Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-05
NATIONAL AND STATE RAIL
ROAD COMMISSIONS.

70 the approaching session Of Con-
gress is likely to be long one, extend
ing, perhaps, lar into the summer,
many Of those measures which may
properly be termed innovations in leg
islatiOn, and which have been handed
down from one Congress TO another Tor
want OF time to dispose OF them, will
again become the leading topics OF de-
bate.
Most prominent among these subjects
oilegislation will, doubtless, be that oil
regulating railroad traffic by national
laws. Three or four sessions have been
largely occupied with measures oil this
character, and it is not Improbable that
some expression OF Congress, either pro
or c0n.. will be reached at this session.
All the measures that have thus lar
been formulated in Congress in this be-
half, have had rs q basis the appoint
ment of board of Commissioners IN
vested with general powers OF superN'.
sion ami control OF traffic In some oi
the states which nov have Local railroad
commissioners, the plan IS being sdVo-
Gated OF organizing, By act OF Congress,
railroad commission to be composed
OF rne chairmen Of the commissioners oil
rai.~ogJs IN the several States having
such commissioners, and whose presid-
ING officer, it is suggested, shall be the
commissioner appointed by the Presi-
dent OF the United States, Tor the
District OF Columbia.
This project has its advocates chiefly
in some of the southern States, ami
WAS discussed some time ago at the con-
yention OF railroad commissioners at
Atlanta.
The objections which have been urged
against the plan are that at present only
about one hall OF the States have such
commissions and could not be compelled
10 appoint them against their will; ami
secondly. that the proyisi MS OF most
state constitutions prohibit State
officer from holding an office OF profit or
trust under the / nited States.
.hese two objections seem quite con-
elusive in themselves as to the special
plan proposed, although each State
might be as We'll represented in an ap-
uOinte:, who was not railroad commIs.
missioner or other officer OF the state
from which he came.
But there have been other strong OBJ
jections which relate to the policy or
principle involved in such interference
of the national Government. These are
mainly, that commission must neces.
sarily be constituted from men
drawn IRON the several States or some
of them, which would inevitably create
a conflict OF authority between the local
State Boards and the United States
Boards, as well as between the members
of the latter who would naturally feel
double obligation to their respective
States on the one hand and to the
United States on the other.
Moreover, it is urged that such plan
would be an extension Oi the civil ser
vice Of the United States, service
which mas already too many officials
.irawing pay from the Government.
The opponents OF national commits
sion are not generally opposed to the
plan of railroad commissioners, but hold
that it is better that each State have its
own commission acting within its lines
and responsible only 10 the State they
serve. Because the complaint oil the
public is not against the rates oil through
traffic and travel, for these are kept
down by the strenuous competition be
tween the trunk lines. The most seri-
Gus charge against the railroads lies in
The heavy rates imposed on local travel
and traffic where competition does not
exist.
There is no question but these exhor-
bitant local rates, as compared with
through rates, are the root OF nearly
all the bitterness felt toward the great
railroad companies. and it is these local
rates and discriminating preferences
with which \ properly constituted State
railroad commission should have power
10 deal; or failing in that, should be in.
structed to report all well founded com
plants to the State Legislature for cor
rec,ion. as is the case now IN MassaChu-
sets.