Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-04-20

bound 10 extend helping hand to aid
all Of our routes Of transportation to
attain the greatest degree OF financial
prosperity possible through all legit-
innate channels, that their success may,
by reciprocal action, enhance the com
mercial importance and pecuniary
condition OF the section OF country
that they drain Of or supply with mar
ketable commodities.
The plainest elemental principles
cf political economy would sanction
the wisdom Of a policy of this charac-
Ter, as it is ma 1ife>tly ia accordance
with the sim pie rule that requires the
pow er to move and transport-to aid
| by reasonable light rates the resour-
ces that feed foster and afford com
mercial prosperity to the rail lines of
communication Can there be any ques-
ton but that all avenues of transpor
tation find their ultimate crown of fl
nancial success in the rapid develop
ment and consequent increased indus
trial prosperity of those portions el
the county through which their TRUNK
lines ave laid
Terminal points are without excep-
ton through our anomalous system o
railroading, greatly benefited, and to
| the direct d. rinent Of intermediate
or local poin j.
None, sir, can appreciate more fully
| than | do the necessity of fostering
home institutions that have added i'm
measurably to the acquired wealth Of
the state by bringing into the market
Of the State the products Of those por-
tons Of it that have been heretofore
comparatively inaccessible, except by
the slower methods Of transportation,
| that in this age of rapid transit have
| been found inadequate as means Of
competition with the railroads.
| A city or county traversed by a
through line of rail may possess to an
eminent degree natural advantages
of character to invite the investment
of foreign capital in the erection and
carrying on of extensive manufactor-
les, producing commodities saleable
in the centres Of trade, and yet being
of that class that must battle it's wav
into the current of trade by reason Of
competition. A refusal upon the part
of the road that forms its only route
Of transportation to the commercial
marts to grant just and equitable
tariff rate, would inevitably paralyze
the industry and eventually sink the
greater portion, if not the whole of the
capital so invested.
We do not seek by the passage of
this bill to manacle the hands Of any
of our roads by imposing upon them
unjust or burdensome requirements
The institution and carrying out Of
the restrictions contained in the pro-
visions of this bill, can have no delete
rious operation upon the financial con-
dltion of the roads, but upon the con-
trary, in my humble opinion, will have
a tendency dramatically opposed to
the fears that have been expressed here
n relation to the innumerable evils
that may flow from its passage.
The evil that we are trying to cure
by legislative action exists not alone
in our State, but ramifes itself into
every section Of our country to such
an extent that the attention of the
highest Legislative council of the ma
ton has been directed to it, and its
aid invoked in preparing and passing
remedial laws that will insure in tie
future oppressed industry against a
further continuance Of it.
I have, ST, printed copy of bill
| before me, the original of which has
| been introduced into the lower branch
of Congress and referred to the Com
mittee OH Commerce, from which sub
stitute was reported with a strong
recommendation for its passage EN-
bodied in the report Of the committee.
| The provisions Of this bill and substi-
tute are intended to meet and correct
| like evils that we complain of that
| have grown out of the system of Gin
| ter State commerce.
| Mr.. Reagan, chairman of the Com,
mite on Coz merce, to which the org
inal bill wa referred, in reporting the
Substitute said:
This bill relates to subject Of very
great and of very general interest to tic
whole country, We wish in the outset to
say that this bill is intended to promote
;he hest interests the country in matters
10 which it relates, and that have en-
deavored to SO frame it as to do no injury
to any interest. We recognize the para
mount importance and value of railroad
and water transportation to the commerce
of the country and have been careful to
avoid all provisions which could operate
t2 their prejudice in any just sense. We
have sought to so control and restrain them
as to prevent them from doing injustice TO
individuals and communities, and to take
away from them the more odious AMI op-
pfessiye features of monopoly without il
any way abridging their usefulness or in,
posing burdensome and injurious rcstric-
tons on them, and withouvundcrtaking to
limit the charges for freight and handling
beyond requiring them to be equal to all
| Under this explanation of the sub
stitute, sir, | can see no difference be-
tween the evil Of freight disorimina-
ton that is here designated nation
al evil, and the one that we propose
to eradicate or at least modify through