The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-09-23
THE RAILROAD OUESTION.

Tho suggestive letter which VIC print
| to-day deserves and will receive gen
cral attention.. 1t is addressed by a
/ spccinl committee of the New York
! Chambcr Of Commerce to President
Vanderbilt, Of the New York Central,
ana President Jewctt, of the Erie Rail-
road, and is conceived in such q spirit
of fairness and moderation us entities
IL TO the respectful attention of the
railroad interest. The committee OF
the Chamber of Commerce have been
informed that the presidents Of the
pennsylvania Central and Baltimore
and Ohio railroads look with favor on
early legislation by Congress for rcgu-
, latimg Interstate railway traffic,
and the committee urges the prcsi-
gents OF The Two great New York
roads 10 cons der the cxpcdicncy of
co-oprrailn@ in Joint movement Of all
me trunk lines TO procure such lcgis-
lation.
We have no doubt that n strong
pressure ofpublic opinion will force
congress to act on this important sub
lrct, and it will make Il great differ
cncc to the roads whether Congress-
acts with their consent or against thcir
opposition. The public is becoming
aroused to the cnormity of raiIronI
abuses. The investigation ordered by
the last New York Legislature and
now in progress has already disclosed
mass Of facts, Reluctantly testified to
by The highest railroad officers, Sufli-
cirn! to intensity popular discomfort
and inilanc it into Indignation. But
tie questions involved are of much
largcr scope than the purview OF the
Legislative Committee, who arc maxi
ing unjust freight Determinations the
principal object OF their Investigation.
We have no doubt that there is Il great
zeal or crudcncss and absuulitv in the
popular clamor which demands that
local rates shall not exceed the
charges per mile for through traffic.
but what rational reply can be made
TO the complaint that Determinations
are made in the local rates, and that
different persons or firms residing in
the same place and receiving goods
from tue same points pay UNEQUAL
prices Tor transportation? This kind
OF iavoiltism admits Of no iustiicn-
ton, and not removed by The roads
IT should be rcdrcsscd by the strong
hahd Of the law. But, as We have
said, the subject is Of much larger
scope than these unjust local discrimi-
nations. The time has come for Il
'n"rouGh anu comprehensive rror-
Eani%ation Of the railroad service; and
IA view Of the diversity and conflict
ct interests which exist among the
ulilrrcn! roads Congress cannot much
longer postpone the duty incumbent
upon IL under its constitutional nu-
lhori!y TO "rcgulatc commerce be-
tween The States"
The Chamber OF Commerce, hayinr
been Informed Of the WILLINGNESS or
TWO OF the great trunk lines to have
Congress inierposc lis authority, makes
Il proper and respectful appeal to the
othrr two great trunk lines, which
received their charters from the
Ncw York Legislature, to join in a
general movement for the rcctitication
OF abuses and the regulation of rail
way traffic by Congress- on principlcs
20! fairness and equity. No just-mind-
rd citizen has any wish TO Cypress and
cripple the roads; on the contrary. il
Is desired that both the public and the
roads shall be protected in their rights.
Tho roads should he rescued from the
mutually destructive and cut-throat
rivalry OF the last six or seven wears
and the merchants be saved from un-
Just determinations, which give an
Unfair advantage to favored class
against their business rivals.
1t being inevitable that, in obcdi-
cncc to general public demand. Con-
grcss will at no distant date take this
subject in hand and regulate the inter-
state railway traffic, it is the interest
OF The roads TO cooperate in such
measure instead of resisting it. The
letter of the Chamber of Commerce
docs not merely ask their cooperation.
nut invites them to take the initiative.
Ii urges the presidents of the four
great trunk lines to frame. with the
assistance OF experts Of their own Sc
lection, proper bill to be presented
to Congress for the regulation of inter
state railroad traffic. Nothing could
DC more reasonable and considcratc
than such n proposal. Ofcoursc it is
expected that such bill would be
subject 10 other revision than that of
the railroad officials under whose
auspices it would be prepared. 1t is
recon- ncndcd that the draft be sub
mlttcd to the scrutiny OF the various
chambers of commerce and boards Of
trade in the principal commercial
cities, who would naturally have a
Nccncr eye to the interests Of tho pub-
i,c than the railroads themselves.
Having passed the ordeal Of criticism
by those who have the ripcst practical
acquaintance with the business Of
transportation, lis provisions would
AGAIN be slitcd by committees of both
houses of Congress. But il would be
great advantage to the railroads to
be intrusted with the original draft.
which, if iudiciously prepared, would
ton.
The necessity for action by Con-
gress on this great subject is too i'm
pcrative to be much longer DELAYED,
and it is earnestly to be desired that
Congress legislatc in the spirit in
dicatcd by the Chamber Of Commerce
that is, IN spirit of equal justice to
the railroad interest and the public.
Nothing could be more liberal than tho
invitation to the great railroad mag
mates to prepare bill which may
servo as a common basis of action.
The railroads need legislation by
4 To-,