New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-26
ADDRESS By MR.. ADAMS

Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: A committee OF
Congress is now bnsy drafting what may well provo
the basis Of national railroad legislation; and
the matter which is most pressingly urged on the
attention of the Legislature of Ncwlork is bill to
create a railroad commission. Now listen TO what
Robert Ste ph nsOn. the son Of the man who made
railroads >ossiblr, said as long ago as 1856 in re-
gard to railroad leg station and railroad commits
sions In he light OF his wOrds it is marvellous 10
see how little progress these subjects The legisla
tive mind has since then made. Speaking on behalf
of the railroad III erests Stephenson said: What
We want is a tribunal upon those subjects cornpe-
tent TO judge and willing to devote it's attention
to railway subjects only. We do not
impute to Parliament that il is dis
honest, but we impute that it Is in
competent. Neither its practical experience, nor
its tine, nor ils system of procednr", is adapted
Tor IA lway LEGISLATION what we ask ls
knowledge Give us we say, "a tribunal COM
petent tO form \ sound opinion. Commit to that
tribunal, with any restrictions yOu ihlul. necessary,
the whoe of the great questions a"pertaining 10 our
system. Let II prot ci private interests apart from
railways delegate To 1t the power 0f en0r'n2 such
TcWaiOns and restrictions as may be Thought need
fl tD secure tie rights OF private persons or oil the
publ deyO,Ne on ~ the 'uiy of nsoildatng II
po i.iblc, the railway laws, and of making such
amendments therein as the public interests and the
property nov depending on the system may requre
give II lul. delegated power over Ms IN any way YOU
please all we ask is, that il shall be tribunal that
is impaTIal, and that IL thoroughly in Ormed and.
ii impar.iality and intelligence are secured, we do
not fear for the result"
These words truly expressed he situation twenty
five years ago. and they truly express II now. In
them lies the only possible solution of that railroad
day that Stephenson uttered the words have just
quoted. and from a time long before he uttered
them, down 10 his day, there never has aCongTess
or n Legislature sat in which men did not come for
ward with few simple laws which once pa sed, they
confidently asserted wOuld settle this matter Tor
good and all We shall have more of them yet
OIL Al. var al ~ fsH
me by Mr.. C3nd cr, the member Cf congress so
we'll known to all the members OF this Association,
that | should appear before the Comnitiee OF Com,
merce and give them my views on this subject and
since then tine commit ee Iisei through lis chair
mau, has made the invitation formal one. | lid
not accept it. My eng geiaents were such tdat
could not. Even if / could have acceuted IT, how
ever, may as wei confess that should nave gone
on TO Washington with small hope mat any hones1
bill cOu Il submit would have any chance OF aGop-
ton IL would be charged against II that IL was TOO
ridiculOusly simple tnat 1t didn't amount 10 any
thing; that if the committee reported anything
the country expect it TO report something
stronger and more complicated and harder on
the railroads.
BILL FOR A NATIONAL COMMSsION..
Now gentlemen, it is because ! did not go TO
Washington to appear before the Committee Of
Commerce that l am here this evening
before you l have q little measure of
my own TO PROPOSE very little one;
though il has cost inc n good many years to
prepare it, Ny is based on Robert
Stephensons recommendation of twenty-five years
ago. and il at least has the merit of being short and
simple. 1t consists of four sections and four only;
and ii is believe, unique in railroad legislation.
| will read il 10 you:
SECTION /. \ Board of Commissioners Of Interstate
Commerce Is hereby Established as Bureau OF the IN
terror Department. 10 cohslst OF urce COMMISSIONER,
who shall be appointed by the President soon as may
BE a afer f9e p Of Of ooe s en ad Sa
hold their Offices for FIVE years from the first day OF
in he ms Qp Of his act
SEC 9. Said BOARD sha | exercise n supervision over
that portion of the business Of all rarOats which passes
from one sta Territory into through or
States Territories, 10 or from any foreign country;
but such SUPERVISION shall be limited to questions OF
commerce between States and The methods oper-
atng their roads by railroad corporations as affecting
SEC g. II shall be the duty Of said Board to nvest-
gate all complaints which NAV be forwaried to 1t of dis
crimination in the charges made for its seryices
method OF rendering its services, ss common carrier
in commerce between the statesby any RAILROAD corpora
by any incorporated board Of trade chamber of
mcrce any state city government the investga-
plant upon which it is founded shall be made tho
spot where such cause OF complaint originated or
wherever else II may be found most conveniart. said
Board of Commissioners in any investigation conducted
direct the production of hooks papers and contracts r
lstiug o any subject matter of complaint
SEC f. said board SHALL III all ways endeayor 10 pro
cure the daa necessary TO the gradual enactment
of an nte gen Of National gslaton regulating
al report dongs the Secretary OF the Interior
on or before the first day Of November OF each yesn
Whenever an inyesga CATION Is made any comp anl,
special report of such investigations and the findings of
the board thereon shall also be made End forwarded "a
The parties making the complaint; and whenever II shall
appear that railroad corporation or other organize
ZION or person in commerce between the states,
has violated or al-d to perform his duties that
any change necessary or exedent IN the manner in
which said commerce carried on by said common
ries in order promote the public interests the said
commissioners shall give public notice thereof 10 all par.
ties concerned and sna clldc such notice in their next
annual rep0rt together with specific recommendations
OF legislation necessary TO make the same effective
This would be the measure that should propose.
A very short and simple measure, you see. based
on the familiar principle that the longest way round
is often the shortest way home 1t would be great
deal pleasantor to settle the whole thing by soms
nuitive fash of Legislative genius. Unfortunately.
it can't be done AS Mr.. Lincoln sad of the Rebel
lion. "Tbis is a big thing; and if the Government
means 10 get The better of the railroad question, 10
will have to 20 work upon IL, as II at last did on
the kebenon IN Dig way Il Leg,saye bs anH !htuI.lon
delay. | would have Congress understann the
disease before It prescrbes remedy. This, know,
isn't the usual course. For suggesting il; even,
sunnose shall be accused Of timidity and subser-
yielce to the corporations by more than one child OF
Hercules who, wrapped snug IN his legislative era
g. takes Joy in the stranging OF serpents before an
a,imirlng constituency. have been 40 accused be-
fore: nevertheless still cling to the simple faith
that eyel in legislation, it's good thing before
making laws 10 know what you are making laws
THE MEN FOR THE PLACE.
IL ia however, necessary 10 bear IN mind that
Robert Stephenson IN recommending speeiai TIL
bunaI TO deal with these subjects, did not stop
there. He added certain quite important qnalitca-
tions. 1t was TO be tribunal competent to forma
sound opinion,""a tribunal that is impartial and
informed" Here, after ALL is the essen.
tlal point A railroad commission in itself amounts
TO nothing at all; it all depends the men who are
in the commission. They must not only be honest
and wholly above suspicion. if they going to
anything, but they must under
taud their business. They must know per-
fecty we'll both what they want and how they
mean to 90 TO work get IT, On this subject feel
at liberty to speak as a dsinterested party.
,xaII or in I have lona ALI ne connias