, 1879-02-15

tho unsettled question Of tho lionnttty OF
ctitnatIan in tho rates charged Tor the transpor!e-
tinn Of asscnRtrs anil fFcighla on railroads III th'a
Court scyora soats anu briota il hns ltc, decided
tho Cnmmies'"n cannot ettcctnally accon,pI!sh Tho
uurpuss ot IA creation u the act Of 1s7;' shall DO
court It eompel'cd 10 do 10 In enforcement Of lhe
provisions OF that act, with tesn.ina great bcneat
tns tho aeton Of tho supreme Court In this natter,
u would ha un,vIsd a. wall ~ usoitsslI expensive
to ns 20 a ts IN
islo,a f5 :.,nss ,..5; a.
satisfaction with the result In al,nost every IN.
stance tho Commission has succeeded IN ae!tling
10. The rallroad corporations have pra'nptly cor
reccd ahuacs whenever called BY us to thor atsn.
ton. case " recent DEVELOPMENT, ln which
solt 10 tic 'aw dnt We hope lint, even ii III. con.
nrDtrntIon what my bo done tasuily and oxpansivc.
y IN the cunrta.
The eotts q thc se!ins a. ~ SasT 81
Iailroad law q 1873 shall hare. been approved by
speedily adjn.t themselves Into harmony with The
ratlroal legislation Of thu State.
eounIaipants ncalnst railroad corpora,onl eeem 10
deslro to Makc ufs VI the Colnsniteion 10 e1tort
ftun Tho roads they COMPLAIN Of apec!al fasora for
themselves. Apparently thgy submit their com-
plulnss. halievinE tlHt tho Commission will act a.
sort of constabnlarv md moro at thctr direction
charges. caaes OF thia kind, whom examined,
place thu eonlufhinants in not very nnTabic light
mud usually 9eyelop thy fact ths. they hsve ~ h.a A.
cnts Of tha results Of atserm!nntions In their "a.
vor. II ahuuld be gunetAlly known thai tug Conf
able mean. necc'sasy TO protect Inc people from
extor'lons and an1ntt atscFlin1natlonst docs not
fsWay a sae seess
these corporations wutl tho public have rL4hls
that ouKat 10 10 respected.
ExAMiNArIon OF ROADS.
In another way the Commission bud hdded to tts
duiics and urctuiness. il has commenced tho
psactice Of inspeettnE roads; During the yeaF tie
Miisand, the Oil" i Misssspp,, md tie Toledo.
Fcorlh d Warsaw Nosds were tnfpected. The
rass ii fsstennss % etc.. wers cs1ciaiiy examined.
Thcae roads are Ia thu lands Of Necevers. Reports
In datat Ut tleis condition wore made and COPIES Of
these feports Aent to tic mAnagtnR oftccta Of tho
roads and to the conrts controlling lhem. 1t ls
matter Of much satisfaction to report that the roads
With not a few Of our suggestions.
These inspections we1v without precedent In ehe
Of ae 81 az s
danrutous h!xdSays q tls::I I'D ttsght.xo. Ws
s"tsoti,y - sompe! mp tse rsS.rston q Fosi i vs.
anoa!d and II detective, but, In the expectation
That the AC$ OF Calling hstcntlon 10 ueFeCte dhn4ef-
oue to life and property would bY moral compul.
sion. secure the reparatton we might believe neccs-
hafy, tho uolicy Of inspection wnt entered upon.
Results have justified our expectation.
POOLS.
Pooling combinations haye been established at
! many Of tue competing points Of the State, Our
attention has pren directed TO this fAct, but We
| have tnkru no legal steps to break these combt.
| nations. We llave no authority to DO 60 II ta
true theY have for their object tho nalnttnanca ~
higher ratea tslan caud exIst II coupetltlon weso
permitted to operate without restriction, knd Ia
th,s way they deprive the public q tcne9t i
| cialus tho right 10 enjoy.-thc lowest railroad
ratea free competition can create; but coi,blos-
ttons Of this kind are not prohibited by law II,
| however. By Buch combinations railroad rates
should bo made unreasonablY high, or II the pool.
| Ing corporations should unlustly discriminate In
favor Of or .Ranst any person or place the parties
to lic combination could thun be reached for pun.
Ish.neHt under tho provisions the act 10 prevent
cxtortons and unJuat dtscriminattons.. But tho
Commission has no information Df reliable cliar-
acter that uny OF the '.pools" l,ase charged un-
| reasonable rates. On the contrary !uf1rma.
fion IL that in most the poolfutcs have been
below tho schedule rates liked by this Commission.
Under this statc OF facta VIC hnya bcen unable to
DO nnythnE 10 prevent or prohibit pooling, anu we
lu not oelloye discussion Of the subject in this
| report would lead to any good rcaalt.