The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-04-04
The Tennessee Legislature Passes q
Railroad Commission Bill.

RAILROAD Commission Bill.
The Tennessee Legislature has passed,
and the Governor has approved bill
creating Railroad Commission and put
ting into practical operation the rightand
duty of Legislative control in the interest
of and for the protection of the people.
The Memphis Appeal which has steadily
and ably advocated the passage of such
measure, discusses the action of the Leg
islature, in this manner
The people of Tennessee rejoice at the
passage of the Railroad Commission
bill 1t may not be all that is required,
but it is a movement in the right direc-
ton Gov. Bate in selecting the COM
missioners will no doubt exercise his
usual good sense and appoint men of in
tegrity, ability and prudence--men who,
whileAprotecting the people, will be just
to the railroads. When the Georgia
Legislature passed similar bill, the
railroad magnates threatened to switch
all their locomotives off the track, and
to transfer the rails and cross-ties to
States where the determinations of the
monopolists were never molested, and
the people have no rights which the
railroads are bound to respect. But the
Legislature of Georgia could not be in
undated. The bill passed, the commits
sioners were appointed, and, after fixing
rates which have relieved the people, the
sun still shines and the trains still run
on schedule time as though nothing UNI
usual had happened. When similar
bill was introduced three months age
| in the South Carolina Legislature, the
same intimidation was attempted. The
depots were all to be closed. The sharp
triangular nose of the cow-catcher was
never again to be stained with the blood
of its victims. There were to be no
more ditching, no more collisions, and
the ponderous wheels of the great Jug
gernauts wept at the thought that they
were no longer to enjoy the luxury of
crushing bones, decapitating heads and
increasing the demand for wooden legs
and arms. But the people could not be
frightened. The Legislature passed the
bill, the commissioners were selected
and although busily engaged in the work
of protecting the people, the locomotive
with his tender behind and cow-catchel
in front, is making big money for the
monopolists. The same bulldozing was
attempted in Tennessee. 1t had it,
effect, but the Legislature reluctantly
obeyed the instructions which their con
stituents gave in clecting them. The
commissioners will be appointed at Al
early day. They should carefully stud,
the transportation charges and the I'm
Just determinations, and arrange
schedule which shall relieve the people
but at the same time not Cypress tn,
railroads, for to Cypress railroads is t.
oppose the progressive civilization of til,
age. The people should manifest NJ
angry Impotence, for it took the Geor
gia commissioners six months to perfec
the system which is now working to tn,
satisfaction of the people without an,
material detriment to the roads. Their
appears to be no denial of the fact tina
the establishment of q Railroad Com
mission in other States has been produc
tive of good, and we cannot see why
similar results should not follow ii
Tennessee. Discrimination often drie
up smaller cities by the suction of com
mercial eenters. This can only be pre-
vented by legislation, not against rail
roads, but by the enforcement of law
which mete out equal and exact justice
between the roads and the people.