, 1874-01-17

lions, and these railways hive In 1nany tnsanccn, by
combination md consolidation, bocotnn monorotcs,
which aro ,!se to unduy ta1 mid oprrasa the people
who croatea thcm. 10 rapidly hhve thcse improved
highways been multiplied nivorna bnH their nHo 10
celno TINT their proper regulation llas bscono nntter
of national ucEesatty. Our ctttro System Id honey
....,, ,nErEcrH Ann ArusEs,
among tho most Important Of which aro!
Seeond-- rho infation con,moniy known no al watering
s1oased thssrey making It nceessary to nnday da G1
no3s = IT, is 1t ssi's y tho stock
RI formation qiigSs q Ing in tho management,
sSs ncn 18TH n9 pS a tt the ,nams
fifth-Tho present rysten, which nc{6ssitntes tho
roa rasSifs on ~f s M asssgsr "Sss sss e
s Ts wor Sha u e my aFGt ey
should ho rolling on to their destination. I;
now is What practical re!neaiea can We propose ?
subject, il il tho opinion Of tho conittee Tint tic
desired rorf muat como from, Arst. legislation by
a" 3 eeens. neee eSsmpefton. ssn whs vii eo,npsto
md carry out tho reform which lce'sa must IN
Laws WANTED.
Under the lead of lcglHl4o1', "o SHOULD havo tho
'o"e TfstBe notiouul law providing uurea Of Com
ncrco mud transportation which slu!l iasa power 10
prescribe uniform system for keor!ng rtiiWhy nc
oa a r ad o y
It hlA DO tu mako annual report 10 CongteEs, an
suggest lcglsa.lon tending to improve TITO Feucnt Bys
Stcond 4 law making 1t q renni oilen.o for my
public otlcial to ncccEt or so the ffcn Eaba of ay
from granting s,lch la.ses to y but regnr employees
Of sllch rnilWnys. -, :
COMPETITION.
The Committee uf ll'B opinion, however, at conf
petition viii royo to he our Iost md most ecitt rom
edy. as before Rtatea, the wheels Of compcton have
bcen blocked by combination aud consolidation; nnd,
unless they can atAin hu startcd tho many Will
tinuo 10 bo taxed for the benefit of tic sw This is
contrary to tho spirit Of free institutions, and TIL
nntely result In thctr overthrow. The measure WHICH
promises tho most effective competition is
tLo construction Of pnele ro.t,- iron hi8S,,
the West an tho principal n,urkcts Of the Atlantic
seaboar. In view Ct tlle oxpcrienee Of the United
tho building Of tho Pacific Railroads, 70 cannot
indorso tho granting Of land or aubeales IL
indtvduasa ior tlo r.rge Of building aly railway or
calal. We recommend that such lutornai improve
,rnta DO constructed By the National aoyernneAt the
manner Of constructing tho work to 10 BY con-
tract to the lowest bidder; thHt when constructed It
should DO used for tho transportation Of Government
all citize1,s to aye tho right 10 lace anu ocouu
tiycs thereon, aud opurate o hano s,lb]eet to regna-
tiDH 10 GC provided by tito G0f6r4MGtt, tHpy p4yl0B
tolls therefor sufficient to maintain tho roadway.
STATE LEGISLATION NEgDEp.
Tho Committee ulso recommend that mcmbern Of
III tAcr euycra sascs, eueavor to obtain the fol.or
ing laws IRON their State Lcgelnturea:
soefs who sn eo viii power
md rcgulate ratcs for traugrorg frcsgat nnd Ears
over al railroads doing business tn te Suite, an 10
prescribe uniform System Of hecpfng railway nc
~ ssco,,d-A law prescribing M equitable systo,n Of
RoIders IN tic 81 noars i o iDirecon u w ''
7hird-A law restraining railway companies from
paying interest q dysns bsyo4 fr and just
stock upd bond-hoders, aul compelling thpm to cx-
renl all su,n1 in c1ecss Of such amount, and
propor @ ropair sni repay thcr necessary operating
o1penses on thc!r moving handling, aud tcrinlnst
facilities for public security and conysnence; 9nd 70
tica are IN perfect and completed condition. i!
Fau5th-;Ala law prohibiting III railroad eemrs,nis.
rom making unjust aud excessive discriminatory
against places which arc not competing points.
fWh-A INV obligug a railway companies to trans-
lst mud Impartial compensation, md with tho sane
dspntch tho cars belonging exclusively to said
S,rta-A law to prohibit the leasing, consolidation,
or combination Of parallel lines Of road, by which
competition is destroyed and the peoples highways
sersntk-A law prohibiting railway companies from
acquiring or huaing moro rca! cstatu than IL neces-
sary for the operation Of Their roats and prohibiting
gaging in mining or my business other than that u
Transportation. x
E,aAth-A law making 1t pcnal offanso for my pub
lie ociu to accept nso tho FREQ pass Of any runway
company, and prohibiting railway companies from
granting such passes to any but regular employees OF
The Committee further recommend that in charters
hereafter granted tho State reserve the Right to reg,t
iate charges; that work sla bn contracted for Until
tho noncy is tn tho Treasury ply for 1t that dlv
dc,ts shall not exceod 10 per cent upon tho actual
| cost; and that capal stuck shaE not Ito Increased
without authorization fran tho Legislature and that,
WHEN such increaEG is nlaIo that sad stock siall be
disposed of at auction to tho highest bidder.
| DEBATE ON THE REPORT.
| JUDGE IocMnANE ouJEcru.
| Judge Lochrrnc, Of leorgfa said ho opposed the
report for tic following reasons:
dissent to the report recommending to the National
Government the building Of tho road from east tc
west Oh tic following grounds;
t'i,st-Tla unitcd statcx Congress has no power tc
1egrlate charges tor freight Oh existing railroads
thCreiu recommended,
sseomd-The rgAt to build = roGd for dsfonao u no