The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-08

The Railroad Commission.
In strong contrast with the "ghoulish
zlee" exhibited by the opponents Of
supervision in this State at the :
legal obstacles and harassments inter
posed by the alert and powerful enc
mics" of the Railroad Commission, we :.
call attention to the fact that the Mo-
bile Register, heretofore an anti-commis-
sion paper, recent copy of which We
have before us, has had its eyes opened
to the utility and the necessity of the
commission plan. Referring to the fact
that from June, 1885, 70 June, 1886, the
saving on local travel by the reduction
of fare secured by the labors of the Ala
bama Commission was $641 ,435, and the
saving to merchants and farmers by re-
ductiOn Of freight rates was not less
than $500, 000-it says: There is pop
ular impression, and we regret 10 say
that he Register has heretofore shared |
that impression, that these good results |
might have bsen attained by conference |
between the Governor and the railroads, |
or by some other device which would !
not have imposed expense upon the I
State. But perusal of the reports of !
the present Commission and of its pred
ecessor must convince every unbiased
| 4 - L. Fl h
Register, that the people OF Alabama
would not have been relieved from the
exactions Of the railroads had it not
been for the establishment of this com
mission whose special duty it is to listen
to grievances and to correct wrongs. 1t
happens that the commissioners, in 1882,
met with serious opposition from the
roads in their effort to bring about
proper reductions in fare and freight,
but finally the roads accepted the revised
tariff"
The Alabama Commission has met
with the same character of opposition
that now assails the Mississippi Com
mission, but the people who brought it
into being have been true to it, nOtwith-
standing "the ill-digested clamor Of a
tickle and unreasoning press"
. Says the Register:
Twenty-six States OF the Union have Railroad
s Commissions, and it is said that local fares and
n freight. are invariably lower in those States with
com missions than in those without. In Alabama
:, where there is a commission, the fare from Mobile
to Pensacola Junction at the rate of three cents
n mile. In Florida where there is no commission,
the rate from Pensacola Junction TO Pensacola is al
- the rate OF Eve cents a mile The Railroad Com
& mission b lis in many Of the States are modelled
r after the Massachusetts, bill.
> The report of the Massachusetts, Com
mission fully sustains all that we have
ever said as to the necessity for State
< regulation of some kind, and it also en-
dorses the plan of regulation by Com
mission. 1t bases the necessity for reg
= ulation on the immense extension o
k railroads since the war, the vast amour
D. of business they do, and their tremen
r, dous power of aggregated wealth &nt
as monopoly; and, speaking of the Com
mission, it says that general laws withou
some special officers to supervise thei
,, observance were found to be inoperativ
D. and resort was had to Commissions wit
- greater or less powers, as a means OF en-
G. forcing statute laws, securing oompli
DI ance with the common law and main
D. tanning the rights of the public. TIL
result of the labors of the Commissio
= may be thus summed up: In general,
"A has, by its reports and decisions, cor
~ tributed largely to a better knowledge G
bo the various railroad questions tina
r. arose, and has given direction to publ
ne opinion so "a to exert a constant IL
Auence upon railroad managers and max
it force in securing reforms, while q
X better understanding of the mutual II
lations of the corporations aud the pub
III lie 1t has, moreover, established itsel
NC in the confidence of the people as tri
n bunal for the redress of grievances an
e the correction of abuses. Speciticall,
it has held the railroad companies t,
obedience to the laws; it has hastene
"a the introduction of better equipmen
- and the adoption of appliances for tt
Is safety Of travellers. 1t secured bette
H. accommodation and facilities for man
a' places, and has redressed many grie'
n ances of individuals and communitie
IL and it has accomplished its work will
out creating or encouraging any violen
antagonism between the people or tn
corporations, but, on the contrary, ha
rendered their relations more harmon
:" Gus and satisfactory.
T Speaking of the Alabama Commissio
h. the Register says that "the good result
of the Commission in Alabama are nj
confined to the great savings In far'
be and freights. The roads have bee
al urged and compelled to erect comforts
st BILE station houses at inghaTn, Tu
be kaloosa. Dadeville, Cuba, Burnsvill
es Boligee, Livingston, Marion, Allento
tv and Minter, and to improve the static
lie houses at various other points"
a ''The Commission are now calling fl
.c- union depots at Mobile and Montgon
Is. cry, and are asking the Legislature
provide for the apportionment of tn
nd cost of union depots upon the enterin
ed roads.
ne "Surely such work as this deserve
ty more than the casual and often doubtful
A mention made of it by the press.
nd merits and should receive univers;
ng praise"
H. OF all the States which have unde
- taken to regulate and control railroad
by Commissions-twenty six in numbt
~ i'm Mississippi alone is there an
- clamor for tn cir abolition. Why
- this? Simply because the Commissio
: is now undergoing in this State the OF
deal to which the Commissions of all tn
-. other States have been subjected.
- NAV seem now that the railroads wi
49,, shal x,fil ho us