Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-03

point in Maryland to investigate whether
there was any discrimination against that
particular point on freight going to New
York compared with that which was ship
ped from some extreme western starting
station aud called an original point Of de-
partnre
"Your commissioners would know moth
ing but what they heard in the large
cities. They would inquire for nothing
else. and when mon do not ask for infor-
nation they never get it. The other side
would possibly give them little more
than they would ask for, but they would
always PROFOUND something in their own
interest.
"Mr. President, | started IN simply 10
give the reasons why shall vote for the
amendment of the Senator from West Vir-
ginia. | think have made myself under
stood on Il, and | may hereafter give
reason why shall not vote why | can
not vote for the bill with these seven
words in il. can not stand here and vote
for half dozen cities Of this country and
ignore entirely all thu people who work to
nroduce and who ask tor nothing more
than that they shall not be charged
higher rate Of freight for a short haul than
for long one.
"lf this bill proposed to prorate should
hesitate. because do not want to break
down the railroad system Of the country
Z 4 4. All nj haf
shall not charge more for 100 miles than
they do for a thousand, can not vote for,
and il the railroads be under honest man.
agement they can need no legislation and
no laws to prohibit them from going be-
yond such an inhibition.
81 say now, Mr. President, again, that
my only purpose was 10 have II under
stood that / believe exactly what you
said on this floor, that this bill as It
stands legalizes discrimination against
nlne-tenths Of the people OF this country.
| believe it is Just such bill N the rail
roads want. believe it il just such a
bill as the people OF this country do not
want, and that within twelve months az
ter its enactment. if it should ever become
n law, there are Senators on this floor who
would possibly be reminded OF what the
| late Stephen A. Douglas once said, that he
| Travelled from New York 10 Chicago by the
! light Of his own efiigy.
ut will take but short time for the
people 10 understand it, You may call 1t
something to regulate interstate com
merce. The title is high-sounding and in
splendid phraseology. II is suggestive to
the people. but when they see the effect
of it then they will begin TO wonder who
wrote the title and inquire who voted for
the blll,"
How any Virginian could support such
a bill before the adoption OF the Camden
amendment is for himselfto explain. By
that amendment the seven words were
stricken out, and then the bill was no
longer fayOrite with many who had
before strenuously pressed for its pass
age.
THE BANKRUPTCY BILL.
The next vote which seems TO trouble
gentlemen OF both parties, was that cast
to so amend the Bankruptcy bill as to
cause its abandonment. Some usually
fair journalists have fallen into the erro-
neous belief that this was a general bank
ruptcy bill. 1t was general In one sense
and very far from Il in another. The
"Voluntary" provisions Of the bill would
have been acceptable, no doubt, to very
many people Of Virginia but the SIN
voluntary" provisions were limited TO
Graders" which word was defined in
the bill to mean merchants, persons
who buy and sell lands, goods, chattels,
bills, bonds, notes, stocks, or shares,
manufacturers, warehousemen, bankers,
brokers, builders, contractors, ship
wrights, publishers, innkeepers, livery
stable-keepers, and all artizans who buy
material on credit" Among the acts
which a person committing would sub
feet him to ''Involuntary Bankruptcy"
were these Being actually insolyent,
suffers his property to be seized on eX-
ecution, and fails for twenty days there
after to redeem his property; or one
who has suspended and not resumed
payment OF his commercial paper, or
open accounts made, passed, or contract
ed during the course OF his business for
period Of thirty days after same were
payable, &c" Here we see that any OF
the persons included, failing to pay an
open account thirty days after demand,
or note, or bond, or other commercial
paper for the same time after it is due
could be forced into "Inyoluntary Bank
ruptcy." The evils which might be
wrought under such provisions az these
could be elaborated into columns. In
my view, and that OF large majority OF
the Senate, the bill would have put the
creditor class in position OF masters
and the debtor class in one OF servitude.
Any OF the Graders" named, who util-
ize credit in their business or trades,
could be destroyed by the lender or giyer
Of credit fora failure Of 30 days to meet
any one Of his obligations, no matter
what the cause OF the failure. Better
make the accepting OF credit criminal
offence than tempt men into it and then
ruin them under the forms OF law. This
had more the flavor OF collection law
than a bankrupt bill, and collection laws
are for the States to make and administer.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL,
as it was finally reported, l opposed
The debate on this runs through period
OF four days, ending about the 18th OF
July. The House had given away mil
lions to unknown "creeks" and "pOnds,"
and had incorporated suggestions to make
the government purchaser OF abandon
ed canal property in order TO get votes
for the bill. In such 4 shape, it was
whispered about, the President would
veto the measure. In night, twenty
five per cent. was stricken from every
appropriation, so that rivers and harbors,
such rs we have In Virginia and else
where, susceptible OF Improvement, and
requiring il in the interest OF commerce,
were curtailed in allowances TO patch up
a mOnstrosity OF gratuities under threats
OF selfish Members and Senators; 20
mOnstrOus indeed that many who voted
for it declared that it would put an end
to River and HarbOr Improvements for
years to come. The President approved
what his predecessor had vetoed. As
well might one-fourth OF these millions
been cast into the Atlantic. IL such
portion were given to one OF 4 number
OF the streams named it would scarcely
be made nayigable for Shena ndOah
river flat-bOat.
This negative record / shall carry into
the canvass now at hand, and present it
as representative Of true Republican
principles.
| shall also endeavor to show that
there has been no
AFFIRMATIVE DECLARATION OF THE
PARTY
which have not supported. Repeal OF
the Internal Revenue Tax; adherence
to Tariff for Protection to every indus
try. enterprise and product of labor
National Aid to Public Education; the
Civil and Political Equality OF all men
under the law the maintenance OF the
Delegated Powers Of the National Gov
eminent, and the Preservation OF the
Reserved Rights of the States under the
Constitution IA amended constitute the
sum and substance OF National Republi-
canism as | understand 1t. On these |
challenge any comparison which it may
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