The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-08-29


!. tstion. II rates we're regulated 8
/ have suggested, our cities snd law :
! would at least have the chance 70 EFos
E and I believe would grow some 81 ou
; Mississippi river cities should le as 5arE
2 IS Memphis. and some d cur Iatefi0
/ cities as large rs Atlanta MisSls>inr
{ year-more thsn any other STATE ezcep
I Texas. vet not One-fenth Of it IS -!
within her borders, as the final marke
5 to manufacturers 81 exporters Al. >
: nearly ali this crop should b. naaTkeIe
: IN this State and the trade e,Rseqaen
{ 70 il should belong 70 our own eities
Z This Is impossible, under the prsSen
Z system Of Railroad rates. tlur peepl
: have no access with their products L
] our cities except at rates discriminatini
: against them. Our farmers have n
: home markets furnished by large citif.
| IN our midst for the smaller crops ans
: fruits and vegetables. Fair local rate
5 would tend 10 correct all this. Al al
: events. | am - selfish for Mississippi
and her people, that ! would claim 10
+ her and them a fair chance in the race
! of progress and improvement. 1t is no.
} just that our State should be made L
bear the burden of advancing other 10
calities, and that from her merchants
J farmers and mechanics should 5e gath
cred the necessary gains by high local
rates to enable the Railroad companies
to carry eheaply for Others.
With the provision. with the addition
i have stated, equalizing per mile local
with through rates, | would associate
=
elimination as to freight usually shipped
in packages between large and small
shippers, nor in fact between any ship
pers whatever. The evident justice of
such provision eommends it without
argument. Every person using rail-
roads should be entitled TO equal priyi-
leges and facilities. They are public
institutions in their use. though private
in their ownership. They get their
right to exist, their franchises and their
/ privileges, from the people of the whole
State, and it is but simple Justice that
there should be no discrimination in
favor of Others against the people Of the
State a body. and none, between indi-
viduals composing the great mass of the
psople. The machinery by which such
a law should be enforced need not be
complicated or expensive. and will read
lily occur to the thoughtful legislator
| need not refer to it here, especially
since the object of this letter is not to
mark our details but to point TO the
principles which would govern State su-
pervision.
In the work of framing bill on this
subject the Legislature should neither
I a. 1 s.f g.. Il.
| rights of all interested Il must not be
forgotten that the subject is one full Of
| difficulties when we contemplate the
actual operation of State supervision.
The people of the State have rights
which should be well guarded and pro
tected on the other hand, n disposition
/ to make war on the rights Of persons
1 who have. or who may contemplate in
yesting, their capital in railroads should
be carefully avoided as unjust and tend
| ing to prevent the making of new roads,
now s0rely needed in some portions OF
the State. An attempt to fix arbitrarily
rates which are below the cost Of the
service, or which would not leave a fair
profit to the owners, woald be in effect
an appropriation OF the private property
of some to the Use of Others. and would
unsettle the foundation upon which
rests that security of private rights es-
sential to any progress, and even to lib
| erty itself. la fixing a standard for
railroad charges, it should not be for
| gotten that we are unable To fix the
amount of the cost 10 railroads Of the
work to be dOne nor can we fix the
compensation OF their agents, officers.
employees, nor the price of fuel. iron,
cross ties, cars, or anything else which
they use.
Ii should also be remembered Il at in
considerate or unjust legislation viii
/ almost certainly end in injury to the
State, and give impetus and strength to
! the sentiment that the subject of Rail
road supervision, if not beyond the
I power, is at least beyond the comDe-
tency of the State to manage wisely and
well. Any regulation whatever viii be
resisted by the Railroad companies.
Every advantage will be taken of over
sight in the law, and this tendency will
be increased if the scheme be liable to
the charge of injustice. | do not ex-
peet that a law even tolerabiy perfect
can be framed at once. Our duty will
be to adopt a just and fair principle as
the basis of the law. to frame the details
with care and prudence. and then to
amend and change it as time and exper.
fence shall demonstrate its defects. The
State has an undoubted power over In
ternal commerce as we have seen. The
| power may be made to operate indirectly
but effeetually on Interstate traffic. Il
properly used. The State cannot be dis
lodged from her strong position Let il
be understood that she means with care
and patience and firmness 10 proceed
with the work, in a spirit Of justice and
fairness, and her position will be i'm
preguable. Let there be as kttle inter
ference as possible with the proprietary
rights of the owners of Railroads, anC
: as little infringement on their manage
ment of their own property The OBJ
ject should be, not TO punish for sup
! posed past delinqueneies, but to secur,
i justice in the future. If the Railroad
companies should show disposition Il
: cooperate with the State in remedvins
: evils now felt, such cooperation should
be encouraged, even invited If, on tn
) contrary, the Railroads seek By ever,
{ means to eyade and defeat the operation
: of just law, all the power Of the STAT
D should be invoked 10 secure her peopl
q justice.
e There are many arguments of grea
t force that can be urged in behalf of tn
n supervision herein suggested. Some 0
I these ] have mentioned to your Exec
e lency orally, | omit them here, becaas
o the limits of communication like thi
i would be unduly expanded By their II
d sertion. | wish to say in eonclusio
5 that have no special attachment fu
the plan herein advocated. After nnc
d reflection, it appears to me the NOS
Il feasible and To promise the largest gooC
!. give il as nav contribution 10 the eli
o cslssioI of this important subject. as tn
v hope that abler pens mey be induced /
Y enter upon its examination If up0
e further discussion and examination
d shall be found that | have erred | sha
le rejoice, since, as q citizen of Mississi1Jp
n, | can have no other interest in the ma
ter than to have that thing done whic
,f will most advance the welfare Of Ii
- people. | have the honor 10 be.
= Very respectfully.
: Your obt svf and feiloN-citizen.
:, J. T. GEoRGE.
n append an extract from the Repo
n OF Railroad Commissioners Of Georgf
e The notifications We we're compefI
" 10 make arose from the fact that Il
ne Legislature Of Georgia eonld only CO
L troll the railroads within her own b
10 ders- OF course it could not inferfe
an with business without her limits, thou.
= needing a like control.
ne The cooperation Of the contiga0
Sh States, and even Of States beyond the
ne is necessary TO complete the benefei
n action Of the rule-sav in Georgia I
AZ cooperation Of the States Of Tenn
e, see and Kentucky, espeeially. and a
No Of Alabama and the CaTolinas.
n n Such cooperation Of properly b
ne monious character it IS almost inipo-
II bic to obtain. The States and th
se- especial interests are too numerous, a
IN either too conflicting in fact, or q
a 4 posed to be 50, 70 make It az all proba
20 that they can eoncHr in the same ex
policy. It Is possible that the feat
ase 0f the United States Constifution