The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-06-03
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.

!
Assembly to regulate the charges to be
made by railroads in this State for the
transportation of.passengers and freight,
the Lafayette Advertiser takes issue with
its Baton Rouge contemporary and cites
strong reasons why such legislation is
not only advisable, but absolutely nee
essary to protect the people from
oppression and extortion. We briefly
summarize the main points of the dis
cussion.
| It is contended that the evils COM
planned Of in other States growing out of
railroad monopolies can never affect
Louisiana, because of the competition
afforded by our magnificent system of
inland water routes. Specific eases are
cited to rebut this fallacious argument.
When the Ouachita river is low and
steamboat navigation impeded, the
North Louisiana and Texas railroad
proceeds to robbery" by an enormous
increase of its charges. The systematic
extortion of A1organ's Louisiana and
Texas road is notorious. The freight on
/. barrel Of flour carried from New Orleans
to Vermilionville is eighty cents, whereas
the same barrel would be taken from
New Orleans to Washington, thirty miles
further, for only forty cents. Washing
ton is situated OIL a navigable stream
! and has constant communication with
the metropolis by steamboats,, while the
water route to Verlnilionville is so tor
tuous and roundabout that competition
with the railroad is impracticable. A
| boat was put into the trade over a year
ago, whereupon the railroad effected
contracts with the leading shippers and
receivers of freight at reasonable rates,
binding them to ship only by rail. AS
soon as the desired object Of crowding
the boat out had been accomplished, the
railroad authorities declined to renew
their contracts and raised the freight
tariff to extortionate figures. Uiscrimi-
planters and merchants at the sweet will
of the Morgan monopolists. For instance,
three equal lots Of balbed wire shipped
from New Orleans to Vermilionvilc were
charged as many different rates, and the
only possible explanation of the distinc-
ton enforced is that they were shipped
by different dealers. Freight is brought
from Cincinnati to New Orleans at inf
nitely cheaper rates than it will he
transported from New Orleans to Ver,nil-
ionville. Planters along the Tecle ard
the Terrebonnc and Lafourche bayous
who dare to patronize the independent
boats during the high water season, are
charged outrageous rates by the railroad
when the water is low, aud instances are
not wanting where they have been boy
cotted by an absolute refusal to transport
their freight at any price.
We heartily side with the 1drertiser in
this discussion and contend that it is not
only the privilege but the bounden duty
of our law makers to provide such stat
utes as viii protect the people from
commercial piracy and extortion Of this |
sort. Railroads obtain valuable conces- |
sions, donations and franchises from our
State, parish and municipal governments |
and individual property holders wherever
their lines extend, mostly without cost
aud III nearl ~ every other instance for
only a titlle of the real worth, and it is
only just that they should accord the
public fair treatment in return.
Our immediate section is interested in
the subject under consideration to less
degree, perhaps, than any other i'll the
State. Not only has the management of
the New Orleans Pacific road been always
fair and liberal, in strong contrast with
that Of the lines above mentioned. but
even We're it not SO, we have the giant
stream at onr doors whose never failing
waters afford us constant protection
against the ills Of monopoly in traffic
and travel. We uphold general pri lci-
pie, however, and speak in behalf of
less fortunately situated
than our own.
The objection that legislation pre-
scribing maximum rates for the trans
portation of freight and passengers will
tend to discourage the investment of
capital i'll railroad enterprises in LOUISE
ana is not borne out by the experience
Of States where laws Of this kind are
enforced. On the contrary, the opera
t;on of these laws has been quite as
beneficial and satisfactory to the rail-
roads as to the people; they not only
protect the latter from extortion and
but afford the railroads
protection against each other and en-
courage an even tenor and stability in
their affairs that is mutually advanta-
geous.
We apnrehend no attempt to fix
maximum tariffs SO low as to discourage
legitimate enterprise and investment of
capital ia the fraitful fold of railway
ia Louisiana-sucha course
ell the part of the legislative department
Ut the government would be SO palpably
suicidal that it is almost idle to surnise
danger from that source, but it is
absolutely necessary that the people
should be shielded from the inordinate
exactions and rapacity of soulless rail
road corporations, and our legislators
will fail i'll their duty if they do not
provide the wholesome protective laws
essential to the attainment of this pur-
pose. s.z