The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-02-22

efal Railroad bill II the Legislature, and
pertinent % the discuss ion, we have
culIed some few extracts from the re
ports Of Commissioners from other
States.
The Railway Commissioner of Ohio,
in his report of this year says that rail-
road companies exercise their business
primarily not as a matter of right. but by
virtue of powers granted by the State, |"
and they must make proper showing
to this Office (of the Commissioner Of
all matters of a public interest" The
Commissioner SAYS that the State created
the Office because railways may build up
or destroy by discrimination the towns
of the State, and becau4a the State has
responsibility for the safety OF passen-
gers and freight transported, and to pre-
vent fraudulent and unwise manage
ment. The Commissioner adds: "Ohio's
railways interests are large and growing.
The tendency of railways interests is
towards consolidation. Consolidation
means power, and if anything is to be
dreaded from the use Of that power, it
is not too early to establish firmly and
support promptly an efficient means of
control. In England the Commissioners
have almost complete control"
The Ohio Commissioner endorses what
the U. S. Senate Committee says as fol-
lows:
The duty Of the statesman IS to inquire
as 10 the danger Of leaving the property and
industrial interests Of the people thus Who'll
II at the mercy OF few men, who recognize
no responsibility but to stockholders and
30 principle OF action but personal and cor
porate aggrandizement."
In conclusion the Commissioner says
Many of our people are largely interested
as owners of the capital thus invested; and
it Is. therefore, highly important that the
financial and physical condition Of these
roads shall at all time, be fully understood;
and in this view it is desired that the laws
ter to euable the Commissioner to secure
more thorough and prompt report from rail-
road companies, and that more liberal APP
preparations be made to enable him TO fully
discharge the important duties of his office.
But for the eouftesies of railroads them
selves 10 furnishing transportation and the
most complete facilities, the examination
could not have been made with the appro-
priation available for this purpose. There
are exceptional cases where the management
of a railroad is ueglectfG Of the means for
safe transportation of It's Passengers.
Provision should be made tor a thorough
inspection annually, 70 enable the Commits
sioner TO Point out such neglect, and enforce
zach repair as may empower him to bring
into his office full account ofevery physi-
cal feature Of our railroad system.
Governor Rusk, Of Wisconsin, has
this to say about the report Of the Rail-
road Commission of that State, in his
message to the Legislature
The present indications are that 4 mach
larger amount of road will be built in 1882
than was haiIt in 1881, unless some unlock
ed for financial revolution shall cut short
work already under contemplation. No
brief summary Of the rePlrt of The Commits
-ioners can do it justice or Brcse4t iq proper
form the interesting Statistics ard the galuy
able information thYein given. The ques-
tons discussed, andkhe suggestions made in
regard to changes in the laws, shall be
studied and any Aefects in the existing law
should be remedied by appropriate legisIf
ton The repaft will be laid before yaR/
few days, andlI commend ta<yo6r sPe/ Il
consideration thaSe-HsFsf6ns of the ri Il
referring to the reports of the State III
urer and Commissioner, the license fee
RAILROADS and DETERMINATIONS and trustH
in your wisdom you viii be enabled to per-
feet all the laws relating TO the WORKING of
the railroad department in the interest of
Justice and equal distribution of the burdens
upon the producer and the carrier alike.
The province of the STATE, through its Legis-
lature, is to pass such laws in regard to trans
pGrtaiiQp q shall be deemed for the inter
ests Of all the people has become settled
fact through the decision OF tbs highest trl-
bunal OF the land, and il accepted as wtseI
policy by the great corporations themselves.
Il becomes, therefore, the highest duty of
the legislature to give due thought to al
railroad legislation and to act with suchI
wisdom that while 1t shail aab be gndplyl
rigorous in the restrictions it imposes by
proper and healthful protection 10 the pro-
ducine classes, but given to the whole peo-
pie such enactmenbs as shall bestow justice
and an equality of rigats win an impartial
hand: and, in the furtheranee and perfec-
ton of this principle Of regulation, | do not
think ii unreasonable 10 hope that the timeI
is not far distant when the interstate com /
nerce of the country will be regulated by
national statute in such harmonious adj
iustmesG a. gill meet the requirements of
the producing and consuming portion of
society.
The following points were settled by
q recent decision of the Railroad Com
mission of Alabema
l. The revised passenger tariffs of the
railroad companies being the most the comb
panies can charge for the service performed
they may charge less than these rates, prot
vided they are not guilty of unjust dis
crimination."
?. These revised passenger tariffs relate ID
single passenger fares, and passenger ticket
may be sold by a company at reduced rate|
to a travelling company or crowd IN on{
transaction: nor do these revised passenge
tariffs prevent reduced rates on excursions
or to any public gathering.
3. A company selling passenger ticket4
10 Ministers OF the Gospel, at reduced rates
below these revised tariffs, when travelling
on the business of their ministerial duties
is not guilty of unjust discrimination.
At . meeting of tho New Yorl
Chamber Of Commerce the spscia
Committee on Railroad Transportatiol
presented repoft to the Chamber
which was unanimously adopted, re
viewing the workings of the Georgia
Railroad Commission and its results
The report was substantially as fol
lows;
In 1879 the State of Georgia established
I Raiiroad Commission with somewha
greater powers than that of Massaehnsetts
nasmueh as it made it the duty of thd.
Georgia Commission to fix rates for the
,arrisgs of freight and passengers on the
various RAILROADS within that State, but
with less power than the English Railway
il the respect that the de-
,isiops Of the Georgia Commissioners are
subject to sesiez by the courts, while those
il the English Commissioners are not TheI
Georgia law has now been in force more
han two years It's results may be sum-
0arized as fsaliaxS. "a fsro Henrs II has doag