The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-15
TUE JUDICIARY SUBSTITUTE,

St.". 40 a. W SSCuTe tIle IhFktSt amount Of
business.
THE JUDICIARY SUBSTITUTE,
This rule then having been established
the company were bound to accord to the
city OF Wheeling the benefit OF the rate
that they had accorded to this western
freight. The question then arising Is
how shall that rate be determined? Now,
sir, 80 far US the bill reported by the Judi.
clary Committee Us asubStitution, and the
one | had the honor TO introduce, there Is
q very marked difference between the two
propositions on this particular point. ]
must say, sir, that the bill as reported by
the Judiciary Committee, Is an entirely
different proposition introduced by the
Senator from Harrison county. A great
many OF the obnoxious provisions arc
eliminated from the proposition as il
comes from the committee, yet IL is ial
from what is requi cd. The first section
utterly fails TO accomplish the object fol
which It Is intended
The act OF March 9th, 1877, prescribes
that the charge between Baltimore and
any point on said road within direct
distance OF five miles from the Ohio River
shall be the same as between Baltimore
and Wheeling. The avowed objects souCht
TO be accomplished by the first section o.
this bill Is to ascertain the rate charged OF
to he charged between Baltimore and thai
point.
1t will be observed, speak from recol
lection only, that the bill which had the
honor to introduce only prescribed the
mode by which this fact could be ascer
tanned. Both propositions admit the fact
but the proposition reported by the Judi
ciary Committee utterly fails to lay down
any rule by which this iact could be re-
vealed. 1t is very hard and difficult
matter to accomplish the revelation of {
railroad secret. II is one of those thing.
which 1t Is almost impossible to discover
and l have no fault 10 find with the rail
road corporation on that ground, only &c
far as that railroad secret has tendency
to injure The public, and / do believe, sir
when railroad secret has tendency tC
injure the public, the puhliC have a righI
to know what that secret is.
The bill is objected to simply because II
proposes a rule by which the people O
West Virginia can ascertain the rate thai
is charged upon this freight from the Ohio
river, or that'point within five miles OF tht
Ohio river 10 Baltimore. 1t will be seer
that this second section makes no dis
tlnction In the transportation OF freight
either cast or west, but it covers all freight
And right hero might call attention Il
another proposition: ltallows no differ
ence whatever in the rates between cast
ern and western bound freight. All arC
placed under the same rule, Il rule which
Is violated by every railroad corporation
III the United States, managing thest
trunk lines. ! do not now, sir, proposC
to discuss the correctness OF that rule, BIZ
the law makes tile rites between thesl
points the same whether transported eas
or west. AS said before, how chi
we ascertain what that rate IS? Is Their
Anything in the charter compelling tina
company 10 disclose that rate? not a syl
liable. Is there anything in the PROPOSE
ton OF the committee to disclose that rate
Not word. Are there any penalties 70
falling to disclose that rateP Not one
But sir, the bill had the honor 10 intro
duce docs prescribe q rule. II lays dow
a rule by which that rate must be discoS
cred and 1t gives the railroad Company
complete control over that rule and give
them the right 10 determine what Il /:
Now, sir, right hero, the distinguishc
representative OF the Baltimore and Obi
Railroad Company upon yesterday obiec
cd to this bill because 1t proposes to con
pei the company to carry freights aud pa
sengers over the mountains OF West VII
: gtniR at the same rates as over the prairif
Of Illinois. Mr.. President do not like /
lle under the necessity OF controv0rling
proposition argued by the distir
gulshed gentleman, upon poll
OF that kind, but sir, permit me 10 reinav
that this Is no arbitrary rule. This Is II
new invention Of mine. 1t Is no new Ii
vention Of the committee. But sir, 1t
drawn directly from the lease OF the Bait
more and Ohio Railroad Company Of II
Central Ohio Railroad. In that lease It
. stipulated that the Baltimore and OH
Railroad Company shall pay to tho Cel
\ trail Ohio Railroad Company ihjrty-llve n,
cent OF the gross earnings OF that ron
How are the baltimore and Ohio Railros
9 Company going 70 tell what their earninl
! ore unless they do as I permit them to 1
In this bill have Observation-Disclosures
I that rate. Can they complain when tht
have entered into aloase and in that lea
q they propose 70 grant to that company
compensation for the use Of the line thirt
!; i've per cent OF the gross earnings! CT
d they object to me because ask them
u tell the people what 1t is? Certainly not s.
}. And. sir, l have before me the report
tile Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Compal
IN which that rule Is carried out on eve
9 single line which the Baltimore and Oh
= Railroad Company operates. Not O
] single line do they operate but they asst
6. To Il It's proportion Of the earnings OF Ii
q road. Then, ask, where Is the harlshi
y Where the inconsistency? Where /