Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-06

The prospect for the passage OF an IN
ter-State commerce bill by this Congress
is not very promising. The Senate re-
fused to pass the House bill, known as
the Reagan bill and substituted for it, and
passed. a bill Of its own, known as the
CullOm bill. The CullOm bill is so differ
ent from the Reagan bill, although aim
ing to accomplish the same object, that
the House VIII hardly agree TO the substi-
tute. The main difference between the
Reagan and the CullOm bills is that the
Reagan bill does not provide for a COM
mission and the CullOm bill does. The
Reagan bill provides that if the railroads
do not satisfy the claims Of shippers
made in accordance with the law the ship
pers may have their claims passed upon
by the United States courts Of the dis
tricts in which the claims arise. The
CullOm bill places the settlement Of oil
ferences between shippers and railroads
in the hands Of a commission, and the
findings of the commission. If not Volun-
tarily complied with, are to be enforced
by the commission in the courts.
The interstate commerce bill that was
reported to the House by the Committee
on Commerce provided for a commission.
When the bill came before the House for
consideration the Reagan bill was substi-
tuted for it. There have therefore been
two substitutiOns in this Congress in in
ter-state commerce legislation.
In the Senate it was cOntended by the
friends Of the CullOm bill that the Reagan
bill would accomplish nothing if it were
to become a law. 1t was argued that
it would be better to have no interstate
commerce law than to have such law.
The Reagan bill certainly affords shippers
every opportunity to have their complaints
passed upon by the courts. 1t leaves it
optional with them whether or not they
will seek redress.
The regulation Of interstate railroads
by the government is regarded as an eX-
| pertinent, and there are grave doubts that
il will be successful. If the CullOm bill
should become a law very many Of the
/ great trunk lines would be saddled with
| two OF more commissiOns-the Federal
commission and the commissions Of the
/ states through which they pass. They
seem TO regard il a great hardship to be
I harassed by State commissions. They
VIII think probably that their burden Of
commissions is too great to be btrne if
I they are also forced to contend with a
I Federal commission.
Commissions would not be so burden
/ some, perhaps, if they We're composed Of
practical railroad men who have knowl-
edge Of the difficulties with which rail-
roads have To contend. Commissions,
however, as a rule, are made up OF broken
down politicians or men who have pOliti-
cal influence. Their aim, in many in
stances, appears to be to do what they
/ believe will be popular rather than
/ what is Just. even when they are deal
/ ing with matters with which they
are acquainted. The CullOm bill pro-
/ vides for nine commissioners, and if Mr.
/ Arthur has a chance to appoint them five
| will be Republicans and tour will be
| Democrats. and if Mr.. Cleveland appoints
| them five will be Democrats and four viii
/ be Republicans. These commissioner
ships will be remarkably nice places and
/ there will tie a scramble for them. The
nav is within $500 OF that Of Cabinet
| officer and $500 more than that Of a
| Senator. The work and the responsibility
/ will be light.
The probability that any man who Is
qualified to be a commissioner under the
I Cullom bill Will get an appointment Is so
remote as to be hardly worth considering.
The Reagan bill declares that the roads
/ shall make no discrimination on account
/ of color, but they may provide separate
accommodations for cOlOred people with
out being liable to the charge OF discriml-
nation ifthe accommodations are in every
respect equal to those for the white peo-
pie. The CuIlOm bill appears to leave the
I color question severely alone.
While there are reasons for complaints
against the railroads, it is a question
whether competition, and improvements
I In railroads and their management will
not do more to remove these reasons than
! legislation will. The railroads are so
harassed by legislation that they are pre-
vented from doing as well for them selves
and for the people as they might.