Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-11
National vs.. st2te Railroad Commits
sIOHs.

In letter to Mai. Campbell Wallace, OF
the q -orgia Railroad Commission, Mr.. w.
L. Bragg, President of the Railroad Com
mission OF AIabans. discusses proposition
SCI forth in a letter addressed to Mr.. Wal
lace, and published in the Atlanta GORHlt1t-
t.O7., looking TO the organization, by act Of
N1pgress, OF a Railroad Commission, to be
composed OF the Chairman Of TIE Com
missiouers of Railroads iR TIE several States
having such Commissioners. aud phose pre-
siding Officer, . Is suggested, shall be the
Commissioner appointed by the President
Of the United States for CSe District OF
Columbia. Mr.. Bragg states that Wien the
subject Of a National Railroad Commission
was discussed at the Convention Of Railroad
Commissioners - Atlanta, great diversity
nf opinion was elected, and that a similar
proposition was considered by the Alabama
Commissioners previous to the convention
aud decided to be impTaCticable on
several grounds. First, because only little
more than half the States have such com
missions: second, because the provisions OF
thirteen State constitutions prohibit
5. ate officer from hOidiog an Utfice OF trust
or profit under the United States. Mr..
Bragg objec's personallyto eltner national
or a Guasi-nati0nsl Railroad Commission for
the further reason that there would
inevitably be coufic- of authority among
the Commissioners holding a double
duty: that Is to say, to their respective
States on he one hand ans 20 the
United States on the her. He ADDS.
gSuch q board, no matter how consti' uted,
Uh Ter al set Of Congress, would become
branch or bareau or department OF the Gov
ernment OF the 4 niteG States, and be re-
oui-ed TO make It's reports to Congress In
some shape, or to the President, or to tae I
head OF one of the departments OF the Gov
erpment OF the United States. l suppose
Congress would hardly SECURE such oOSrd
to make q report to each OF The Etates, but
II so. It would be the first time in the nis-
tory OF this country that Congress has ever
by solemn statute created q DoaIu
for the perfOEmsnce or duties TO
all the people OF the United states
and then require that board TO report to and
be responsible to any State government "
Moreover. be declares himself opposed to
what would be virtually an extension OF
the civil service CO the United States, ser
vice which has already too many ohclals
drawing paw from the government. MI.
Bragg would have State Railroad COmHlis-
sions sct each within irs lines, and RESPONSE
bic only to the States they serve.
The com plant Of the public, be says,
is not against the rates OF through traffic
and travel. fCF these are kept down by
strenuous competition between the unk
lines. The most serious charge against the
railroads lies IN the heaVy rates lnpOseo on
local travel and traffic where competition
does not exist. He touches on these exor0i-
80 local rates. as compared with through
rs4es. the root OF nearly all the bitterness
fslf fo.ard TIE great railroad companies,
and n is their local rates and discriminating
-I-sfsrences with whieh properly eonstitut-
e3 st,te Railroad Commission should have
nower to deal: or, failing th&l, should be
Instructed to report all well founded con- (
nisints 10 the Legislature for correction as
is the case now in Massachusetts,.