Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-06-18
RAILWAY CONTROL.
An open Letter from the Hon. Geo.
W. McCrary 20 the Hon.
Charles Francis
Adams Jr. %
An Answer 20 the Letter Of the Lat.
ter - Senator wanasm- where.
IN Mr.. Adams Errs


ter - Senator Windem. where.
In Mr.. Adams Errs
Congress Has the Power "a Regulate |
Batlwyays-A united states stat
ate Oaght = be Enacted 90
Prevent Ext0rtion and l
uRjuss Daseri,M.
inasion.
HOUSE, or REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON, June 9, 1874 )
Hon. Charles Francis Adams, Jr.
!. Sir: l readily concede that whatcv-
er you may have to say upon the SUBJ
ject Of the regulation OF railway trans-
iportatiOn, 10 entitled to great weight,
and 1t IL for this reason that have
carefully read ana fully considered
your open letter to Senator Window,
published In the New york Tribune
of yesterday. a candid and diepas-
sionate discussion Of this difficult and
important qoestlon is much to be
desired, and I am, therefore, glad that
you have seen AZ TO make public your
views concerning what is known 90
the McCrary bill" now pending In
tho Senate, and not being able to con-
cur In some OF those views, take the
liberty to follow your example ana IN
this method to state my dissent and
some Of tho reasons therefor.
EVILS OF RAILWAY MANAGEMENC.
There can. presume, be no differ
ence of opinion Between us % to the
naturc and character of the evils and
wrongs which exist, and to remedy
which IL the o6ject and purpose Of the
proposed legislation. These wrongs
arc numerous, hut chief among them
are: ssssss
1. Extortion. Or the charging Of nm,
reasonably high rates for transporta-l
ton, and h 9a st
.. Unjust and oppressive discrim-
ination IL fayegpf or sgainst particu-
lar persons OF places. ae5'
No man hAe done more than you 70
bring prom1neaely before the people
the existenoo and the en0rmity Of.
these abusea, md I therefore assume
that you a4yeo With me that they exist,
that they as0 without qualifications or
excuse, that fhey constitute . fragrant
and tesy 0s1Ae q be remedied. You
and I can. di6Ar only when we come,
e the questloa q applying . remedy.
The bin which you criticise 90 sewers
~, undertakes % prohibit tho two
abuses ! have named. Its author held,
and eth holde the opinion that the
first thing u ~ done was to forbid
by lev, ltho forpetuation Of the
wrongs wAiokYuu sir, had 90 clearly
shown 70 exlet ,eAnd that tho second
thing 70 DO done was to provide the
nscessary machinery for compelling
obedience tosthae law. It seems to mo
that yo0 do not slsarly distinguish BE-
tween the proposed law and tho ma
chinery for IT. execution. You disouee
and criticize tke latter, but you ignore
tho former. ~ q i
THE RRMEDlEs TO BE APPLIED.
Let 10 see how far We can travel to.
gcther. hold that statute OF tho
United States SHOULD be enacted pro-
hibiting both oxtortion and unjuet
discrimiuataon - the part OF inter-
State railways. n you dispute the
:osndnses q IN proposition, thsn ws
differ upon fundamental question,
but I cannot thimk that you will dis
pute Il, heoanse e these things ere =
common and - oppressive % ron have
often charged, ard o. / believe them 70
be, it would aeam impossible fos any
man to 1naintAlA the impropristy Of
their entire prohibition. / am, doubt
less, correct, therefore, ia aseumiu3
that you regard the object and parposo