, 1874-01-07

for the better protection Of persons aud property trans
punishments not only for placing distractions upon
and tearing up the track but for injury TO persons
and property through careeatness or negligence Of
officers and employees Of railroad companies
TEE EAI1oSAI. CENTENNIAL.
desire to call the attention Of the Legislature to
and Eubuit, herewith for g consideration circular
esued Nov r. 1873, By the United Sates Centennial
Commission inviting the several States and Terrific
Tits to appoint State Centennial Managers. The i'm
portance Of this exhibition, international in its char
acter, commemorative OF American Independence,
and associated With tbs honor and future prosperity
Of the Nation, demands that the arts, manufactures,
and products OF the soil and mines OF Illinois he well
represented and AK that the Legislature take early
action, and intimate by law resolution, the will Of
tho people in this matter.
WORK OF THE RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE coxM1sA1os.
submit, herewith with my full approval, the
nual report Of the Railroad and Warehouse COMMITS
sioners. The Commissioners, by law, bare the super
vision Of railroads and warehouses as re ated to the
public interests the registration OF warehouse receipts.
and inspection Of grain in every city in which islocatd
warehouse Of Casa 4, and Of the making aud reyls-
ing for each Of the railroad corporations doing busl-
rates Of chnrRea for the transportation Of passeugcrs
freight, and Their work is vas, comp.rh esiye
aud difficult, involving immense interests They hare
discharged their official duties with and
fidelity worth Of commentator, Of which their full
was unfortunately deprived Of he services Of one Of s
members and IN the death Of Hon. q. D. Cook, Cha1-
Of the Board, the Commission and the State suf-
II is the constitutional duty Of the General Assembly
10 pas laws for the inspection Of grain for the prote
sn of to
the present legislation ia sufficient to protect these
classes-
1t Is also the constitutional duty Of the General As
semy pass Ill necessary 1aws to prevent the issue
Of false and fraudulent warehouse receipts Public
warehouses, in which large quantities Of grain are
i1ed vast grain banking houses Issuing receipts
commercial in their character, representing large
values. and held securities for adsancea. The best
init nf production
these receipts 10 genuine, and honored when present
ed or some legal excuse given therefor In my or!n-
iou additional legislation is needed for the better
protection Of all parties against the Of false and
fraudulent warehouse receipts.
In every city, in which is located warehouse Of
Class L. the State has assumed the inspection Of grain.
It has been my endeayor, AID that Of the officers hay
ing the supervision and charge Of the inspection to
questioned whether the State inspection is equal to
the old SYSTEM am not prepared to recommend
any change believe the present. system gros 6etter Ter
Under the old Constitution the State raised money
and cities pursuant to Law, voted rge Of money
In aid Of raill Dads. By the new Consultation both
prohibited. The navigation Of our rivers may be
improved by the Slate, but cauI can be enlarged
or extended except By appropriation OF It's SURPLUS
earnings; aid railroads only be built by private
Tia prosperity Of the State is largely dependent
upon Its transportation. and very largely dependent
upon railroad transportation. On tho other band, the
people and tie industries Of the country. Such arc
the relations af dependency between production aad
both, Any ro:icy that affects tho will affect
the other. Ono cannot prosper long time at the ex-
! pense Of the other.
age railroad corporations, holding them To strict
accountability. and requiring in tho management
safsy md @ noc1 n}at ~ 1d
1ions 10 meet tie wants Of the people, and enccur-
aye the industries Of the State, by aroraDg every
sonable facility for transportation ut the lowest posS
81 tho terms Of the Constitution the General Assen
bly, required to raes laws to correct sbuses and RIe
Of freight and passenger tariffs, and, from tine to
time, to pass Laws establishing reasonable maximum
Of charges fer the Of passengers
acd freight the different railroads in this State
The authority to correct abuses is sufficient for the
correction, OF al abuses which ra!road corporations
nre abuses, and establishing reasonable maximum
rites il to prevent such abuses. These abuses are
wrongs the law, recognizable by the courte,
and tie courts hare the power to determine what act
constitutes unjust discrimination e1tortou,
what Is reasonable maximum rate The Constitu-
| ton is either declaratory of the common law re-
quirtng the Legislature to enforce laws passed
IN pursuance thereof, By adequate penalties even to
to9 hs to
what act constitutes unjust discrimination e1tor
ton, what ts . reasonable maximum rate, which
law shall be binding upon railroad corporations, and
shall not be questioned by any other branch Of the
Government The Supreme Court, in late decision,
tu1c, By the act approved May 2, 1873, conforms
Sec Of said act declares that certain acts done by
railroad corporations ehau be deemed and taken, not
Is uiuet discrimuations lut pra facie evidence
Of unjust determinations. Sec directs tho Rail
road and Warehouse Commissioners to mike, for each
Of the raiiroad corporations doing business in this
State, q schedule Of reasonable maximum rates OF
charges which shall te deemed and taken, in all tue
courts Of the State, not reasonable maximum rates,
I but as ,,ri1na facie evidence thereof.
| The Commissioners have prepared and published
the schedules required by 1a" nnd submit tho same
with their report By the terms Of ea1d act these
schedules become pr1ua facie evidence on the 15t IN
[ slant.
1873 Oa that day, rates were largely advanced on
Of the leading lines in the State, under the plea
| Of conforming to Inv. While this action may have
contorea to that PER. Of the law fosbiddiEg unjust
Discrimination 1t hardly couformea to that part Of the
law forbdding e1tortion. The plea for this advance
cannot be maintained: The wisdom Of the adFance an
was soon doubted by railroad managers: and their
| schedule Of rates. in many instances, modified.
What the railroad corporations will do after the 18th
OF January, when the schedules arc in full force,
cannot say Should they fail or refuse to comply with
the termi Of the ac 1t will be the duty Of the Ezecu-
tive and the officers Of the law 70 execute With energy,
and enforce with rigor the will OF the people,
pressed by the Legislature. The people demand that
public corporations shall aubserve public interests, and
racnt must and vii conform Tho sooncs the problem
solved the better, in my opinion, for a eoncerned
Once fol;ed fel assured the people VII be ast ana
tes. and give them nil privileges consistent VIII toe
| purlte good.
| recommend full and fair trial Of the law passed
at the former session snd IT, upon trial. is found
that the schedule Of rates prepared and published BY
the Commissioners Is unjust unfair to the people or
railroads. the Commissioners can change and reE1s
the same and such action will meet the approval Of q
| candid and considerate people.
| AL Of which Is respectfully submitted:
| JOHN L. BEVERIDGE-
THIsTLN0 TIE MESSAGE.
Anderson moved ha. 5000 copies OF the message he
printed in Eng is!, and Washburn offered an amend
racut to print 2oC0 In German 1,000 in Swedish The
amendment lost, and the original motion carried.
After referring the rarjous subjects il tho message to
appropriate committees, the House adjourued-
NEW YORK.
| COT. prx's MESSAGE
A1D4SI, jan 6.-The Legislature met to,day; Coy.
D1 in his message ths condition Of the State IT,
under most Of its aapecte, exceedingly gratifying. The
deb: Ii comparatively small, and mag, With proper
economy, In few years be entirely pc!d- The col
leges academies, and schools arc dour5shtng; the
charitable institutions in general well managed
the laws enforced With renewed v1yoT and great
criminals brought to speedy and exemplary punish
mcut He gives the history Of the robbery In
t the Tre@surer'a Office, and excnipates every one
| from guilty intent except Phelps, but sa5s there
is no d5ubs the detacauon would hare been prevented
il the Treasurer had bocn ut hts post and given to bis
duties the attention the State has the right 70 c1act
| from the custodian OF its treasure.
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