St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-11
THE RAILROAD BILL.
Lively Discussion in the House.


the railroad bill, as in committee of the
whole, with Mr.. Lee in the chair. In antici
patton of the debate the gallery and the lob
bies of the chamber were we'll filed with
spectators, many railroad men being of the
number.
Mr.. Evans, of Hennepin, opened business
by motion to postpone consideration, on
account of the absent snow bound members.
Mr.. Stordock opposed the motion. The
bill had already been materially delayed al
the request of railroad men, and he did not
think further delay in consideration should
be had
Messrs. Durant and Drake both supported
the remarks of Mr.. Stordock, and the mo
tion of Mr., Evans being put il
was defeated, whereupon Mr.. Stor-
dock moved when the committee rise, it re-
port the bill favorably and recon mmend 1t fol-
passage.
Mr. Evans moved an amendment that the
bill be read section by section.
Mr.. Murphy hoped the motion would pre-
vail. It was an important measure, and ii
was possible that there were portions that
slOulQ De amcnueu.
MIR. Collester said it seemed to him that
there was disposition on part of portion
of the house to cram the bill as it was dow L
the throats of the body. 1t was the most i'm
portant measure and the house should take
TIME TO DELIBERATE.
Mr.. Burlpgame agreed as to the i'm
portance of the measure. 1t should
be guarded as to its coustitutionality
and as to its provisions as affecting the
people and the railroads, and he held it could
not be discussed intelligeptly except as 8
whole-fnd out first the bearing of the whole
measure, discuss its general merits and de-
merits, aud amend it if the majority thought
it should be.
Mr.. Pattee thought all mem bers understood
its general import. What was now wanted
was a careful consideration of it in detail,
section by section.
Mr.. Cornish supported the motion to con-
slider the bill by sections. The general pur-
port of the bill was already fairly
well understood, and the necessity was
generally recognized Of some such legis-
lation, and what the house had now to ascer-
tain was whether the pending measure was
such one as should become law. Such a
knowledge could be best learned through
considering
THE BILL IN DETAIL.
The motion of Mr.. Evans to take up the
bill By sections was adopted. Yeas 40, nays
35.
Mr.. Brown wanted the vote taken again,
remarking that he could not see any forty
hands in the affirmative, and Mr.. Thompson
explaining that several members had misun.
derstood their vote, the chair announced tie
vote would be taken again.
Mr.. Drake said he did not vote on the mo-
tiou when 1t was taken, but he should now
vote In the negative.
DR.. Murphy again spoke in favor of the
motion.
The vote was then taken by uplifted hands
and resulted, yeas 40, nays A. the dodger:
on the first vote all voting against the
motion.
The motion of Mr.. Stordock, that the bill
be recommended to pass. was then declared
the question before the committee upon
which Mr. Burlingame took the floor in ex
plauatiou of its measures. He said he would
not 90 into details, but there were some gen.
eral features it might be we'll to better under
stand. He came to the legislature with
conviction that the people
DEMANDED SUCH LEGISLATION
That conviction had been strengthened
since here. The committee tc
whom the matter was referred
consisted Of fifteen members, representing
all sections of the state. The committee haC
attempted to formulate bill that would pas,
the house and which would afford at leas
some of the relief demanded by the people
The committee believe the pending DILL re-
fleets the average sentiment of the mem bers
and is one upon which they can but har
monize. No claim is made that 1t Is a per
feet work, but the CON mittee believes II ever,
member endeavors TO incorporate his par
ticular ideas into tb bill, the worI
Of the committee and the legislature
win be defeated. He therefore appealed t.
members, friends OF such legislation, 10 lay
aside their personal preferences and stand BIZ
the BILL The enemies of such legislation
want nothing better than 10 see the bill
loaded down with amendments. or at least tc
see the time of this body taken up In dis
cussing such amendments, aud thus delay
and
EVENTUALLY SECURE THE DEFEAT
of the bill. Speaking of the constitutions
questions, be said one Of the courses always
adopted By opponents Of a measure
was to make wholesale allegations
that such and such provisions
were unconstitutional. AS far as he had
heard that question had been raised as tC
only one or two points Of the measure, the
main objections Of railroad men being tha
many Of the provisions were impracticable
One Of these inpracticable provisions, 1t wa:
asserted, was that relating TO side track con.
nections in section 10. To this he answered
that the oriy object Of the section was thai
railroads should be prohibited from making
discrimination of any kind in the busines;
J Of receiving aud shipping grain. He believed
not only thatth provision was constitutional
but also that il was in the best interest:
| Of the producing class of tn.
state. The provision was almost an exac
embodiment Of the law Of Illinois for ths
past eleven years. He believed that fact
A SUFFICIENT ANSWER
to the wisdom Of the provision. He then
referred to section 81, which had been de-
clared wisby- wsshy, but at the same tims
il was asserted to contain provisions which
would be ruuious TO the railroads. TIE rail-
road companies, be said, claimed not only Il
be willing but al xious for commission tC
act between them and the people. Now all
this section did was to give such coinm mis-
sion to thus act on behalf OF the people when
the railroads refused or neglected 70 DO b1si-
ness for q reasonable compensation. In such
case and no. till then the com
mission was EN- mpowered to step 10 and fl
| msximnm rates. Touching the questions d
prosecutions Of railroads, he said It went nc
farther than did the existing statutes, but
/ simply
HAEMoyzED THAT PRINCIPLE
With the general provisions Of the bill. Goina
back 70 The question of the consiitudOusliiI
VI the pOver conferred on the com missioner
OF nxinz maximum rates, be said that tns
same provision had.besu the law Of Illinois