Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-10
THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.

~ - /
| say L few words to the senators ON the
stbicct. Thi- paper e~ndeavors to take
a position on every important matter OF
| public policy which presents itself Tor
| consideration. and though it may some
| times be mistaken. its opinions have tins
| value, that they are independent. guid-
| ed 10y no scctionalism. or class feeling
hut bv an honest effort Vt advocating
| what is Tor the good OF the entire com
muni,v. 1t will be remembered that
Tie bill known rs the RAILROAD bill.
| passed ny the :wertv-eighth general as
semb!y. regulating the tariffs OF charges
| on railroads, was passed in obedience
10 i loud popular demand, which WAS
| caused Dv 4 long continued system oi
| unjust determinations and impno'tions
! in freight charges by railroads. AMI Il
disposition on their part TO sltrk the
general burdens OF government. so
strong was this popular feeling, that but
very few Legislators could have been
elected IN Missouri who We're not known
~ he in favor OF m effort At rcmeiylng
the evil. An honest administration OF
the state. under the laws enacted IN
pursuance of this demand. succeeded IN
bringing the railroads 20 their senses IN
1 measurable degree; their discrimina-
tons have since been less haSran'' a""
tl,rv have been forced to do something
almost unknown in their historE-pay
taxes. our legislators seem t" have
forgotten the great excitement which
filed the minds OF the people on TINS
subject in the wears 49, and 1874. or
they must suppose that tn" telling was
, raus.lrsS and ephemrral one. It the
first. their memories must hr short IN
| deed: il tn" AFTER, the! are mistaken
TGIe people had good cause tor thels
rrur3liintS and those causes SttI e1-
i>t. For their protection against freight
c<tnrtion> the law regulating ireiShtS
wl> passed. t see that this 'aw was
properly enforced, and I" compel the
railroads to make true returns OF theIr
taxable property. the railroad commis-
~sipncrs were appointed. That the rail
road companies object TO the first is
understood. and we venture to say that
!, not a single railroad attorney in the
: lcrisIaturc-nota man interested i'll con
= tracts with ral!roads-wi.l vote for the
: retention OF tho railroad commission
ers. By this we do not mean to say that
every member who votes to abolish the
commissioners does 50 in the interest o
= the railroads. out we DO mean I" SAY
= thti every man who is pecunIarIiy IN
tereSted in railroad property IS opposed
to this commission. Then if 1t is 4 WA
hetw cen the people aud these corpora
II tons. and there is no conccaling tina
Y such is and will be the situation OF at
a fairs until the roads are brought mt
> subi"cuou to the laws. which sho"Id
REPRESENTATIVE vote t. please. the rail-
roads nr the people, What are the Al
! guneurs against ;he bill t" regulat
freight charges? lst, That it Is an inter
I ference with private business, which
unjust and unconstitutional. 20. Ina
br the charters Of The majority OF tn
. roads, granted under former cons'it"
tons, these roads have the right
cLalye s.Icn rates a they please L
: the first ot these objections we inswe
that the roads we're created by the Su'
IL .~praucc and pernissiOun OF the state tha
d ihe people OF the state furnished owe
500 900, 900 of the money which ou!
Ihen; that the state is now paying al
mu.llv $sGl,.S interest on deot create
p to- ,r:ug them into existence aud thai til
.uprrme court of the United States.
= various decisions, pr"mul gated On tn
49,, tlrst LAY OF this month decided that Il
, state, have the right t" regulate II
eli ,ryes made BY railroads, gong so Ii
in the case Of Pick, ct al. Is. ChlcaG
" aud Northern Il. K. Co. ct al, rs to 81
"b Tat until congress acts IN reference
on the relations Of interstate commerce,
re j. competent for 4 state to regulate Il
las fares of railroads So tar as they arc
81. domestic concern. This company, 1t
cr- aid. has domestic relations with t
ain state, and incidentally these re!atlo
the NAV reach beyond the state. NTH ca
lev ~re>s undertakes To legi>late tor tho
That are without. the state "t NI-co
sin may provide for those within q
Ill I - a ,., ,n,Ji,rpfllI ,HTrf Thf
mithout." In reply to the second {
'ad i.ctiou. we state what is known to cVf
lad ,eul,or. that these charters expire
ose March. 1873. and that then all the r0a
YER in the state will come under the ope
tons of the law. But. say some "i
a"c senators. what is the use III keeping t
sly commission in existence for Il year WI
iiti- lug Tor something to do. We think
be could fully prove the wisdom OF do
even that if it were necessary, but !
not-the commission Will have am
employment IN the mean time. In
are two roads in the state not proteC
nv charters, and on these il IS acknn
edged that the commissioners, by ca
inr the enforcement OF the law, h
49,.
,do,. saved to shippers. the enormous sun
$4,000 on 7OO,0vO dollars worth
= business. Their functions viii cont!
no
here and what Il commentary on W
may be done when the Sl5 900
". worth OF railroad business, transa
annually in the state, is subjected to
supervision, does this not Iurnlsh'
SIDE this the commissioners can do II
. !; with the roals by moral suasloi
Tiers are many ways III which they
make even the chartered roads tee
DAYS weight Of their disapprohatlon
,ond, NJ. Dacus, of st. Louis. III 4 very
nina speech on this subject III the !.
con- house, showed that in one year the
is q missioners had by their efforts saw
more St. Louis shippers $4,000 on tran
,crest ing grain and stock ut that ?
tor to Another thing that the commissi'
,rers. h ave done. and may continue to do.
( an IL, force the railroad companies to
which in their property for assessment
IS of rectly. Since their appointment