutional
Convention Propose to Make them
HEghwaysHOw Stocks are to be
Issued, etc.

The Pennsylvania Constitutional
Convention Propose to Make them
HIghways-HOw Stocks are to be
Issued, etc.
From the New York Bulletin.
The constitutional convention in Pennsyl-
vania has proposed a new code for the man
agement of railroads and canals, which if
ratified by the people, will effect radical
and sweeping change in railroad legislation
in that State. The proposed changes, with
q few exceptions, are all decided improve
ments, and are such as are clearly warrant
Ell by the experience of the past. There is
scarcely a State in the Union which
has been 80 completely under the
control ofrailroad and corporate influence
and monopoly as Pennsylvania, and it is
to the credit of the constitutional cOnven-
ton that it had the courage and wisdom to
recognize the evil and provide adequate
remedies for it. In the first place, all
railroads and canals in the State are de-
clared public highways, with equal rights to
all persons to use them on equsl terms, &C.
cording to fixed rules and rates, without in
VidiOus discrimination, apd subject to the
general laws. Any individual, partnership
or corporation may construct and operate
railroad or canal in Pennsylvania, subject
only to the condition of paying reasonable
compensation for private or public property
used, injured or destroyed. Any railroad
may intersecs and connect with any other
railroad, and may pass its cars, empty or
loaded, over such other railroad, and no
discrimination shall be made In passenger or
freight tolls, and tariffs on persons or prop
erty, passing from one railroad to the other,
aud no unnecessary delay interposed in the
forwarding of such passengers and property
to the destination. Transportation COM
panies and their lessees and managers are
prohibited from owning, leasing or control
ling parallel or competing lines, and the
question as to whether railroads or canals
are parallel or competing lines shall always
be decided by q jury in trial according to
the course of the common law. ALI rail-
roads, canal and joint stock companies shall
forever be subject to taxation, and the pow
er to tax the same shall not be surrendered
or suspended by any contract or grant to
which the State shall be party. Railroad
companies doing business as common car
rier are prohibited from engaging, directly
or indirectly, in mining, or manufacturing
articles for transportation. They shall not
acquire any lands, except such as may be
necessary for the business Of common car
TyluS. 0u6 any uuuug VI MISUNDERSTANDING
company may carry the products of its
mines aud manufactures on its railroad or
canal, not exceeding fifty miles in length.
No corporation shall issue stocks or bonds
except for money, labor, or property &C.
tuaIly received; and all ficticious increase of
stock or Indebtedness shall be void; the
stock and Indebtedness of corporations
shall not be increased except in pursuance
of general law, nor without the consent of
the persons holding the larger amount in
value of the stock first obtained at a meet
ing, of which sixty days notice shall be
given. No street railroad shall be construct
ed without the consent of the local author
tiles. Free passes, except for officers and
employees of a company are prohibited.
The legislature is authorized to adopt suit
able regulations and laws, in accordance
with the fundamental principles of the con
stituLion. These laws and regulations are
to be general, and special legislation and
grants are absolutely prohibited. The sec
rotary OF internal affairs of Pennsylvania is
invested with general supervision of rail-
roads and canals, and charged with the ad-
minist-ation of all laws in relation to them.