The comet., 1880-01-17
THE POCKET VETO ;
OF THE
BARRY RAILROAD BILL.
The Governors Veto Message 20 the
Senate, and the bill Itself.
THE WHOLE QUESTION BEFORE
THE COUNTRY.


exhaustive review of his reasons 70
not approving the "Barry Railroa
Bill" His arguments and authorize
were grouped together with n maste
hand, and the position assumed b.
him has not been successfully assailed
A majority of the lawyers and tn
bulk of the press Of the State regarC
Misrepresentation of the matter as un
answerable. No journal has attempt
ed to answer his arguments eXcep
the Meridian Mercury, and the edito
of that paper is very much ON tn
order of the preacher who differed
with st. Paul.
In order to give the public an oppor
tunity to judge for themselves, w
present below, first, the bill itself, an'
then the veto message sent by Cover
nor Stone to the Senate yesterday:
SENATE BILL, No. $50.
| AN ACT relative to Excessive Charges an'
Unjust Discrimination by Railroad Com
panics in this State.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legisla
ture of the State of Mississippi. That al
railroads which have been heretofore, o.
may hereafter be created by virtue OF an!
general or special act within the limits o
This State, are hereby declared to be pub
lie highways; and all railroads, or othe
transportation companies, heretofore o.
hereafter to be created, Incorporated or or
ganized by any law, general or special, o
this State, are hereby declared common
carriers, and shall receive ana transport
each others passengers, tonnage ana cars
loaded or empty, without unreasonable de
Law, or unjust discrimination; and pcrisha
Bile property shall have the preference III
TRANSPORTATION; Provided, That no compa-
ny shall be compelled to receive the ears OF
another unless they are constructed oil inc
same guage. of sufficient strength, ana III
proper order, free of mileage charge for use
of such foreign car.
SEC. :. BE it further enacted, lhat all
individuals, associations and corporations,
shall have equal right to have persons and
property transported over railroads, and no
undue or unreasonable discrimination shall
be made in charges for, OF in facilities for,
transporton of freight and passengers
within the State, or coming from or gong
to any other State, but excursion ana COM
mutation tickets may be issued at special
rate Provided, That the provisions of the
first and second sections, as to dlscrllninil-
ton in freights, shall not apply to points
where there are competing railroads, or
nayigable rivers, or within twenty miles of
such points.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That no
railroad or other corporation, or the les
sees, purchasers or managers OF any rail-
road corporation, shall consolidate, the
stock, property or franchises with, or Lease
or purchase the works or franchises OF, or
in any way control any other railroad cor
poration owning, or having under its con-
troll parallel or competing line; nor shall
any officer of such railroad corporation act
as an officer of any other railroad corpora
ton owning or having the control OF paral-
lei or competing lines, and the question
whether railroads are parallel or competing
lines shall, when demanded by complainant,
be decided by Il jury as in other civil cases;
Provided, That the provisions of this see
ton shall not apply to any contracts now
existing where one corporation has become
responsible for the liabilities of another,
the object of this section being ii encour-
age, perpetuate, and maintain wholesome
rivalry between competing transportation
companies.
SEC. 4. BE it further enacted, That any
railroad company, or the assignee, pur-
chasers, or managers thereof, doing busl-
ness in this State, or which may hereafter
do business in this State, shall not be
authorized to receive more than one dol
lar per bale for each bale of cotton
one hundred miles or less; one
hall", and fifty ssaISa for sa"li halo of cnttnn
one hundred and fifty miles or
less: two dollars for each bale of cotton
more than one hundred fifty
miles and less than two hundred miles; two
dollars and fifty cents for each bale of cotton
more than two hundred miles
and less than two hundred and htty miles;
three dollars for each bale Of cotton trans
ported more than two hundred and fifty miles
and less than three hundred miles; three
dollars and fifty cents for each bale OF cot
ton transported more than three hundred,
and less than three hundred and nifty miles;
that this applies to cotton ship
ped from any point in this State, the dis
lance herein contemplated, being the dis
tance from the point of shipment to the
aS expressed and required by
the shipper: such companies may charge
less prices than prescribed in this section
for cotton ut competing points OF 0tlerrall-
roads, and navigable rivers.
SEC. D. BE it further enacted, That If any
railroad company, or any association OF
persons operating the same, shall demand
or receive greater compensation for the
of cotton than herein pro-
yided, for every such bale, such railroad
shall pay and forfeit the sum of one hum
lred and fifty dollars for the use and bene-
lit of any person sueing for the same, to be
recovered in an action of debt before any
Justice of Peace in the county where such
charges is demanded or received; and any
person agSrieyed by any other excessive
charges or unjust discrimination shall have
.he right to sue such company, corporation
lr association for any damages sustained
hereby; such suit to be brought ip any
.Ourt in this State Of competent jurisdic-
ion, in the same manner as other suits |
lgainst corporations under the laws of this |
state.
SEC. 6. BE it further enacted, That no
alroad in this State shall be permitted to
'harge more for car load of freight stop
Ded at its proper destination than the
barge fixed for u similar car load carried
through to the terminus Of the road.
SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That this
Act take effect and be in force from and
ftcr it passage.
Passed the House of Representatives,
february 2Sth, 1873.
W. A. PERCY,
Speaker of the House Of Representatives.
Passed the Senate, February 29th, 1873.
W. Ii. SIMS,
President of the Senate.
Received at the Executive office, March
th. ls7s.
TIE GovEENOR's VETO MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
JACKSON, Miss, Jan. Z, 1880. !
To tie Senate
GENTLEMEN-Sena Bill No. $50,
riginated i'm the Senate, February 9th,
37S, passed the House of Representa-
yes, February 2Sth, and was deliver
/ at the ISAeoutiye office on the 4th Of
[arch, just thirty six hauFs before the
nal adjournment of the Legislature.
| was a source of regret that, amid
lc stress of business during the clos
~ hours of the session, no time was
iforded in which to prepare and sub
lit to your predecessors written
Iessage embracing the reasons which
,ntrolled my action in Withholding .
ON it nay official signature. Antici-
iting the difficulties here mentioned,
ld in order that the pOylr vested in
le Executive by the Constitution
light be preserved unimpaired, the /,
amers Of that instrument incorpo- !
ted i'm it a provision allowing five !
Tvs for the consideration of any
easure submitted by the Legisla-
re for approval, unless prevented by
e adjournment of that body; and in v
at event that il should become law C