The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-10-17

In Iowa the relations between the rail- ]
road cOrporstions and the people are
interested toa STATE Commission, which !
Is made up Of one civil engineer one
iurist. and one FARMER. 4 correspond
dent II the New York Tribune. writing
from Des Moinez, tssti6es that the work
Of this commiszion has been successful
heyond the expectations Of tie people )
has established many valuable rules and
precedents, and has averted almost en-
sirely the necessity Of resorting 10 the
courts for settlement Of disputes. He
sums up the results as follows:
The Railroad Commission has taken
the place Of lawss statutes are becoming
obsolete; courts are discarded HE
Commission is accessible to al persons
ANY one who can write. or speak intel
lgentN can present complaint, and i
viii be heard. whether be be poor or
rich. Although the commission Is not
judicial body It il making law very fast.
Ii is establishing precedents on point
after point which will in future become
authority. These precedents, if disre-
garded BY railroads. may be confirmed
By statute. This viii secure law based
On experience instead of speculation.
Thus far the railroads have cordially and
promptlyiobeyed every recommendation
Of the commission, whether the amount
, involved was q few dollars or many
. thousands The judgment of the car
rier and the patron being satisfied, ths
contest is ended.
i Commenting on which the Chicago
: Tribune says:
!, A large number of benefits to the com
. munity is mentioned in detail by til
same correspondent, and chief anon
them are: Treatment of the railways 3
n public highways, and requiring equa
facilities for all cars of connecting road
u and other corporations and indiSiduals
& prevention of discrimination against Il
Il cations and individul shippers; enforce
ment of contracts between producer
and carriers; requirement of reasonahl
As rates or charges. along with publicit
Z. and degree of permanency. Man
minor reforms have also been achieve
looking to an increase Of facilities al
- safety. The Iowa Commission, accor
:, ing to this account, seems to have re
- dered the people of that State mo
service than the Illinois Commission b
rendered the people of this State, b
both move along the same lines. WhS
ry ever the commission system has be
he fairly tried under rules and respon
Iv bility which provide a reasonable qua
! antee of fairness it has proved boon DO
~ to the public and the corporations
'st reducing litigation and proyidingprom
remedy for grievances.
Enlarged experience with State Coz
in missions is preparing the way for \;
he ional Railroad Commission, which shi
be charged with limited jurisdieti
70 over interstate railroad commerce a
H. governed by certain general rules Ia
down in a United States statute. ii
Reagan's bill in Congress for the reg
- lation of railways contained the col
''' mission feature it would probably ha
arS made more Roadway than it has ACHE
it'll ed up to the present time There is n
ng much reason to apprehend corrupt
mo- or perversion in small body of men
trusted with an important National
tefest, governed by welfdefined prin
pies, and responsible directly to t
hio Government. Such commission. CO
sxt posed of honorable and competent m'
-en would be free from political conside
tons and improper influences, and W
the law, the courts, and he State Co
missions at their back it would be a
he to restrain competition from a dis
ed trous cut-throat policy and prevent co
) a bination from resorting to extortion a
II discrimination.