Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-01-09
THE RAILROAD QUESTION IN THE
LEGISLATURE.

their constituents, determined to curb the
tyrannous monopolies at whose utter mercy
is every industry and present and projected
enterprise within our borders. Awakened to
the fact that this great State, 80 full of the
precious minerals, increases in population
only by such ratio of natural accession as is
indicated by a crude, voluntary, imperfect
and entirely unofi cial registry of births; and
st last dimly seein. that the corporations have
played upon and taken advantage OF their
popular land isolated) ignorance in regard of
railway building and management, this PEG
pie, irrespective of party, interest or sec
tion, have risen in revolt against their lm-
pIacsble and relentless oppressors, Let n"
public man mistake the temper Of the time;
let none who has the public interest in
trusted to his hands dare to evade the pledges
imposed upon and the work demanded OF
him by his constituents; for this people
driven TO the verge of desperation and revo-
luton, viii not suffer the further political ex-
istence Of any man who is false to their in
forests.
To be effective in their efforts, the members
Of the Legislature who are DESTROYS of per
fecting such enactmcnts as shall have the de
sired effect should have concert of action.
The earnest ti-railroad members of either
branch, regardless of party association, should
perfect all organization sOoh possible
and hold early and frequent meetings with a
view to the most feasible, simple and efficient
~ The cunnJDu AGENTS and
hired LOBBYISTS will be very alert, watchfu
and industrious to the end that inexperienced
members be puzzled, dissuaded, made en-
vious one of another, given to understand
that they can do nothing inasmuch as they
are wholly unacquainted with the complicated
subject of equitable tariffs in fares and
freichs There will be much perPeXing
talk of gradients, curves, local conditions,
the necessity and justice of such and-Such
allowances for this and that kind and grade
IT service etcetera and soforth. Let no man
-, misled by this kind of talk 1t IS the
.tock in trade Of the enemy, devised to mis-
lead, puzzle and confuse.
But there is much truth-too much truth,
indeed, in the assumption taken by these
people of an intricate and semi secret knowl-
edse of tho acic&ce of railway management
But because the cAtortiOnist, the subtitle
money changer, the evil-ioer IN public place
may puzzle US with their tricks OF book
Keeping, the legerdemar of tnoir double en-
tries and the technics which are woven about
their doviltries, shall they not De checked,
~ ! ,l,r-,v lo!Bs, L.
purpose be protected against the designs, de
yioes and practices of the wary, the under
hand and the over rcaching2 Let us sce.
Granted that everybody but the railway
ofii 2ials themselves is in ignorance of the
modus ope-andi of railway business. What
then9 Some years ago somebody who
wanted TO cnt down the Tariff Oh imports,
finding himself suddenly confronted with an
4imost Infinite number and variety OF artI-
les, thugs and graduated scales. suddenly
cut the Gordian knot by providing that in
she tut re the tariff on everything should be
reduced (say) ten per cont. That settled the
question in few simple lines for it left the
tariff to adjust itself to new, perfectly un-
derstandable and absolute condition. Now
suppose the Legislature, disregarding all the
wool winding of the railway lawyers, special
pleaders and agents, takes some such simple
plan as this of which we have limited, to cure
these railway grievances. Why might not
such bill as tho following be more etfectual
than any of a more involved or partcuariz-
ing character
A bill Supplemental to, and dneendatory of,
an Act entitled {" IA act TO provide for the in
corporation of railroad companies, and the
management thereof, and other matters reL1ting
hereto,' approval March 22, 1865, Fe5ruoIy
~, 1869, February 9, 1871, February Fl,
1871, and ,cI.enever IF 50 Je) at other times
amended.
The people of the State of Nevada repre-
sented in Sonate and Assembly do enact as
follows:
Section /, From and after the First day
Of April, A. D. 1872 it shall be unla~ ful for
any railroad company doing business in this
State to demand, exact, charge or tai e, either
directly or indirectly, on any article or arti-
Ctes of freight whatsoever, or WhithersOever or
80 whomsoever consigned, directed or address
ed and placed upon their cars for transporta,
ton and delivery, in excess of-per cent
If tie rates for such transportation and de
livery charged, demanded, maintained, ex-
acted Or taken by such company during the
period Of timo beginning September / and
ending November 81 A. d. 1873