The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-06-19
National Board of Trade.

PHILADELPHIA, June 18.-The National
Board of Trade committee on postal regulations
submitted resolutions favoring postal tee-
graph, the lines of the present telegraph COM
papies to be paid for by the government at a
just valuation. The resolutions were discussed
after which motion to indefinitely postpone
was carried.
Mr.. Bayard, from the committee on bills of
lading, reported as follows:
Resolved, that the board reaffirm its declara-
tion that all inland carriers should be required
to deliver the quantity by weight of bulk grain
shipped; that the executive committee be re-
quired to report to the National Board of Trade
at the next meeting, what legislation, state or
national, can be secured to accomplish the
purpose of defining the rights and duties of all
carriers, and of restricting the terms and cond-
tions of all bills of lading and railroad receipts,
in accordance with the principles of the COM
mon law.
The resolutions were agreed to.
The reciprocity treaty was taken up. The
resolution as amended by the Board of Trade
of Chicago was discussed and adopted as fol-
lows:
Resolved, That Congress be memorialized
and urged to authorize the early appointment
by the President of the United States of COM
mission OF not less than five merchants and
business men familiar with the subject to con-
fer, on the part of the United States, with the
Lake commission on the part of the Dominion
Of Canada, on the subject of treaty for a re-
ciprocal trade and commercial relations betW cen
the United States aud the Dominion. Said
commission to be authorized to suggest and
recommend the details of provisions for such
reay s"Dss 11 ee o Great R
Is The report of the Committee on Transporta-
ton was submitted, concluding with the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That the subject of transportation
having as it has most important bearing upon
the welfare of both our internal and foreign
commerce, should receive the earnest considera-
ton of legislators, both state and national. to
the end that substantial justice be done, both
to capital which has been honestly invested in
our transportation system and to the public.
The Committee on Transportation submitted
the following:
Resolved, That where transportation lines
are located exclusively within the limits of
state. they should be regulated by the state
inter state commerce. it is the duty of the
national government to prescribe and enforce
such regulations as will insure substantial JUS
tice to all concerned.
Resolved, That we urge upon Congress the
establishment of a department or bureau whose
special business shall be to collect and dis
seminate information bearing on our great
internal commerce. We also commend to the
attention of states the collecting Of reliable
information, on which to base their local legis-
lation.
Resolved, That experience has shown that
an attempt to regulate the details of railroad
management is inexpedient, but that certain
laws of general character can be enacted,
which are both practicable and necessary for
the protection OF the public interests. Among
these are
1. An amendment of the general railway
law now existing in different states, to prohibit
the issue of stock which is no. paid for, and
the increase OF capital Stock except for definite
and specified extension or improvement. The
issue of stock to represent the surplus earnings
which has bpan collected from the puhlio
should be absolutely prohibited.
2. A uniform system for keeping the &C.
counts of transportation companies should be
established in all states, which will jenable a
dtion.
g. A uniform classification of the various
styles of merchandise should be made in all
the states.
T. A uniform system Of publishing or post
ing at every shipping point a schedule of rates
and fares, embracing all particulars regarding
distance, classification special tariff, etc., and
prohibiting the increase of such rates above
the publishing limits without at least thirty
days notice.
5. Requiring railway companies to receipt
for quantity and deliver the same at its des-
Resolved, That our national water lines
should be improved, but that such improvement
should be limited to the construction of short
lines between great bodies of water.
The resolutions were taken up separately,
The first was adopted, the second tabled, the
third adopted and the fourth was considered by
sections. The section referring to the watering
of stock was laid on the table; section relating
to uniform system of keeping accounts was
adopted; the section for uniform classitica-
ton of the various articles of merchandise in
all the states was tabled, also the section re-
lating to uniform system of posting schedules;
the section referring to receipts for quantities
of merchandise was adopted. The resolution
referring to the improvement of national water
lines was amended SO as to be limited to exist
ing water lines, and then adopted. Adjourned
sine die.