Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-30

PIEDMONT, Mo-, Nov. "a, 1882.
HON. JAMES HARDING, Jefferson City, Mo-
Dear Sir: beg to acknowledge the receipt
of the seventh annual report Of the Railroad
Commissioners for the State Of Missouri, and
also q circular letter accompanying bill
which purports to embrace what tho Rail.
road Commissioners seem to deem the prop.
er amendment of existing laws touching
their own duties and concerning freight
rates on the railways Of this State.
I have Examined the bill which you have
so kindly seen fit to forward me, and must
say that no such bill will receive my support
neither should it receive the support of any
member of the General Assembly without
material amendment.
How is it, when draughting q bill Of the
importance of that which yon have seen fit
to send me, that you so carefully omit to
amend Section 1874, Article 3, Chapter p, Of
the Revised Statutes of 1879?
You ask for the amendment Of Sections S3a
and S35 and others of the article and chapter
mentioned; but, singularly enough, you
wholly omit to ask for the amendment OF
Section S34.
In your application for the amendment OF
Section S33, you wholly fail to classify the
freight or to designate the rate for transpor-
tation Of those very important articles SO
largely entering into the business and vol
ume of railway transportation in the State
that is to say, the ores of iron of all kinds,
the ores Of lead, zinc, copper, etc., and pig
metal, pig lead, copper ingots and other
products of the reduction furnaces Of the
vast mineral wealth of this State.
Section ~ of Article IL of the Constitution
of Missouri, Of 1875, is as follows:
''It shall not be lawful in this State for any
railway company to charge for freight or
passengers, a greater amount for the trans
portation of the same for a less distance than
the amount charged for any greater distance ;
and suitable laws shall he passed by the Gen.
efal Assembly to enforce this provision; but
excursion and Communication tickets may be
issued at special rates."
Now, Section 1913 classes lumber, etc., in
car loads as Glass &C.," and Section 1874
authorizes railway companies to charge
$500 for the first twenty -four miles per
car load for lumber; not exceedin five dol
lars per ear for the second twenty-five miles,
and not exceeding t,oo dollars per car load
for each additional twenty five miles"
Instead Of asking the repeal Of this uncon-
stitutionaI law, which works the most seri-
Gus injury to the interest Of all shippers of
freight over railways in this State, whether
of lumber or other kind of freight, you only
seek to extend your own discretionary pow
ers; which powers, 1 may add, have never
been exercised, SO far as know or your re-
ports show, in the interest of shippers or for
the abolition of excessive and illegal freight
charges.
Before the receipt of your kind favor OF
date the Goth inst, had prepared bill en-
bracing my ideas of that which is right as
between the people and the railways in Mis-
souri,, and especially covering two of the
sections referred 10 in your bill, and also es-
pecially embracing decided amendment of
Section sS4, which, apparently, you have for
gotten.
Thanking yourself and the other members
Of the Board for the valuable documents
and above referred to, with great
respect, I remain
Truly yours, C.. D. YANCEY.