Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-03-12
THE IOWA VOTER.


WA5HINGTON, Marcn Sine de-
bate on the transportation question
was opened in the House by Mr..
NcCrary Of Iowa, the author Of the
bill reported from the Committee on
Railways and Canals, and now pend
ing. DIR. McCrary's speech was
clear and forcible argument In sup
port of the constitutional power OF
Congress TO regulate Interstate com
merce on railways, and Of the neces-
sity for the immediate exercise
Of this power to protect the rights
and interests Of the people. His
discussion OF the constitutional ques-
tion was particularly thorough and
convincing. He cited recent judicial
decisions, including one by Justice
Strong OF the Supreme Court, in sup
port Of his position, that the power
conferred upon Congress by the Con-
stitution TO regulate commerce be-
tween the States extends to that
most important portion Of commerce
which Is carried on by railroads. If
such power did not reside i'm Con-
gress, then he argued that the rail
roads were independent of all control
except as far as concerning their
traffic within State lines, for a State
could make no laws binding on a
railroad outside Of it's own bounda-
ries. The vast Interstate traffic, and
still more important traffic between
the West and the sea board, that
crosses several States, must remain
free from all regulation by law, un-
less Congress asserted its power over
1t.
When he came To the discussion OF
the necessity for action by Congress
to prohibit extortionate charges by
the railroads, Mr.. McCrary did not
give rs copious statement Of facts
ms might have been wished, but
those he mentioned were strikingly
10 the point. Among few instances
OF discriminating freights charges,
which he cited as examples, were
M follows:
The tariff on certain class OF
freights from Rochester, New York,
to Hannibal, Missouri, was one dol
lar per one hundred pounds, while
on the same class from Worcester,
Massachusetts, TO the same place IL Is
only sixty cents. On certain West
ern road the charge on n car from one
terminus to a point one hundred
miles from the other terminus WAS
was twenty dollars more than for the
whole length Of the road that is the
company charged that amount extra
for not hauling the car the last one
hundred miles.
Speaking Of the tribute paid by
the grain producers Of the West to
the railroad monopolists, he present.
ed statistics to show that the amount
received by the railroads for trans
porting grain In 1873, from the Miss
issippi Valley to the sea-board, was
million dollars In excess
Of double the cost Of transportation.
Mr.. McCrary did not believe that
the opening Of new water lines
would afford complete relief. AS to
u railroad to the West built in whole
or part by the Government, that was
u last resort; but IL undertaken,
Congress would have 10 control the
other roads, to force them
to connect with 1t. He argued in
favor Of his bill as the simplest and
surest measure of relief.
The bill creates a commission, with
power to tx freight and passenger
tariffs, which are not, however, 10 be
binding on railroads, but whenever
disregarded will serve as prin,a facie
evidence In judicial proceedings, to
what are just and reason
BILE charges. The debate promises to
last several days.