The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1882-02-10
The Railroad Commission.

~ Tie lcElsih'uic i"bscu p'h S''"-
ting a Railroad Commission. Tie
Commission il TO consist of three
members, holding Office for Elk years,
md appointed Ivy the Governor. 1t
Is thr DIZZY Of Tie Commission TO fix
a maximum schedule OF rates for
Height and passengers carried ON
rosdJ running through the State.
They also have the right to compel
improvements 10 he made Oh an,
railroad wherever it ID necessary
for the security, convenience and ac-
commodn,ion OF tho public; they arc
required TO investigate tho books md
papers cf oil railroads doing business
ia the State, TO zee that their rules
arc complied with; to make peroonrl
visitation Of railroad Offices and stG-
,ions, md TO examine agents and
c,nplnycs Of tho railroads in ordcr to
acquire tho necessary information to
make just schedule rates. All con-
,rrcls No,w, en- different railroad
mpanics are TO 10 submitted to
this Commission FIR inspection or
correction. Any emp'oyo OF the
road violating the provision OF the
act or refusing 10 obey thc orders Of
: Tho Commission are punishable with
u. lino 10, exceeding $500, md i'm.
prisonmcnt not over six months.
We very much doubt the propricsy
" attempting TO regulate rai'rond
charges. We nro of opinion tha
mos; lii crnl spirit should character
rs our Legislation in regard TO rail
roads AMI manufacturing establish
mrnts. We do not clearly Under
stand how II company can DO super.
viscd or regulated, il therc is no pro-
vision in Tic charter under which
re company was organized, giving
,lis rover to tho Legislature. a
charter is simply contract between
he State aid railroad company;
granting C, rlain privileges and i'm.
munitios IN The one hand conditioned
apon the performances o! al act
Tie bmlding and operating n rail-
road Oh Tho other. II tho charter
: then, does no! expressly reserve the
righ,.o supervise aud regulate iatcs,
tho provision Of the above bill Cannot
apply TO existing RAILROADS..
! II. however, any charter empowers
tho Legislature to regulate freicl'!
and passenger rates, wo ihii.k the
{ above bill will fall far ehort OF Ob-
tanning the desired results. The
work Of regulating should have been
pc,s.lpcl hS the legislature itself.
: Thb Commission programme will
amount 10 nothing except to provide
three fit Ulcers for somo Of Missis.
sippi's hungry Sons. II is expected
hat tho Commission will take IN in.
; dependent stand, and disiutores.cdly
! Tx schedule OF charges, direct i'm
provcncnts, mud correct evils, the
hope will he q delusion from the
very nature of things.
One OF The provisions OF tho hill is
to require the Commission in person
, TO whit railroad stations and Offices,
! aud 10 examine railroad agents and
employees IL ORDER TO ACQrInI THE
NECESSARY IMPORTATION TO MAKE JrSr
SCHEDULE RATES" What more could
tho railroad ak than this? The Com
mission will doubtless DO composed
Of men who arc no. what is termed
railroad men, and will know Just,
about ns much concerning railroad
matters and what would be tquita-
bic aud just rates alike to the citizen
and railroad company, as the average
citizen lnows about Hebrew. Aud
obtaining their information from
railroad employees and officials, it il
not difficult TO guess that the schcd.
ule rates Fixed would differ In. little
fiom tboso fixed 10y the company IL
sell. Consi ant communication with
The railroad powers, breathing the
mir infected constantly by railroad
iavors, the Commission will unsensi-
bly, imb;bo the sentiments end
thoughts OF The railroad, and before
;wo years shall have passed., the
Commission will b. in feeling idcn-
'ifcd with tho railroad company
Had tie Legislature fixed the term
.! Office of tho Commission at one
year, tho result might have been diff
fercni, hut it cav &. 10 fix the term
FIR six yeara, and it requires no
prophet to ioretell that long before
the Fix years have passed the rail-
road company will have swallowed
the commission head and tail.
But al before remarked, we doubt
A