, 1875-04-08

The Boa1i of leai!road Commissioners of
this State in oil their reports call Intention to
tho fnct that, in the exercise of vigilant mud
unremitting caro Of the peoples riglls, they
have brought g,1its against tho various roals
for oppression and extortion in thoir demands
for freight and for pas3enger faro. Our De-
catur correspondent, who, in hislcttcrs Of Inst
March, exposed tho absnrtlty Of tho schedules
Of rates established by this Board Of Commits
sioners, took tho trouble to investigate the
facts of 1arge number Of these alleged suits
against railroads, md found that, in long
list Of cases, they wero brought without the
knowledge or consent OF the allegad victims,
and TINT thcso victims lad oil, III tho form OF
atllayits, tlisc!ailned having beon injured or
oppressed by tho railroads.
The 1sailroad Commission las cost the
State nearly $4,000. 1t has also contracted
henvy liabilities for fees Of counsel employed
to bring suits, Of which 1t soenas large pro-
portion aro purely fictitious, bnt which aerye
just rs woll AZ 1onafds suits to show tint tho
Commissioners "nre doing something The
publication Of these alalavits in TuE Tn1n-
uXE Of March IL led to an Investigation by a
Legislative Committee, and that Committeo Inns
made m unanimous report, after hearing tic
explanation aid defense OF tho Commissions
ors, that the statements Of our correspondent
were trio in ovory particular. Tho Com
missioncrs clnimed TINT, under tho law, they
wero authorized to bring tho suits, and tho
Committee coacede TINT LOCALLY the inssitu-
ton Of tho suits vas iustiaab!e, but tho
| Committee say tint this construction Of tho
Inv ndmits pt great abuses. Hero III ono Of
tho nlflayita lsobert F. Miller BwenrH:
And Ills alaut further statea TINT the aail suit
not commenced at bin fcauoa. uIon lis complaint;
that ho has noyer complained hafore tho Railroad COM
ixaoners Ut sAld atate, to any othcr rcrs0t Of
sny oycrcharga extntttou. npr xuy other wrouE
rgpcced upon him by the said illroa Company fLa
Chicago 4 Altoul; nor dues lo wish 10 appear ~ y
complaining wttncss against said Company in said
puit, be has no cause Of complaint and said auit
nss not brought to redress sny Of btu grievances.
Tho Conirnittoa I0y:
FTum tho ahovo and foregoing facts, your Committee
Ut tho optnlon that 1uita hsYo beeu Instituted by
the Nailroal and Warehouse Commissioners in tle
name Of tho Fcoto Of tha 6sasa Of Ill.noH, wlieTd
la1gs damages s1s calmod aud Bonght to bo xscoYcre1
for tho ostAia, purpote Of Astifylug Tho g.svaces
Ut In c!sizeus, wheu IN tba cbyeFei by tho aforo
kai asll2yI.a tLe slno cltlzons hayo scarel an oa
that they Aayo aver a1kul for caused to 10 iuat
tutsl my sut or nao my complaints to tbs 1ta!lroad
Commissioners Vt any oyercharRs, sxsotton, or un
Just Discrimination In thstrau4portattou Of fr&ghtl
or passengers.
Tho Committee recommend TINT hereafter
before the Commissioners bring any lnors
suits against the railrosds for grievances, tle
parties injured DO required to file, on oath, {
complaint setting forth thu causa Of thell
grievance, and that III. railroads have m op
portunity to, DO heard, and, II possible, Il
sottlo the injury, before involving tho stat*
md tho rsilroad companies in expensive ant
useless litigation. In othor words, that th'
Commissioners have already involved th'
State In expensive ard useless litigation Il
caxes wAero ths partiea alloged to have beel
aggr!eved swear that they hayo not, and nove
lure Ind, any cause of complaint.
The fact Is that, as guardian OF publ
rights against railroad sxtortlon, the Board o
Commissioners Is useless ploca Of n,achin
cry. AL that 1t has erer done Is to bring
number of suita for cxtortion, and 1t nov
turns ont that these wsse instituted On heA1