Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-05-13
Fleld Daus for SematOr Oamden.


mont of Mr. Camden 10 the Interstate
Commerce Bill being under consideration,
after speeches by Senators SPooner ana
Palmer, Mr.. Camden said
Mr.. President, in concluding the debate
ON this amendment / shall not enter into
any details or attempt to repeat the sub
stance of the argument made by me some
DAYS ago in presenting It. simply desire
10 call the attention of the Senate to the
vital points embraced by the amendment.
In the remarks which have been submitted
in opposition % IT, the attention OF the SEN
ate has been rather directed from the real
oueslion involved than tOit. The argument
of the Senator from Wisconsin Mr.. SPOON
Err was one of confession and avoidance,
rather than an argument against the prop
ositiOn embraced in the amendment. The
Senator. by his whole argument, admits the
Justice of the proposition, but contends that
i'm other portions of the bill the remedy
sought Co be migrated by this amendment
has been already provided for. II the Dill
as it stands provides for the remedy IN the
particulars affected by my amendment Why
Is il that Senators are so opposed TO It's
adoption?
By the simple striking out of three or four
words This section is rendered unambigu-
Gus. the plain meanirgO of the bill Is brought
out and the commission itself has power to
execute IL without any question or doubt Is
20 It's meaning, and without reference 10
commou-law principles, without reference
TO the right Of individual shippers under
any common-law Interpretation of the bill.
This bill in all its provisions and IN All
It's details is % be put In force by coniuls,
sion. but the powers of the commission ana
Che Interpretation TO be given by the COM
mission TO this act are limited IN direct
words on the long and short haul PROPOSE
ton. 10 recognizes the propnety OF the
Ions and short haul provision; It recogni-
zes the equity of it; II recognizes It's JUS
tice rs between shippers; but while recoS-
nizing that there should be no greater
compensation in the aggregate for the trans
portation of passengers or property SUBJECT
to the provisions of this act Tor shorter
chan for a longer distance over the same
line Inn the same direction, 10 then limits
the application of the bill by adding from
the same original point of departure.
Bv limiting IL % he same original point
of departure the bin Is made Co diScrimi-
nate against so per cent. no least, n not w
per cent. of the shippers OF this whole
country. and agains go per cent OF the ter
ritory of the United States. What equity
and what rea son can exist. u YOU recognize
-ar principle 40 all Tor limiting it-what
Justice aud equity can exist ln applying IL
ol.v .,o about 10 per cent. of The shippers
.,,..i Do Der cent of the territory of the Uni
,yd calc>t
AIR. President there has been great deal
,al AGAINST the effect this amendment
would have ou the shippers OF the far West
ID D., uu. my desire, 10 Is uot the desire Oh
900, senator WuoadyOcatc- this amendment,
O. impose au, restrictions or burdens upon
r.. ,nuucr, COT the lar West; aud when
YOU uo. al, itit is remarkable IN my mind
THAT zine advocates of the producers of the
E.r West should in thi, Senate c-ntend that
because of their distance from the market
tbev must have lower rates, IN order TO
compete than the nearer shippers living be-
tween the Mississippi and the SeaOoard.
What reason is there in that? Is there any
reason for changing by law the geographl.
cal conditions OF this country Inns olil
simply does that Itchanges the geography
OF the states In order to make the far ship
per nearer tO the market than the near
shipper. and chat the far shipper shat. be
charged less tor taking his products to the
market than the near shipper. That Is the
English of it that is Just what 70 means.
Mr.. President, if the States OF Indiana,
Illinois. Ohio. Kentucky, West Virginia,
and the Southern States are willing IN their
magnanimity 90 allow the shippers IN the
tar West 90 get 20 market as cheap Is these
nearer States can, ought the latter TO ASK
more? What condition of things can exist
whereby the producers living vest OF the
Mississippi River so eloquently described
bv tle Senator from Wisconsin, with so
many connecting lines of railway, should
ask Congress TO ingraft into this bill the
condition that the railroads may give TO
those distant shippers a less rate OF freight
than is given TO the nearer shippers and
producers cultivating more expensive land
and using Fertilizers
Senators lose sight of the fact that the
markets of the world are open to compeu-
ton from India and other graln-growing
regions outside of the United states, and
that the United States must come IN COM
petition with those products. They lose
SIGHT of the fact that actually more grain
is crown between the Mississippi River and
the Atlantic seaboard than is grown west OF
the Mississippi, and they levy tax upon
the greater portion of the product that goes
90 market for export in favor of the lesser
proportion grown west of the Mississippi
River
Mr.. President, the act of Massachusetts,
which embodies the same provision that Is
I'm this act as it stands including the same
original point of departure has been re-
ferred TO- The conditions are entirely diff
ferent ln the State of Massachusetts,, full
of rauuacturing towns, with only one sea
port city, q state with "a small amount OF
territory. 90 matters not In that state wheth-
ar these words of limitation are IN the bill
OF not Competition there to all points
produces the same effect without regard to
the original point of departure; indeed
there 8, really no analogy in the application
Ct such "a law between the State of Massa
chuSctt~ with its great manufacturing towns
and it's great city of Boston as It's exporting
and importing point and the immense coun-
cos living between the Atlantic ocean and
the hr West The conditions do not exist
there which make this limitation important
one way or tae other, but If we pass an act
to prevent determinations over the whole
country it must be without limitation; if
wc DO not we entirely fail 10 meet the dis
crimuati0u against 50 per cent, at least OF
the commerce of this country.
would not ask that any conditions be
imposed upon the railroads which would
,.'l..r.. -.--ri.f fIair businas- | vOuld NOT