The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-15
INTERSTATE COMMERCE..
Points of the Bill Now Being Considered in
the House of Representatives.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.

Points of the Bill Now Being Considered in
the House of Representatives.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON. Dec. IA On the goth or 23d
inst. Congress will adjourn until Jan 5. Until
the latter date there will be nothing of impor-
tance accomplished unless it is the passage of the
interstate commerce bill by the House That
the country generally demands that the govern
ment shall exercise some sort of supervision
over the railroads, seems to be very generally
conceded on all sides. just how far that control
should extend is a question upon which there
are several opinions. Judge Reagan of Texas,
has had hobby for years. He desires to regu-
late inteTiy ste commerce by national Legislation
With this end in view he has studied the ques.
ton in all its aspects. He has made a
gallant fight for his views, and at
last was appointed chairman ot the
commerce committee by Speaker Car
Isle. Judge Reagans bill was introduced
and referred in due form early in the last
session. The commerce committee considered
it, and, by a majority of one reported in favor
of a substitute bill drawn by the Hon Charles
Francis Adams, ir This substitute is based on
the railway law of Massachuse. = 1t proposes
board of commissioners, whose duty it shall
be to have supervisory control over all interstate
railroad matters The commission must keen
posted all freight rates. and must hear all
complaints against railroads. Aggrieved parties
may, under direction of the commission, bring
suit for damages against railroads violating the
rules and regulations laid down by the commits
sion and the United States may enter suit and
recover penalties for such violations. The bill
has been under discussion for several days
in the House, and vote is likely
to be reached upon it some day this
week. bill will undoubtedly pass and it
is more than likely that this bill will be the one
agreed upon. Judge Reagan however, is dis
satisfied He wants law which will not only
exercise supervisory control but also prescribe
terms upon which the railroads shall do bust
ness. He proposes that there shall be no com
mission, but that the State and federal courts
shall hear and determine all grievances against
the railroads, The bill is quite lengthy. 1t
provides that there shall be no determinations
in charges or expedition but that all shall be
treated alike No rebates or drawbacks shall be
allowed No greater charge shall be made for a
short haul" than for 'long haul " Pooling
arrangements between competing roads are pro-
scrbed. Heavy penalties for violations of any
of the above requirements are set forth, and
upon the whole the Reagan substitute for
the committee bill is about as severe as
it could be. The advocates of the
committee bill say that it is based upon the
Massachusetts law, which has been found to work
to the satisfaction of ALL and that it affords suf
fcient protection to the shipper without unnec-
essarily burdening the railroads with regulations
which would be fatal to them. The Reagan sub
stitute, on the other hand, it is argued, would
ruin many of the smaller roads and would seri-
ously embarrass manufacturing towns which
have been built up through railroad enterprise
Among the opponents of the committee bill,
John A. Anderson, of Kansas stands in The
front. Mr.. Anderson has always taken bold
and determined stand against railroad monopo-
lies. He says that the committees bull was
drawn by a railroad lawyer in the interest of the
railroad men; that the railroads consented
to the passage of any bill only because
public sentiment had grown too strong to resist,
and that the lobby in the interest of the com
mission scheme is stronger and bolder than any
lobby that has been here for years. Mr.. Ander-
son says that the commission could not cope
with the questions, and would prove no matehfor
the paid agents of powerful railroad corpora
TONS Whether the lobby has been at work or
not, it seems quite evident that majority of
the House favors the idea of the commission.
The only difficulty will be to find three men
for commissioners. Those who could fill the po
sitions can command any salaries from the cor
porations, and the $4,000 salary which it is sup