, 1874-01-09
THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION.

lHE lhAN5FuHt HUN QUEolIuW.
"A nill 1fegulntin. Passenger nnd
Freight Charges by Nnllronds agreed
to by tho l1Onsc UOlalaittco OH knil,
ways and Cu1ials.
washington (Jan. 81 Dfsnatch to tho Ntw Yor1
Tribune.
y, The House Committee On Railways and Canals.
NIT. McCrary Of 1own, Chairnal, Inns been hard
o. WORK during tho rccoss upon tho various fea-
tlrea or tho transportation question submitted
to It BY tho House. To-day 1t agreed upon
olll, which IL tho ilrse RESPONSE from Il stumbling
committed OF tho House Of Representatives to
tho demands Of tho farmors. Tho bill provides
as follows:
Soc. declares that each and eyory limo 90
rnsIrona In tho Union shal1 be regarded as ems
pioyed in commerce n:uong tho several Slatos.
Soc: provides tLat no such company, cor.
poration, or porhon operating 'iue Of railroad
aanll charge, collect, dcmaud, or receive moro
thal fair Or reasonable ratio Of toll Or coinpcu-
satton Tor tho transportation Of pasacngerb or
freight, 10 ho ixcd as herolnnttor provided.
Corporations or persons violatiug tho law shall
bo held lia&lo for oxtortion.
soc provides for tbs appointment by The
Hrosldent, by and with tho conaoit OF tha
Senate, Of Board Of lsaroad Commissioners,
ono to bo chosen from oach OF tho judicial CIR.
cuits Of tho United States. Buch Commission
ots aro prohibited from bolng interested Ia any
nahnef IN the stock Or property Of any transpor-
tation company.
SEQ. fixes compensation for such Com,
miaaioncrs ut $4,000 ouch per anuuu,, with noccs.
sary travelling oxpcnacs.
600. e, &; Which comprises tho 1nain features,
Of tho bill, Is as followB:
sEo. e. Said Board Of Railroad Commissioners sh,I
institute thorough Investigation una inquiry into III
rates Of to and compuneation charged fur transport.
road III Aro herein tlcscFbe and dcstxlato a1l into
tho reasonabicncss thereof AMI sal Us aoo as pruo.
for tho owners or operators Of such lines oxecpt such
as may DO on!ttod Us hereinafter provided schedule
pt rsaaonaGn 9aamnm rates e chages for thu
or over said lines sud schedule shall DO duly all.
thencatc1 by uail Doarl Of Commissioner, mud
oiices and opos Of s1ch rtilroa company, corpora-
ton, Or person. Surh Commissioner sEall certify
scIodule, and Of every aneadncnt 10 or reyson q
any sslednle affecting any line Of railroad
Court for his circuit possible ner Tho com.
llcton Of such schedule, Of such amcnncn. or rc
reec!yed and held III iii courts s conclusive oydcuce
Of said ssl.edulcs whether original alnonlrl or rc-
s day re sad csst oerf uce O.
shall be received and read oYideuce in any trial ID
any so.r 70 tl!o sano extent as tho original hle
and from and after tho nliug Of such original, ameu-
cd. or revised schedules in the Clerks oiicc tho ra-
road company and a othara Interested thcrcln shall
contents Of tho sac. For tho purpose Of prosecuting
any investigation under this ac and for the purpose
rates Of chnrgoa said.<Tosrd shall have he rowsr to
administer oatns to tnko testimony Of witnpsscs 10
send for persons and arora AMI 10 requiro Tho pro
uct!on before them OF booka, records, anl papers and
& i9r this PURPOSE they may issue d process, which
snan be served by any al1rshnl Deputy Marshal
OF the unitcu Hatcs, anu ln any pcrson sum.
moned to appear as witness before eail Board
shall was or refuse to appear any person required
by said Board to produce before them ai,y books ra-
pers or records III hH possession shall walt or rcfsu c
produce the came BAl be the duty Of tho Board forth
Min TO report the iacts to tho nearest Julgo Of Dis
Aoar tho matter sunnarily- whether su ter tin,e or
vacation, md shall mako such order III tic promises
as may 10 deemed proper, to compel such persons te
appcnr boforo said nuar1 mud suswcr un tho propet
III hs losBcssian required by sad Board 10 be by him
produced, and which, III tho Judgment Of the Court
nre proper e.icnco to DO considered by said poar
and said Judge mAy enforce his orders and punish
commissioners 1nAy, from tne 10 time, and often
Us circumstance fnAy require, change and rerBo said
achcducs and shall Givr notice Of sl.ch changes re-.
Visions IN tho sumo nanner as lerointofore provided
account Of nny fafure Of tho Commissioners prcnr-
Ing tho same to conclude toroin al mud every article
or class Of freight, but shall be held to bn good aud
valid us to all articles or classes which ars included OF
Commissioners Whenever 1t comca to their knowlcdEe
that any article or class Of freight Aaa been omitted
from any such Echclnlc, to al,Gnl the soon as
practicable by adding any such omitted ar.ic!cs or
class; provided, TINT il sa1 Board Of Railroad Com
miHsoners shal after inquiry aud investigation Of
the opinion that tho charge OF any Of the lines Of
railroad described herein already fair tanl rcaso1-
ablc, they may omit to prepare schedule for such
iinu but such omission sull only continue 30 long as
tho chargcs such Hne shall continue to 10 FUR mud
reasonable.
Tho remainder Of the bill provides for the ma
chincry by which the proylsions OF Sec. s shall
be carried out. prcscribcs penalties, places OF
meeting, appointment of Sccrotary, &c.