The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-02-19
The New Railroad Bill.

The railroad commission bill, In
troduced by Mr. Johnson and pub
lished in the American of yesterday
will probably consume a large por-
ton of the remaining time of the
legislature. We are not a little sur
prised at the statement of the au-
thor OF the bill that majority OF
the democrats in both houses had
agreed to this bill. Surely there
must be some mistake about this.
We are very sure a majority OF the
democrats in the legislature would
not strike a.deadly blow, knowingly,
at the states prosperity. This bill,
in its general features, is q much
more deadly blow at the railroads
than the bill Of two years ago, and
would, if passed, have the effect to
prevent Che building Of single
road in the state until its fate is
known by final judgement OF the
supreme court.
There are peculiar features about
this bill which will attract wide at
tention, and provoke, among men
whose Thoughts ere of practical
nature, outspoken opposition. Why
pass q bill now to go into operation
two years off, practically and abso-
iulsf, imperative until the time for
tie meeting Of the next general as
seWpiy:
Fhat Is lie scope of this bill for
the neAt two years which takes
effect from M sfteE ise passage, the
public welfare reguirin2 .tY' The
scope of the bill for lie next two
years is simply letice to capital
and enterprise not to invest in rail
roads in Tennessee. That this no
tice would be effective there can be
no doubt. Nothing is to be done.
Not even the demand for free passes
Is to be made until after the 1st of
January, 1887.
Now, it seems to US that business
tact would not make laws on
doubtful proposition until the time
came for their operation. This law
is called an amendment of the act
of 1883. On the same subject de-
clared unconstitutional. 1t IS call
ed an amendment, but in fact it is
q new law, out and out. Calling it
an amendment opens the door to
the commissioners elected at the
last election to step in and say, well,
the legislature has made it all right,
we will now take our salaries. We
will take our 1900 clerk, $1,000 a
year in all, or $14, 400 fer the two
years.
Win they not go into the counts
as Savage, Gordon and Turley have
done and get their pay. Who will
say NOT Does this bill mean to
leave Hughes and the other com
in officer Nobody can
tell. 1t ignores them and makes
the bill take effect practically two
years off, but the friends of the bill
can't say, as they call it an amend
ment, that the present commission
ers are not in office, 5and although
they would perhaps not set claim
to compensation under the old bill
because it is inoperatiYe-yet the
new bill makes a new question.
This bill for two years Is to be
menace to capital. Then it is to be
enieined as the other was, and the
outcome is cost, lawyers fees and
salaries and a fin
ished railroad system.
The features of the bill are dis
unwise when viewed from
4 practical standpoint. If a railroad
bill is to be passed, why
aot repeal the old Law and get clear
Of some of the complications?
At the proper time we will point
out the defects in detail of this
measure.
Are the people in Tennessee
any roads prepared to ap
prove this scheme and take the
chances of never getting any roadsP