Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-22
CONGRESSIONAL RAILWAY LEGIs.
LATION.

ing railroad attacks upon public rights, fol
the more prominent of them have been e
involved in troubles among themselves tina
| a breathing interval has occurred TO the
people. Pooling arrangements between va
rious lines had fallen into confusion, SC
those who had become accomplished in the
art Of extorting "all the traffic would bear
from the public, did not hesitate to plumber
each other. While pledged openly to a GER
tain rate of charges, privately one road
would accept rates below what they had sol
emily engaged to take; mutual distrust anC
recrimination followed, and while the dis
putants were engaged in efforts to overreacH
each other, the general public was les
exposed to be victimized. Whether
it is for the advantage of our citizens tha
bodies of men, who prove so treacherous il
their dealings with each other, should have
uncontrolled power to make charges and
construct the conditions and rules under
which they will perform their duties, sHy
observer of their methods of doing business
can Judge. The fact becomes more and more
evident, as time goes on, that our govern
ment must do what governments in Other
countries have found it necessary to do, as
sumo controlling authority, and establish q
national system of railroad superintendent
that, while doing full justice to the roads
shall protect the people from oppressive and
unjust acts; it becomes every year
more important that Congress should
take the necessary steps 10 that effect
Several of the States individually
have performed their duty in this respect,
and with good results where the system
adopted-while protecting the public from
distortion and discrimination-did full JUS
tice toward the roads, without interfering
with the efforts of the railroads to promote,
in a just way, their own special interests.
But more than this action of the States indi-
vidually is required. There must be inter
state regulation, such as only Congress has
power to exercise. To be complete and eff
cient the control must be co-extensive with
the railroad system of the country, so that
that control may be harmonious and all its
parts consistent with each other. Again and
again attempts have been made TO secure
Congressional action, and various measures
have been put before that body, chief among
them stands out the proposed measure known
as 'the Reagan bill" \ subcommittee
of the House has the subject before
it at the present time, and 1t is under
stood that it will soon report its con-
illusions. Six bills are before the committee,
but the Reagan bill, as the most simple and
nil l. he ,.
with some notifications. While containing
excel ent fe atures, that bill is inadequate in
some respects for the end designed. 1t pro-
hibits discrimination in intestate traffic;
requires regular rates, which rates are to
be coaspicuously posted, and not to be
CHI anged except after giving ten days no.
lice; the roads must not discriminate, nor
make rebates or special contracts; each GUS
toner must stand on equal terms, for equal
things, with every other customer, in railroad
As is usual in mercantile business. The bill
however, fails to provide for harmony of &C
ton between rival lines. While each line
must publish its rates and give notice OF in
tended changes of rate, there is no provision
hat may check or extinguish the "cuttiDg" of
rates by one rival line against another, or in
any other way to secure harmony of action
IN such cases go as to prevent two or three
competing lines doing as whole what no
me of them could do individually. Whether
ome amount of harmony calculated to pro-
ect the interests of the public against the
flashing regulations and charges of conflict
ng lines is possible, perhaps only experience
AN demonstrate; but the Reagan bill I'M
modified deals with the companies only in
heir individual capacity, without regard to
What continent or conflicting interests might |
prompt any number of them to do col |
ectively. A serious omission in the Reagan |
ill is the failure to provide for the establish |
lent of a commission, or other tribunal,
IorkiHg, and to adjudicate upon cases aris-
ng under its operation. As legislation of
he kind required is at present experime ntal
18th Us, such commission would be desira-
lie for the purpose of noting the workings of
he new law, and to suggest to Congress such
editions and changes in the law as realized
lets should show to be necessary. la the
bsence OF experience on any great scale, it
clear that the first interstate national rail-
lad law should be clear of intricacy, seek.
g at the start to prevent those abuses which
-e well known and clearly defined; then,
it'll competent commission to apply lis
'ovi-ions and watch their operation, more
mplete and thorough railroad law could
enacted to the great benefit of commerce
ID of individual citizens, b II fit none
,uld find greater than the railro ids them
Ives, for the wiser their regulations, and
e more Just their charges, the better for
cir interests and permanent Welfare.