Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-18
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
Views of the washington convention

views Oh the washington COuveuAo"'
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 17.-In the
Cheap Transportation Convention this
morning, the majority report of the Com
mittee on Railroads was adopted. 1t de
clareS that relief must come from Legisla-
tion, by which our system of railroads can
be regulated and improved, and by com
petition which will completely carry out
the reform which legislation must inaugu-
rate. 1t recommends a national law pro
yiding for bureau of commerce and trans
pOrtation, ETC.; that the members Of the
Association shall endeavor to obtain the
passage of certain laws in their respective
States, including law prohibiting all rail-
way companies from making unjust and
excessive determinations against places
which are not competing points, and law
Obliging all railway companies to transport
the cars OF other companies or of indiyidu-
ais for just and partial compensation with
the same dispatch as cars belonging exclu-
sivCly to said roads, etc.
1t calls for legislation making it a penal
offence for public officer to accept or use
free pass Of any railway company, and
prohibiting railway companies from grant
ing passes to other than employees, and
disclaims the granting of lands or subsld-
les in any form. 1t also recommends that
railways and canals be constructed by the
national government; the manner Of con-
structing railways to be by contract to the
lowest bidder, and when constructed they
should be used for the transportation OF
government property, and when not re-
quired for government property, all citizens
to have the right to place cars and lOcomo-
tiveS thereon, and to operate the same, sub
ject to regulations to be provided by the
government, they paying toll thereon suf-
ficient to maintain the roadway.
Josiah Quincy was elected President
with Vice President from each State and
r. III. Ferguson Secratary. The next ses-
sion will be held in Richmond, the time to
be fixed by the Executive Committee.
James Baker and B. II. .Bonner were adj
mitted as delegates from St. Louis.
Progress of senate Committee.
Senator Window addressed the cOnven-
ton and said the Committee ofthe Senate
of which he is chairman had been employed
In gathering much information. He could
not now speak as to what the report
would be, but he had no doubt it would be
satisfactory, and expressed the opinion it
would be ready TO present to the Senate
dDONl Gbs ls
Water Routes.
Resolutions were adopted that the Con-
Vention ask of Congress as means of af-
fording relief to the country the enlarge
ment and extension of the Illinois and
Michigan canal to the Mississippi river at
Rock Island, together with the completion
of the work on the Illinois river, the I'M
provement of the Mississippi river and the
Tennessee river route, the latter known as
the Atlantic and Great Western canal, the
extension of the Chesapeak aud Ohio canal
from Cumberland, Nd, to some point on
the Ohio river and the central water line
through Virginia.
The standing committees were appointed
and to them the plans for and reports on
cheap transportation were referred with
instructions TO present the results of their
consideration of the several papers to
Senator Windows transportation Commit
tee. The Convention then Adjourned sine
die.