St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-15

Slater described tue operation oI tue princlple
of discriminating against ''short hauls, I" slnd
the suffering of western communities in con-
sequence.
Senator Cullom said the amendment was
an important one, but in his opinion its
adoption would result disastrous to the rail.
roads.
Senator Van wyck favored Senator Slater's
amendment, and cited illustrations Of dis
ordinations practiced by railroads and COM
binations made by companies 10 resist all at
tempts of the public to remedy the evil. =
Senator Cullom said the adoption OF SEN
ator Slater's amendments would seriously
| iniure not only the producers of the west
but the consumers Of the east. 1t would in
jure hundreds of thousands OF people.
Senator Van Wyck had often heard this
] statement made, but had seen no proof of it.
The people of Nebraska, as well as Iowa,
| Illinois and other states, were suffering from
extortions by the railroads. lie would like
| to know how the community
could be benefited by the railroads charging
as they did In an instance cited by hin,
| $500 for carload delivered GOO miles east of
San Francisco, and charging only $500 for a
| carload delivered in San Francisco 600 miles
| beyond.
Senator Hoar favored the commission, and
said the Massachusetts railroad commission
had accomplished results hardly less than
| marvellous.
Senator Coke inquired whether the com
mission could act for the whole United States
as advantageously as for single state.
Senator Hoar thought it could not enter
into so much mnutiae, but could do great
good.
Senator Slater explained his amendment
would have this effect, to prohibit
company from charging from
Chicago to any point west Of New York a
greater sum than it charged from Chicago to
New York. II 1t itcharged 800 car to New
York it should not charge more than Sl00 car
to any point between Chicago and New York.
He defended his amendment as tending TO
build up places Of moderate size instead of
concentrating population and business so
densely in few large cities. He also cited
cases of extortion growing ont OF discrimi-
nations by railroads in favor of large cities.
Senator Allison thought Senator Slater's
amendment was q radical departure from the
principle of the com mission, embodied in
the bill II would be fixing castiron rules sharp
com petition OF railroads and water routes
rendered the establishment of such rule on
the matter so materially undesirable. The
sible Of application without serious effect.
At the risk of some criticism Senator Allison.
for one, preferred to favor the appointment
of commission of eminent men, as pro-
vded by the bill, TO thoroughly examine the
subject and give their combined and mature
Judgment, and not take hasty judgment Of
one man who had not examined the subject.
He believed in making haste slowly in this
matter. The commission had been success
full in several states; let the commission be
tried for the ULited States.
Senator Van nWyck, while eriticising Senator
Allison's position, was interrupted by Sena-
tor Mcpherson, who said he could give Sena-
tor Van Wyck subject discussion that would
last him an hour This remark was greeted
with general protests of "oh, don't"
Senator Mcpherson said railroads some.
times carried grain from the Chicago eleva-
tors for less than the cost of labor involved.
Senator Van Wyck replied there were
elevators in other localities from which rail-
roads greatly overchsrged.
Senator Jackson thought the Slater amend
ment o dangerous one. II would be en-
bodying in the law an implication that rail-
roads might, If they choose, chaTca as much
for haul OF ten miles as for $40 of 1,0D0
miles. 'sa.e@
Senator Camden recognized the difficulty
governing great railroad interests by arbi-
trary regulations made By congress. He
thought in general natioud competitor was
the better guide. But the intense competi-
ton existing in certain great commercial
centers which induced the railroads some
times to take goods for less than cost, in
duced them to greatly overchargo local COM
munities.
Senator Harrison called the attention Of
the senate To the death OF the Hon. Schuyler
Colfax, who had been presiding officer Of the
senate and vice president of the United
States. After few brief but feeling words
of eulogy of the deceased by Senators Harri-
son and sherman, Harrison offered a resolu-
tion reciting that the senate had heard with
great sorrow Of Colfax's death, and out of
respect for his memory the senate do now
adjourn. The senate accordingly adjourned.