Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-12
LAWS OF THE RAILROADS
CONGRESS- DUTY TO PREVENT
INTERRUPTION OF TRAFFIC.

An Amendment ofthis Tenor offered by
MIR. Morgan shelved After Debate
MIR. Brown Wants WantOn Destrue-
ton of Railroad Property Made Fell
ony-The Free Pass Question.
WASHINGTON, May lin the Senate
to-day, after the routine morning business,
the Interstate commerce pill was taken
ND and its consideration resumed. Mr..
Morgan formally offered his amendment
TO punish by fine and imprisonment men
who conspire to stop or interfere with
running trains engaged in Interstate
commerce. Mr.. Morgan said this was a
necessary provision. While Congress
took in hand the regulation of commerce
between States it should see that travel
between the States should be kept free.
1t was right OF the whole people to in
sist upon free interchange OF commerce.
BOUND TO INTERFERE.
Whatever tended TO interfere with COM
merce, whether a railroad company. mob,
or cOnsp piracy of individuals, was some
thing that Congress should regulate, and
Congress- could not escape this duty II it
undertook to do anything at all in con-
nectiou with Interstate commerce. In
moving the amendment Mr. Morgan knew
he was running against the powerful SEN
timent Of large class of people who had
asserted the right to interrupt at pleas
ure the movements of commerce between
the States. but eYerv man concerned
certainly every American-born citizen
when he should consider the matter,
would say that it was the duty Of Con-
gress to exercise its power against any
thing that would interfere with the COM
merce of the country. The mature judg-
ment OF even tue men who had been pro-
voked into excuses by the eXtOrtions OF
railroad companies would sustain Con-
gress in this legislation. But whether it
did or not the duty of Congress was the
same.
VEST DENIES JURISDICTION.
Mr.. Vest did not think the constitution
gave Congress any light over the question
with which the amendment dealt Be-
des. the experience of the past few
weeks showed that the States were en-
trely competent to deal with these mat
teys. So far as Missouri was concerned,
whenever any appeal had been made TO
the power Of the State il had been re-
sponded to.
Messrs. Teller and Maxey agreed with
Mr.. Vest, and Messrs. Cullom and
Platt feared the amendment would en-
barrass, and, perhaps, imperil the passage
of the bill, and so opposed Mr.. Morgan's
amendment. Finally the amendment was
laid on the table by vote of 40 yeas to
nays. The negative votes were those of
Messrs. Dolph, Edmunds and Morgan.
PUNIsHING DESTRUCTION.
Mr. Brown offered an amendment pro-
Viding for the punishment ofpersons in
turing the property of railroad companies
tracks, bridges, cars. etc. The amend
ment would make it felony to maliciously
iniure such property, and il death resulted
from the injury, then the offense should
constitute murder. The amendment was
laid on the table.
Considerable debate then arose on an
amendment Of Mr.. Plumbs, offered for
him in his absence by Mr.. Ingalls,. 1t is
the amendment of which Mr.. Plumb some
lime since gave notice, prohibiting men,
bers OF Congress, officials of the govern
ment ana their families from accepting
free passes, and prohibiting railroad COM
panies from giving them such passes or
reduced rates.
MIR. TELLER's PROPOSITION.
To this Mr.. Teller offered an amend
ment prohibiting any of the subsidized
railroads from giving free passes.
Mr. Edmunds SAID that if Mr. Teller
would extend the provisions Ofhis amend
ment so as to cover not only subsidy roads
but all roads coming within the provisions
of the act he (Edmunds) would favor it.
Mr.. Teller modified his amendment &C
cordingly.
CLERG YMEN EXEMPTED.
Considerable opposition was shown to
this amendment, and, on motion of Mr..
Logan, il was laid on the table. Some
discussion arose as the effect of the bill
on clergYmen, and, to avoid doubt. Mr..
Brown secured an amendment providing
that the restrictions Of the bill as to re-
duced fares should not apply to ministers
Of religion.
Mr.. Edmunds secured a similar amend
ment as to agricultural conventions and
army societies meetings.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Spooner
was agreed to, applying the word ''un-
lawful" to Determinations condemned by
t1e bill so az to bring breaches Of its pro-
visions within the technical meaning of
the penal clause. The bill was finally Or
uered reprinted as amended, and failing
10 arrive at any conclusion as to when the
vote should be taken the Senate at 6:25
O'Clock adjourned.