Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-05
RAILROAD TALK.
THE COMMISSIONERS BILL.

and Ordered 30 be Printed. sc., &C.
In the consideration of the bill to
establish board of railroad commits
sioners, the House on Wednesday was
proceeding section by section and seve.
raj amendments had been offered and
rejected. Mr.. Saunders suggested that
the House had "the cart before the
horse" as it was almost useless to
bother with minor questions until vote
was had on the 18th section that is
that part of the originally proposed
measure which gives to the commits
sieners powers to adjust and fix rates
that they may regard as discriminating.
This section was in the bill when Mr..
Munford offered it, but the Committee
on Roads struck it out and then, after
otherwise amending the bill, reported
the Munford bill as committee bill.
TIE OLD 18TH SECTION.
At 1890 yesterday the bill again
came up, Mr.. Cardwell in the chair,
and Mr.. Munford got the floor and
moved that every intervening section
down to the 18th section be passed by
for the present, and there was general
consent thereto. He then proposed to
amend by inserting the old 18th sec-
tion, and if that was agreed to, ind "a
ted that he would ask that the 18th
section be struck out. He believed
that the latter section, imposing the cost
of the railroad commissioners upon the
railroads, was unconstitutional, or at
least that there was a question about
it., and through it the whole bill
might be defeated.
VIEWS OF MR.. MUNFORD.
Mr.. MunfOrd said that he regretted
that his physical condition would not
permit him to present in full the con-
siderations which impressed him with
the propriety of the legislation sought
to be enacted by the thirteenth section OF
the bill heretofore introduced by him,
and which section had been stricken out
BY the Committee on Roads. lie felt
confirmed in the belief that he was
right by the attitude Of the oppo-
nentS Of the measure. No one of them,
either before the committee or on
this floor, had fairly discussed the
proposed legislation. All had charac-
ieriZed it as an unwarranted attempt
to interfere with the management of
the transportation companies of the
Commonwealth, and prescribe tariffs Of
freight and passenger rates which might
be destructive Of their best interests
and prevent legitimate profit upon the
capital invested in these enterprises.
lie utterly denied that such was the
purpose Of the bill. What does the
section provide for? 1t is intended to
prevent unjust discrimination as to
freight and passenger rates on the line
Of a railroad in this State as compared
with the rates for a like class
Of freight between two other
points on its line in this State"
1t is intended to prevent rail-
road from charging more for carrying
car Of produce or manufactured arti-
cles between two points than it charges
for carrying the same freight between
two other points of greater distance
from each other on the same line. Is
it right that the people between com
peting points should be charged more
on their freights than parties hundreds
of miles further who are blessed and
protected by competition If the
Danville road charges on every arti-
Gle of manufacture between Danville
and Richmond certain rate. is it right
that that road should charge the people Of
South Boston higher rate, though that
point is thirty miles nearer Richmond
than the former; Is it right that the
people between Richmond and Lynch |
burg should pay more for freight |
to and from their respective depots
than is charged for a like class /
of, freight for transportation over
the whole distance between these
cities Farmers, the smoke from whose
chimneys may be almost seen in their |
nearest and most legitimate markets,
find their produce when carried to !
these markets brought into direct COM
petition with the products of sections |
hundreds of miles further distant, and |
yet transported to this same market at |
a cost much less than that which they |
have been obliged to pay. Let the rail-
roads fix their rates for long distances /,
and between competing points; but
these rates once fixed by the roads
should be the maximum of charge, and |
no higher rate should be allowed to be
charged for intermediate points. This |
is what the bill is designed to accom-
plished.
Mr.. Munford read from the report of |
the Cullom committee, showing that. !
in the words Of that committee. rail- |
roads were everywhere recognized as
common carriers, and as such are held |
liable in the courts for the performance
Of such duties as devolye upon common
carriers under the law. No common
carrier has the right under the common
law TO discriminate between persons |
and places, or TO give preferences in |
any manner. The theory Of the COM
mon law is that all who are situated
alike must be treated alike. AS COM
mon carriers the relations and obliga-
tionS of railroads to the community and
the governmental authority are essen
tiallv different from those of the ordi-
nary corporations. 1t was for these
principles that Mr.. Munford said he |
contended. lie said he heartily ap- |
proved the " Cullom BILL" but was
fearful it would not pass for years, as
there were TOO many eX-railroad presi- |
dents and ex-railroad attorneys in the
United States Senate. lie read from |
the platforms of the Democratic and |
Republican party showing that both
parties stood pledged to furnish the |
people relief from the unjust discrmi-
nations Of railroads towards the people |
along their lines.
Mr.. Munford said the constitutional |
ity Of his bill was admitted even by |
the chairman of the committee. which |
reported against it, and read from the |
recent decision of the United States |
Supreme Court, in which the constitu-
of the Mississippi Commis-
sion bill, which conferred far greater
powers upon the Commission than this,