, 1880-03-02


truhk-llne raslroad pnol, processes to think
TINT the newsrnpers lnsrcpresent the ntlf-
t1lue ot the rAllra:tl managers toward tho
proposed congressional Legislation fnr tho
Supervision Of the railroads. llo ntakcs tho
point tilat ie rilllfo ads which lsc represents
lthiftS-totlr diifcrcnt corporations, We he-
llevel arc not npposcd to any a1ut all leg!sla-
tafl' btlt simply to tint WHICH las been pro-
poscd Illus faf beeauso they believe 1t to l'c
inadequate as n remedy. lie c'lnrnctcrlzes
tic teagatl bill wtsli aonle 5astieu ms merely
a statutory Insertion Or tho cotn1lsan-law
principle, and contends that any shipper who
suffers from unreasonable or un}tlstfy-tl1s-
orltninafing taril1s can find redress now rs
well MS 'siltIcr tho Rengan bill IT that should
become law. lilo latter statement riay ho
1airly questioned, even though It he at'nis-
tca that the Kcagan btI' Is little more t'snn II
formal statutory declaration of the general
principles now and always recognized by tho
Courts. 1t IL huge joke to refer tho public
10 the Courts, uitier the present contitkn
or things, to secure fair and equitable
treatment Mt the lla'if!s Of tho railroads. Tho
great cost and tntcrminal,le dclay Of fighting
corporations, aiM tho comparatively s,nafl
WV %''>'-'''''''s o'''ll'St ''"' III
assuming tho burden Ut litigation, render Nil
appeal TO the Courts against cxtortEon or dis
cf''ninatton altogether iinpractlcnbEe. AS n
matter Of fact, tho power Of the railroad cor-
porations Is 30 sweeping and Is exercised so
arbitrarily TINT shippers not only find tf,c,a-
selves practically excluded from tie Courts,
put ait not even aaro to put y. m appear
,1 maco oetofe tl1o Ioh9rcsslol"l committee ut
N"sh'ak."" = ~ sho" ~ ''e 1hffroaa apassps,
pevA"sS "ios ,e"'ea l"o 1ei'''s"ls "l'teh tl'o
t"l'ion"S "o"!a 'c't upon t"ehi III revenge.
my eohgtesssoha' laW, even VI snch general
Icr.''s ~ 11'e i.caea" o'li' "ou'a carry WIN u
astt"hs "'ornl 1otce, even though IL sfloull
i"'l !" p,oF1oe ,.'o auieR and easy !ene'ly ''-
nH''''su ny poo1ic interests hnu 70 t'at extent
!'"o"'" pe "A ''''l,,osehse'.tt t'poh tile present
'''''' '"eN VI te''cai''' ies1s1''ioh'
Even admitting thnt tllo legislation Which
Inns been proposed dues not afford n coin
l!letc remedy, 1t Is snst1y more acceptable
tltan tho Legislation whicl, Commissioner
tlnk would provide II lo cnutt1 have his
way. lie says that the only legislation IT.
aniretl to protect public Interests is to lcgal-
ize md cnforco voluntary agreements " lsc-
tween tic railroads Ito establish a1M! main-
-''-HF
equitable basis." 10 Illustrate Just what TO
means hy this statement, he declares tlat
tho r;'lroud corporations Included III Ills
l'ool hive bern working to this c,sa, ntul Tint
II there were National Inv 10 eo,ul.el them
Ia nl'idc ay the terms Ut tho pool, there would
no longer be my caisse nj complaint. THAT
Is to shy, wien tho railroads arbitrarily
raIscl tho tar!G OH grain fro1n Is to 10 cents
per lou pounds between Chicago and New
York last full, Just M snon M tlley fnunt
themselves released froln water competition,
then tile existence Of n Inv under
which any 'ratlroad company could bo
punished for not maintaining this and
similarly arbitrary tariffs would make the
producers contcnt with tllu eonflscutton Of
their property and tic consumers porfcctly
satisfied with tho cxor1ttant prices they
would thus bo compelled to payt How or
why tho burden uf exturtiop woul,1 bc uny
lighter .!pon the pllblle w],sr, tho railroads
sl,ouIl have tho ]pRal ,unchtuory Mt hand for
onforclnr their nrbttrnry tarttfs Afr. E,ut,