The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-22
The Railway System Intermeddles in All Lines
of Business and Refuses to Admit that
1t Is the Servant of the Public.
Indications that a Strong Effort Will BE
Made to Defeat the Measure.
The President Again Nominates Mr.. Matthews
as Recorder of Deeds for the District
Miscellaneous Washington News.
RAILWAY CONTROL.
Outline of the Argument Made Yesterday
by Senator Wilson, of Iowa.


by Senator Wilson, of Iowa.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-Senator Wilson, of
Iowa, in his speech in the Senate TO day, in sup
port of the conference report on the interstate
commerce bill criticised severely the railroads
of the country for having steadily and unrea
sonably refused to recognize the simplest bust
ness demands for working out lines of action
which excited the resentment of almost every in
terest they were expected to serve. The rail-
road system of the country had been an inter-
meddler in most every department of business,
bad refused to admit that it had been created to
serve the proper purposes and interests of society,
and has assumed to control those interests. The
managers of the transportation system, while
admitting great defects in it, had resolutely op-
posed all efforts of the State and national gov
ernments to establish reform. They had tried
to find remedies for some of the evils affecting
themselves and had uniformly failed They
would neither keep faith with themselves nor
allow the government to aid them. The people,
Mr.. Wilson said, demanded some legislative
remedy, and it would not be wise to delay longer
some affirmative response to that demand The
adoption of the conference report would afford
the country an opportunity to test regulative
remedy. The railroad people wanted delay
and the public dem anded action. Referring
to the fact that it was not unusual for
railroads now to charge between intermediate
points. double the rate charged between terminal
points, he said this great wrong was one of the
most forcbe causes of complaints. While it ex-
listed there would be discomfort and there ought
to be. The practice was wrong in every sense.
1t proceeded on the theory that il was the privi-
lege of rallroas companies to unload on the help
less intermediate stations all the losses and
burdens resulting from bad management of the
affairs of the road. The bill recommended by
the conference remedied this. 1t was not a
harm the legitimate interests of the common
carriers of the country. Mr. Wilson said it
might be set down of the things irrevoca-
bic, that the public demand which has induced
the porting of the present bill would not cease
until justice was intrenched in the transporta-
tion system of the country.
1t will be the tactics of the opposition in the
Senate to the conference report on the inter
state commerce bill to delay action, and the
prospects are of success The measure cannot
be disposed of in the upper branch of Congress
until some time in January. The railroads have
in the city very strong lobby against the bill,
and it will become desperate when the bill gets
on the desk of the Speaker Of the House. By
the middle of January there will be great rush
of appropriation bills, and those who can be in
duced to withhold support of or in a weak man
ner only indorse the BILL will be glad to take the
push of appropriations as sufficient excuse for
postponing action. 1t is pretty safe to say that
if the bill can be STAYED off in the House until
after the lst of February the chances of defeat
ing its passage will be equal to its success 1t
has been many years since measure was before
Congress which elected so much activity on the
part Of corporations