Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-11

interest bearing bonds for the amount
| found to be due on convenient day.
say July 1, 1883, at which
time one-half of the interest will be paid
by the United States. Let the ascertained
amount be divided into, say 100 semi-an-
| nual lnstallments, each to be represented
by redemption bond, one payable each
SIX months, together with interest upon the
whoie unpaid remainder of the debt, the
lien to remain as it is. The report saws:
"Ihe adjustment of railroad rates is one
OF the most difficult and delicate questions
OF modern times, and it is specially com
pllcated in the United States, where every
trunk line runs through several states, each
independent within its own iuris-
dlction and jealous of all inter
ference by the general government. The
enormous extent of this interest and
the rapidity of its growth, and the increase
OF mileage and tonnage, demand that its
relations to the public shall be under some
ludicious legal control, and rates and dis
ordinations not entirely within the arbi-
trary determination of the railroad COM
panles. Thes are subject to competitions
which they cannot control, upon the ocean,
upon the lakes and upon the rivers. The
great lakes and rivers are so peculiarly ad-
vantageously located as to trade. with their
numerous far-reaching and extended nav
lgable tributaries, carry water com
petition into almost every portion
of the country, with the eff
feet of SO reducing general rates.
The United States enjoys the cheapest
railroad transportation in the world but
as yet, no just basis of general application
for adjustment of rates and discrimina-
tons has been found, and it is undeniable
that there are hardships neither few nor
small arising from present discrimina-
tons, often arbitrarily imposed, which af-
fect dlsastrously local trade at non-com-
peting points. There is a growing and
elamorous demand among the people
that railroad management shall
be subjected to restraint of law.
Nor is railroad management adverse to
reasonable control. It has become ne
cessity that ''wars" of rates shall be con-
trolled in the interests of the people and
roads. Such wars unsettle, within their
operation, commercial values, affording
sudden and unreasonable profits to a few
and entailing heavy losses upon others.
Railway commissioners appointed in
twenty-one states report continued exer-
else of their healthful influence over rail-
road management, but railroad transpor-
tation strictly confined within state
jurisdiction is so limited that it leaves the
real difficulties unsolved and nearly unaf-
fected. The power of congress over the
whole subject can hardly be Questioned
The supreme court of Illinois comedies
It'll and decisions of the supreme court of the
United States seem to render it Z uadisputable'
A commission is recommended to take into
consideration the whole question and re-
port to congress the facts necessary for
Intelligent and efficient action on the sub
ject. The commissioner speaks of the
unnecessary and dangerous dissimilarity
OF railroad signals, and recommends the
adoption of uniform system. A review
IL Detail OF the Ouerations Of The Pacific
roads mentioned CLOSES the report. The
estimate of expenses of the railroad Office
the next fiscal year is 100000.
The report of the commissioner of PEN
sions for the fiscal year ended June 80.
1882, is issued. Commissioner Dudley
says the bounty land laws should be gem
orally remedied and simplifed. Congress
should give thoughtful consideration to
the entire regarding of pensions, making
disability, rather than rank. the measure
of pension, the officers and men having
been drawn from and returned to the
same walks of civil life. There are now
III different grades of pensioners. 1t is
proposed to give the officer the benefit of
his actual rank as an act of simple Justice
1t is recommended also that in order
to place all war claims more nearly on the
same footing, the limitation in section
Alb be removed so that cases barred by
the three year limitation shall have their
date or commencement at the time of filing
the application rather than at that of
filing the last piece of evidence. Widows
and invalid soldiers of the regular army
and navy. whose rights accrued since June
30, 1880, should be allowed a reasonable
time to file their applications, and the
pensions should date from the commence
ment or accruing of their right, in
stead as now, from the date of
fling the application. A yearly
salary of $4,000 is recommended for pen
sion agents. Speaking of the pension popu-
latlon, the commissioner expressed regret
that no provision had been made in the
tenth census for its enumeration. The
best appr ,ximation that can be made
shows of 2,O63,391 soldiers who enlisted
during the war pensions have been applied
for by or on account of, only 26 per cent.
Ihe report concludes with statement that
from the best available information. it
appears there is surviving soldier popa-
lation of a little over 100000, and of
which claims for pensions in the future
may be made by those who incurred PEN
sionable disabilities.
The Sunday Herald says: The trial of
Surgeon Owen, United States navy, was
ordered at the request of political friends
of Capt. Hopkins, who declared if the lat
ter were dismissed the service for leaving
his post, DR.. Owen should be punished for
advising him to do so. 1t is understood
that Surgeon Owen will testify tomorrow
that he had authority from the secretary
of the navy to send away from Pensacola,
ont of the reach of the yellow fever, such
persons as could be spared.
A communication was laid before the
senate Saturday from the secretary of war
transmitting estimates for the improve
ment of the Mississippi river, for the fs-
cal year ending June so, 1884. aggregating
$4,572.O0O. This sum is proposed to be
expended in narrowing the channel and
preventing caving banks on reaches below
Cairo as follows: New Madrid reach, forty