Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-12-05
rxrEs-sTArE semnsncE.


II Is now six years since Mr.. Reagan,
Of Texas. introduced q bill in the House
Of Representatives for regulation Of
Interstate commerce. The fnuda-
mental provisions of the bill are simple
snd easily understood. II aims 10 do
stroy the outrage Of unjust discrimlna
lions between persons and places prac
ticed by transportation companies. IL
Is settled principle that, respecting
commerce between stases. Congress has
exclusive Jurisdiction that II alone has
power to regulate by Law the manner In
which such commerce shall be carried
on. Railroads. whose termini are within
State are subject TO State legislation
railroads whose termisi are outside tbs
State are subject TO state regulation as to
freights and fares only with respect to
local business. e., transportation done
within the State. The effect IL, that
over ali freight and passenger charges
from points without 10 points within I;
from points within TO points without. or
from points outside, through the State,
10 points outside, Congress has sxcln-
slvs Jurisdiction. No laws In respec. to
chareos for auch service passed by State
legislatures are valid or can be enforced.
To illustrate The Central p ,ciflo
Railroad passes through the State of
Nevada. Its tsrmini are outside the
State boundaries. Nevada has power
to tx the rates OF trans porta,ion upon
all freight picked mp. transported aud
set down by that company within the
State limits. This is tbs extent OF her
power. Over rates upon f,eiehss con.
Ing from other States, going to other
States or passing through the State. her
Legislature has no contro, tha, power
resss in Congress.
Taking advantage OF this, the over
land railroads. in particular, have plan.
dered the interior States and terrific
sies at will. The custom has been 10 so
adjust rates that tho shorter the haul,
the greater would be the charge there.
for. Upon goods which we're hauled
from New York 10 Sacramento AZ, say
$500 per car load. the charges were
more than doubled when they wors to
be delivered ~ points from 300 10 GO
miles nearer the point Of shipment. To
abolish this strocious iaiast ,ce. 10 re-
lisve helpless communities and com.
nonvsal1hs. by forcing these moncpo-
lies 10 deal fairly, 10 the object of the
Interstate commerce better knoxn "a
the Rsagaa-bill. l, provides. briefly,
that no greater charge shall be- made ey
any transportation company for
hauling freight q shorter than
for longer distance, aud at
solusely prohibits pooling combine
tons between transportation compa.
nies- Under its provisions IL enacted.
the merchant, and therefore the con
suner. at Helena. Spokane or wAIla
Walls, would not be compelled TO pay
any more freight upon carload OF
goods shipped from Chicago than the
Portland merchant, several hundred
miles further from the point OF shi.,-
mens and the whole resources OF the
interior woald not be drained 10 build
up favored cities. Tie clause against
pooling Is equally iaportant. wher.
ever in late years competition hss eesa
made possible by construction Of psral.
lei lines, is good effects have been
promptly nalIiaed BY combinations 10
keep mp rates and divide receipts Such
is the case with all the overland rail
roads nov in operation There ar I've
different managemenss nox operasisz
thrcoeh lines from the East 10 the Pa
edo. Yet between thsse several lines
tasFs Il abselaiels ne composition tend.
ing 10 rsdaetion Of rates. There il, Of
course. sirasRie 10 sci the most baz.
ness. This csnisss. but for the syssesa
Of pooling combinations, would lnsviss-
by result In reducing rates. In ssecs
these several companies hsss desesnsns
the amount OF tribute 10 be enacted
from the pubic. This being settled.
thsy aro ready 10 compsts for tie
sswaa.' Il 10 obv.oas that under such
scrditions no pablio bsnsss,. sxospt IN