The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-05-17

ed that this principle shall be embodied
in the form of law. The issue will be
fought out. They may be bati1ed for a
time by the ingenuity of its Opposers,
but they will win in the end. The poll
ticians may as well as not, look the rug
ged fact in the face. They will either
have to go on the current or be swept
under it,"
We will not take up time and space
in demonstrating that this fight for
Legislative Supervision" is chiefly
waged by the politicians" while most
OF the thoughtful planters, merchants
and professional men are on the other
side, for we intend to show by what we
regard as unanswerable arguments,
CLEANED from the official record, that the
State has not only by solemn covenant
waived its right but surrendered its
power to enact laws for the supervision
of railroads in accordance with our con
ception of the Chrion's demands, and
that the prediction made by the Jackson
L'dger in its last issue, "that the next
Legislature will not pass Railroad Su
pervision bill, is solidly founded,
In the Legislature of 1882 the fight
for Supervisory Law was made with
all the vim and ability that could be
brought to bear upon the question, and
failed to pass;but the same Legislature
passed bill after bill, embracing ''Leg.
islation within Constitutional limits, +"
that ,ffectually, by sacred and solemn
covenant, disarmed the Legislature and
the State of constitutional power to
supervise" her railroads except in the
way of passing general law, giving to
all the old roads the rights and privi-
leges and protection specifically granted
by charter to the new ones.
THE RAILROAD TREATY OF 1882.
In February, 1882, the Legislature
granted to the Canton, Aberdeen and
Nashville Railroad and the "Yazoo
and Mississippi Valley r. R." the two
great arms and feeders of the Chicago,
st. LOUIS and New Orleans line-the
charter of the last containing authority
to weave perfect net work of rails all
over the Yazoo Delta-charters embrace
ing the following provisions:
"Ths road shall have and possess the
power to fix from time to time, by its
Board of Directors, the Iates at which It
will do express and telegraph business
and shall transport other express COM
panies as may apply for transportation
over its line at a just and reasonable rate
of transportation and also the rates at
which said company will transport per
sons or property over its railroads and
branches, provided said last mentioned
rates shall not exceed four cents per
mile for pass engers, nor the following
rates on freight:
"Sixty-tive cents per hundred pounds
for LIST and 2nd class freight, per hundred
miles or less.
"Forty-Hve cents per hundred pounds
for Bird or 4th class freight, per hundred
miles or less
"Thirty-two cents per hundred pounds
for 9th or 9th class freight, per hundred
miles or less
The "Gulf and Ship Island Road" of
which the able and distinguished editor
OF the Clarion is himself an Incorpora-
tor, which is certain to be built at an
early day and to give us great port
upon our Southern coast, was the first
to fall into line behind the above named
roads, and TO obtain on February 23rd a
charter granting exactly the same tariff
privileges.
On March 3rd 1882 the same charter
rights were granted to the memphis &
Vicksburg Rail Road"
On March 18th the following Railroads
obtained exactly the same concessions:
Meridian, Brookhnven & Natchtz !
Railroad" "Vicksburg IL North Eastern
Railroad" Tennessee & Mississippi |
Railroad"
On the next day, March Sth, the
Memphis & New Orleans" Railroad
received exactly the same charter rights.
On March 9th, these rights were grant
ID by statute to the following roads:
"Vicksburg & Mississippi Railroad"
Meridian, Winona & Helena Railroad.
And on the same day charter was
granted to the New Orleans, Baton
Rouge, Vicksburg & Memphis Short
line Railroad" authorizing it to
Take, transport and carry passengers
n property *and to receive for such
afe keeping, passage and transportation
uch tolls and charges as may, from time
o time be established by the directors
# said company"
This last named road it seems came
mt even better than the others for its
onuact with the State does not even
INIT it to stated maximum of charges.
The Georgia Pacific obtained at that
ession several important charters. but
Without examining the pamphlet acts
f our neighbor State we cannot tell
What tariff concessions were obtained,
or the Legislature was only allowed to
see through burned glass darby" so
M as it was concerned, and granted it
il the rights, privileges and immunities
by its Alabama charter" and
hose who appreciate the ability of the
len who were looking after its fortunes
o not doubt but that its claims were
lilly considered.
The mississippi and Arkansas Rail
pad" in its charter obtained March 9th
s82, neither asked or received tariff
rivlleges.
The Helena, Sardis, Pontotoc and
road" left its tariff matters
little ambiguous in the charter obtain
d March Sth.
The mississippi, Alabama & Georgia
obtained March 9th, char.
or containing the following provision:
THAT il shall be lawful for the com
any from time to time to fir, regulate and
'ceiCe, the tolls, charges and fares for
ne transportation of persons or prop
rty."
No, l,1z e