New-York tribune., 1884-12-18

Reagan himself appeared to feel exceedingly
indignant at lis treatment by his poiitca' "sso,
ciates. But this session has but fairly openea
when Mr.. Reaan's bill is put in place OF the Dill
reported by the committee, and, tho electors"
votes Of New-York having been bagged, the
Reagan bill is supported by nearly h'e's'A,"s
of the voting Democratic members III 'ho
House.
Tho into~nosition of Mr.. O'IIara, OF North
Carolina. though very ludicrous incident
;IIustr,tinp the ineradcablc and unconqueraDie
pcoro.hatng propensity Of the majority, mas
uo os,ociol hearing upon the ultimate fortunes
of tho hill OF course his amendment Will DC
showed aside sooner or later, ana the question
rs 10 TRANSFORMATION of freight VIII stahd' hs
tbo neoro-haters wish to have 1t, by itseii'
There is no reason. however, why Congress-
if il exercises the power to regulate transpor'a-
tion of property between States shall not hs
,vol and with as much occasion exercise the
mower to rcpulnte the transportation OF persons
between the States. If the interference pro-
,o.od hy Mfr Reagan has reason, the amend
mcnt proposcd by Mr. O'Iiara has very mnch
more reason, for there has been lar moro ircl"o",
Injustice in the transportaiiohoi Oh paSSonRc's' III"
far more fragrant violation OF personal rights 'n
that respect than In the transportation o'
propcrty. The Democrats, however, nave I"
majority In the House, and 1t IL not I'd po
o,pectcd that they will permit tho great negro
oucstion 10 bc thrust before tho country III IN
offensive form just at present
Mr Rcopan's bill has been discussed already
unite enough. II il not u measure ol intc''igcn'
reform. but ~ rcacionary prejudice. lts tcn-
d.ncy would not bc 10 cheaper Transportation
ar to lcsscn abuses in tfansportatlon' on the
c,,t,ory. II would open the door to intolcrabio
and almost unliinitod injustice. and would
nlace r,nls that run from one state into another
in uu entirely different position from roads 80
,,,,,,iz,J n. /, do business wholly or mainly
,,i,hn a single state. It would probably lend
4, a motcrinl increase in the cost of transporta-
ion. and lessen to IN important extent 'ho
sorviccs which the transporting companies are
now both able and dispo'ed torcnhef tothc pun
lc. Tho real evils which the bill soeks To cure
n has no power to remove, Neither 'he ooV-
eminent of the United States not the uoNefh-
nonl ni nn, State can regulate the buslieSs ~
ttnusnuilntinn IN nny effective way short vl
,irlunl onnacniun of property Aghns' any
nnnlieniion uf this 81 any other hill Nh'h
involves deprivation oi property WITHOUT
remuneration, the oWhoia oi The property may
cypocl dolonro by tho Supreme Court 'h-
douhlrdly they would appeal to the courts u
This bin should pass, would test the Validity "'
the measure at every point and would involve
fine counry in prolonged litigation before 1t
could be determined what features oi the ACT
,ould be- enforced. All this s miscliicVons,
will involve prolonged uncertainty, and wall
cast a cloud upon the value OF securities ana
investments.
There is no danger. we trnst, that tins
measure can pass the Senate. The bhl which
WAS reported TO the House in its stead more
reasonable, conservative and sensible measure
if not in all respects wise, would probably
have found much favor in the upper House.
II does not seem improbable that it may yet be
substituted. or some other measure resembling
it, for Mr.. Rcagan's cmincntly Bourbonish per-
formancc, the passage of which would simply
be Il disgrace TO the country aud an offence To
the century in which we live.