, 1885-12-24

Va clip the following from tie
WaIla Walla Union on the question
Of regulating railroad fares and
treiglts:
RpguIafing railroad freights and
fares 10y legislation Is q vast under
taking. In several States the plan
oI arbitrarily fixing the charges has
been tried. but subsequently aban.
Ioued. Georgia furnishes the most
notable example Of the evils flowing
from following that plan. In that
state all railroad enterprise i par
aIyzoi. all industries retarded, and
;he lew capitalists within her limits
are seeking other regions. Iowa i
q splendid illustration Of the work
Ings Cf the commission plan. No
more live, ontcrpTi5ing, prOspSrUus
community a-it5 N the Nation, \
railroad map Of Iowa looks like a
design for 4 crazy quilt. livery year
more miles q railroad are added to
her total, and Ill L quarter OF Il cen
tury, II railroad building Is kept up
IN Iowa with the Vim which animated
it during the past twenty tive years,
here Will ba q ralircGd through
every township in the State.
The Iowa railroad commission law
IS very simple, and has been DracC;-
calIy tested for several years. 4
provides for The appointment OF ti2siG
| Commissioners 10 have general su-
pervis;on % ali railroads in the
State. with power 20 hear and deter
mine complaints against railroad;
REPORT their findings and recon-
mcndatOns 10 the corporation COM
planned Of: and II ii fails CT refuses
to follow their recommendations the
commissioners certify thor proceed
| ings and the refusal Of the corpora
tiCn 10 The Attorney General who Is
required to com!ncucc proceedings
| in che circuit or district court to en-
force the orders OF the commission
ers. II the court shall find that
such rule regulation or order" OF the
commissioners rs roasOnbia and
Just and that in refusing compliance
Herewith said railway company Is
failing &Ed emitting the performance
Of any public duty or obligation, the
court shall decree a mandatory and
perpetual injunction compelling
obe dience TO, and compliance with
such rule, Crder or regulation by
said company. The law declares
mo railroad company shall charge.
demand or receive from Ony person,
company or corporation an unrea-
sonable price for the transportation OF
persons on property" In practice
it is found that it is very seldom that
a railroad company refuses prompt
compliance with the rules and orders
OF tie commissioners and resort has
to be had 10 the courts. Recently
the court, after d CAREFUL iuvestiga-
ticn, decided thut an order of the
commissioners was not reasonable
land Just and that the company was
iustitiable IN refusing obedience
thereto.
Dakota has a railroad commission
law similar in terms to that of Iowa
i press dispatch, dated Fargo De
cembar Sth, said: The Dakota rail-
road commissioners qualified Apri.
ia last, and since then have received
$50 letters, written 262, sent ont 7Gt
mail and express packages, adjusted
65 complaints, and have s still pend
} ing. They report that not iu sin
gle instance has any of tho roiiroal
companies refused To comply will
the recommendations Of the board
Tho report shows the total length o
railroads in the territory as 2,766"
The favorable experiences Of lOWi
and Dakota is respectfully com
mendcd to The Washington iogisia
ture as shining lights by which t
guide their steps, if it Is deemed bas
at this tina to tackie the railroad
question.