The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1884-01-29
HoUsE-EIGHTEENTH DAY.
MONDAY, January %, 1884.

House met pursuant to adjournment.
Leave Of absence was granted to Msssrs.
Caldwell, Dale, Hollingsworth, Watson and
Hughston.
Mr.. Williamson, from Committee on
Railroads, reported back the bill introduced
by Mr.. Baker, an act to supervise the rail-
road companies Of this State and TO create
the Office of a State Engineer and dehne
his powers and duties without recommen-
dation.
Mr.. Montgomery, OF Bolivar, at request
Of Mr. Brien, introduced resolution deem
ing il unwise, inexpedient and detrimental
to the interests of the State to pass any
bills at present tending to supervise rail
roads. Lies over under the rules.
The following entitled bills were read
twice and referred:
Mr.. Underwood-An act TO authorize an
election to prohibit the sale or giving away
or otherwise dispocing Of for gain or
recompense, spirituous, vinous or malt
liquors, or any Intoxicating bittsrs in any
county in this Stats upon the conditions
herein provided for. Temperance.
Mr.. Williams-To protect physicians in
their fees, etc. Health and Quarantine.
Mr.. Clemen'-To provide for the assess1
ment o. money loaned in this State by nom
residents. judiciary.
The Joint Resolution providing for an
examination of the condition OF the Capt.
tai building. Adopted.
The special order Of the day, having ar
rived, an act to provide for the regulation
of freights and passenger rates on railroads
and for tho taxation Of the property of
railroad companies in this State and for
other purposes
Mr.. Williamson moved the bill be corr
sidered or yrossed, read third tins and
placed upon its final passage
Mr.. Williamson spoke in faVsr Of the
passage Of the bill. IL had never been
denied, he said, that the State had Q right
to supervise all common carriers, end the
railroads had to-day obtained control Of all
trafnc Of this nature, hence the great necss-
sity for supervision.
The present great and growing monopo-
lies rendered the necessity At the present
day for supervision tenfold What il vas =
few years ago The fact OF railroads being
dependent on State Legislation FOR exist
lence, carried with it the right 10 control;
the rights granted TO railroads we're not for
private benefits or to benefit fs~ individ-
usls but for the benefit OF the public, and
as such should be under control ihss those
rights might be secured to the public. The
question Of expediency, he looked on - bat
a subterfuge; the people had bees told for
eight years that the matter would be settled,
but when the question comes up the sIsuse
Is made, wait little longer. Composition
does not regulate; on the contrary, 1t makes
matters worse The speaker illustraasl his
argument by comparing two psrslel lines,
running at ruinous rates for few months,
a sale of franchise, a compromise, and .
result wherein two lines do the work for
merly done by one, at rates TO suit them
selves. There are no commercial centres
in Mississippi, hence no points to b. bsns-
fitted by competition. There is no State in
the Union but what has larger commercial
centres than Mississippi, and she is an az
ricultural State and the roads need super
vision.
After reading extracts from records re-
lating to the operation Of railroads in other
States, and from letters alluding 70 the
subject, he related instances of discrimina-
ton in charges which had been called to
his notice, and concluded by abiding to
! the proposed mode Of supervision and
; speaking to its merits.
Mr.. Eorrel stated there was data enough
to make several hours speech on the sub
! ject, but he only proposed to SPEAK . few
minutes. He stood to-day upon the same
grounds he did two years ago on this sub
iect. The charters OF the roads, he said,
gave TO the roads certain immunities and
privileges and he denied that supervision
could take away the rights vested 10 the
roads by their charters. He quoted decis-
ions on the subjects to uphold his argu-
meat, and said the Supreme Court wac be-
hind him to back him up in that opinion.
Surprising the Legislature did not aci on
the question at the present time, il did not
affect the rights Of the people to act on ID
; at another time. Georgia, be said, in four
frears under railroad supervision had built
} but forty two miles of railroad, while Mia
sissippi, in two years with no supervision,
! had built over six hundred miles.
ORegarding the rates proposed BY super
vision, he had not heard them specified.
After thirty years Of study an old snpsrin-
tendent OF railroads confessed 10 10 be the
most dif1cult part Of the businssa He said
supervision in Georgia had not accomplish
ed its dssired end; he had read railroad re-
ports for the lass two pears FROM States
Wnero supervision prsVellsNs ana Ia every
instance the commissioners reported super
vision under legislation, q failure. That
railroads in Illinois would jump ct the
maximum rates offered BY the commission
ers, but cannot reach them on account of
competition. Supervision in Illinois was
doing nothing, bus stood an incubus on the
people Of Illinois and the commissioner
drew their salaries. The failure to pass
supervisory bill would have no effect on the
taxntion Of reals. Taxation could be i'm
posed to day, except where the roads we're
exempted from taxation by their charters.
Supervision in Mississinri, in his opinion,
to-day, he deemed exptd ent He admitted
. unjust discrimination IA certain cases. and
drew parallel by calling attention 70 daily
transactions in mercantile houses. Dis
elimination vas right belonging to every
J body,
! The question Of unjust discrimination
} was a E.a:ter for the courts to decide, II
the railroads were oppressive to the people
he would be one OF the first to advocate
their supervision, but in this day of pro.