The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-07
PORTY.NINTH CONGRESS-.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
PASSED TIE HOUSE.
The Appropriation for the Missis.
sippi-The Interstate Commerce
Debate Ip the Senate.

Chair laid before the Senate amessage
from the President transmitting a let
ter from the Secretary OF the Interior,
submitting a draft OF bill recon-
mended by the Commissioner Of In
dian Affairs, providing for payment
for improvements made by settlers on
the Mecilero Indian reservation, in
New Mexico. Referred.
Senator Jones New. ], from the Com
mittee on Contingent Expenses, re-
ported iavorably Senator Edmunds's
resolution providing for an assistant
clerk for the Judiciary Committee for
the remainder of the session at s. a
day. The resolution was agreed to.
On motion of Senator Sherman the
Senate agreed that the anti-Chinese
immigration bill and the bill to i'm
demnify Chinese subjects for losses by
the Rock Springs riots shall be special
orders for Monday, May 10th.
On motion Of Senator Hoar the Pa
cifc Railroad funding:bill was made
the special order for Tuesday, May
18th.
Senator Cullom called up the inter-
state commerce bill.
Senator Frye called up the Staten
Island bridge bill.
The Chair stated the Senate had al
ready given unanimous consent TO
continue consideration OF the COM
merce bill during the msrning hour,
and throughout the day, from day 10
day, until disposed OF. The commerce
bill was therefore laid before the
Senate.
Senator Butler opposed the bill.
Senator Wilson la offered an
amendment providing that the provis-
ion OF the bill against receiving more for
ashorter than for longer haul should
be construed as authorizing any rail-
road company to charge as much
for a shorter as for longer
haul. He did this to prevent the
companies from holding that the bill
gave them an implied authority to
charge as much for haul OF 100 miles |
as for haul OF 1000 miles.
Senator Maxey would vote for the |
bill as the best that could now be had.
Senator ingalls, said the long and
short haul clause as now amended was
like a crowbar thrust into the works
OF d watch, The Camden amendment,
as Senator Ingalls, believed, was In
such absolute hostility to the interests
of the West that il the bill became a
law, which Senator Ingalls, thought
doubtful, there would never be a
bushel OF gain nor q pound OF beef or
pork brought east from Iowa, Kansas
or Nebraska. Senator Ingalls, said
that the Senator from West Virginia
Senator Camden) lived on line OF
railroad that was directly interested in
the short haul, and those voting with
him we're also interested in il. The
direct effect Of the Camden amend
ment would be to make the producers
Of the West pay short haul rates on
every pound OF freight brought TO the
Bsaboard. The Senator from West
Virginia senator Oamden) was too
astute not 10 know that fact. The
Senator had an object and purpose in
proposing his amendment. His de-
sign was to compel the men
who raised the cereals OF the West
TO pay local rates all the way
to the seaboard. The Camden amend
ment, Senator Ingalls, said, would alb
Bolutely destroy the commere OF Kan
sas, bee luse that State stood midway
between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
What, he asked, were railroads for, II
MOTTO cheaper rates for long distances
Why should a man, living thousand
miles from the sea have the whole
value Of his production consumed in
getting ii to market? What difference,
he asked, did it make to the Senator
from West ViTginis, how much the
Western man paid for his freight ?
That Senator came here as, Senator In
gals would not say as the agent, but
as the instrument OF these grasping
and overreaching monopolies, about
thing in which he had no concern.
The thing was in the interest OF cor
pofations and against thoseoi the peo-
PIE, and it had been offered here be-
cause II was in the interest of corpora.
tions. Everybody knew that il left to
the operation OF natural laws, the
equalization attempted TO be secured
would be secured by competition and
the extension OF railroads.
Senator Camden, rising TO personal
explanation that the Senator from
Kansas (lngal's) in venting his spleen
on him (Csmden), did him great in
Justice. What that Senator had said
about Senator Camden's connection
with railroads WAS not supported by
single fact
Senator Ingalls, said he had made no
statement about Senator Camden's
connection with railroads.
Senator Camden said he would like
for Senator Ingalls, 10 appeal TO the
Record, which, he said, would show
his (Ingalls's) remarks without altera-
ton. Senator Camden said he had
never owned dollars interest in any
trunk line railroad In his life, and
never in any railroad except a local
West Virginia road, that could not be
affected by any interstate commerce
bill, unless Il affected it adversely.
His (Camdens) action hers had been
for the interest OF his constituents and
for the great body Of the people Of the
country. Senator Camden wished TO
emphasize the fact that he was not in
tereeted In any corporation,
Senator Hoar said he could no. vote
for the long and short haul clause as
amended by Mr.. Camden. 1t would
strike fatal blow st our foreign COM
merce. Having had the courage on a
former occasion to vote for river and
harbor bill under share OF detrac.
ton, he would not hesitate at the
proper time to move to strike out from
the pending bill this Objectionable
clause.
Senator Allison said that under the
provisions OF the bill as they now
stood it would be- practically impos-
sible for the people OF Iowa to get
their cereals to market. He thought
the introduction of the long and short
haul question into the bill was mis-
take. In the States that were said 10
have laws on the subject the railroads
paid no attention to the laws. Not
only would the people Of Iowa under
this iron-clad provision be unable to
send their produce to the East, but
they could not get from the East the
anthracite coal, OF which they used a
considerable quantity. !