The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-28
Washington News and Gossip.
THE INTERSTATE RAILWAY BILL,

THE INTERSTATE RAILWAY BILL.
The bill to regulate railroad commerce be-
tween the States, which passed the House
Thursday. contains fifteen sections and would
cover two columns of the PRESS 1t euacts
that all railroad lines carrying freight between
the different States, whether owned by one or
by various corporations, shall be regarded as
employed in commerce among the several
tbs act n9 bea BE fbb fer e BSaon Of
than fair aud reasonable rate for the trans
portatlou OF freight or passengers; such rate
to be ascertained and fixed by Board of Rail-
road Com missioners, to be appointed by the
president, with the advice and consent Of the
Senate, and to be residents of each of the nine
judicial districts of the United States; they are
10 De dslnterested persons, and not to have any
interest in the stock, bonds, or property of any
raIIroad or any transportation company.
This board of railroad commissioners is to
institute a thorough investigation and INQUIRY
into the rates, tables, and compensation charged
for transporting freights and passage over each
of such lines of railroad, and into the reason
ableness thereof, and is, as soon as practicable
after such investigation and inquiry, to prepare
for the owners and operators of each of such
lines, as per rate of schedule, reasonable maxi
mum rates of charges for the transportation of
passengers and freight and cars on or over such
lines respectively. The schedule is to be au-
thenticated by the board of commissioners. and
W W PA'hsSu anu SPo poooCu ny III cdCu VI tuC
offices and depots Of such railroad company,
corporation or person. They may from time to
Ilme as circumstances may requirech anges and
revise the schedule, and shall give notice of
'"oh changes or revisions in the same manner
CHANGE NEEDED.
Ane special OF the Boston Journal. noticing
the Sanborn investigation, saws that Tho ev;,
dence OF Thursday Showed, however thot tho
gentleman had letters of instruction fro,,, A..
sistant Secretary of the Treasury sawnor
which were not sent to Congress with tho
naming correspondence. The committeo &c ae
much annoyed at the constant disclosures &c
additional correspondence and papers in this
IN after, which has not been furnished Con-
gress by the Treasury Department, notwitb-
Standing the four several dem nds therefor
members OF the committee say thao if these
papers have not been presented on account of a
loose method of conducting business, it is quite
silne tnat the system of business should be
cnaagea 10, day, papers of very considerable
;a We're presented by the witnesses, of
nicn 10 Information had been conveyed to
Uengress oy the Treasury Department. Among
Inese was letter from the Solicitor of the
Treasury, requesting the Commissioner of In.
ternal Revenue to give Sanborn's agents GER
tain specific Information, which the Commi..
sioner of Internal Revenue refused. The in.
vestigation has certainly disclosed the fact that
there are large amounts due the government
which the regular officers have no information
AMI which they have not the ability to col
leot." - ..