The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular CorrespoI dent.1

which was dry enough during the
examination of Shipherd, assumed
a very interesting phase when Mr..
Blaine was called upon to testify. 1t
was very refreshing to notice with
what ease and completeness he
at once disposed of the charges
which Shipherd had brought against
him. His testimony has been plain,
Saskatchewan and to the point.
No declining to ans Yer in his
case. no convenient neuralgia"
his only wish, apparently, has been
to have the facts ofthe matter brought
before the public. His passage at
arms with Belmont was very dra-
matte. He refused to sit down, and
standing at the end of the long CON-
mlttee table, his tall figure imposing
and even grand each sarcastic returt
and satirical remark fell with great
weight upon the head of the "chief
lawyer" as he called him, who un-
dertook to badger" him with his
long list of small questions. Blaine
stood pre-eminent in the House Co
eloquence, and he has displayed bis
power to a remarkable degree even
in replying to the simple questions
of the Committee. His diction is
easy and elegant ; his manner grace
full and he carries all before him. He
is, in all probability. the most elo-
quent witness that ever appeared be-
fore a Congressional Committee. The
words that passed between him and
Belmont would have been followed
by duel in the days of Webster and
Randolph. But in this practical, I'M
romantic period, no results are prob
able other than a vigorous animosity
between the two.
The bill introduced in the Senate
by Mr.. McDill, OF Iowa, for the crea-
ton of board of railway commits
sioners, to consist of civil engineer
with practical experience, shipper
thoroughly conversant with shipping
matters, and either specialist who
has studied the railroad problem orr
good lawyer, is worthy of much at
tentiOn. In his speech on the subject
Mr.. McDill expatiated on the possible
evil results from the present unlimi-
ted power of railroad corporations in
the regulation of rates, and he argued
that since the prosperity of every To-
cality depended upon it's free COM
merce there could be no question of
the power and duty of Congress to
legislate in the matter. There is no
doubt that the large railroad COM
panies possess under the present laws
tremendous power. If they choose
to discriminate against any city by
raising the import and lowering the
export rates. it must suffer serious
loss of commerce and there is no pos
sibility of redress. l think the time
is coming when transportation of per.
sons and goods will pass into the
hands of the Government. There is
surely as much reasen for National
monopoly in this business as in the
transportation of mails. But whether
this is done or not il is highly imDor-
tant the Government should take
some steps toward regulating the
system by law, if only to protect
itself from the possible arbitrary use
by railroad corporations of the power
they possess. The present combina-
ton of the Trunk lines between the
East and West by which the passen-
ger and freight rates have been put
up twenty-five or thirty per cent. is
an illustration of the grasping meth
DDS of these corporations. 1t is to be
hoped that Mr.. McDill's bill will be
adopted and the commission appoint
ed. and that some healthy legislation
will result.
The new Chinese immigration bill
differs from the other only in regard
to the limit ofthe restriction. Wheth-
err the new form will be acceptable to
the President or not is entirely a
matter of opinion based upon the veto
message; for the President keeps his
own counsel to remarkable degree.
The prevailing idea, however, is that
he will sign the bill. The Demo.
cratic endeavor to cause the defeat of
the message by means of fifteen
year amendment is a plain piece of
demagogism. A second veto will,
the Democrats hope, add a blow to
the Republican prospects on the
Pacific coast, already damaged by
the veto of the first bill, and thus in.
sure the victory of their party in the
next elections. Whether or not such
would be the result remains to be
tested, but it ought to have directly
contrary effect for the failure of the
measure will be directly chargable