Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-13
1be Ct,,,faster 1ntelligenter.
LANCASTER. MAY l3, 1885.
An Important Measure.

The act passed by the Senate to regulate
interstate commerce, with but four dis
senting votes, will be very important and
very beneficial to the business interests of
the country if it becomes law. 1t estab-
fishes commission at Washington to which
written complaint may be made of inJus-
tice in the charges of common carriers. |
Upon such complaint being received the /
commission notifies the carrier, and de- |
cides whether injury is done, and what re- |
compense is needed. If the carrier fails to |
make it, the commission calls upon a
United States court to intervene, which
hearing of the matter.
A most useful provision in the law is one
requiring all common carriers to file their
schedules of charges with the commission
within sixty days, which rates they can
change only on ten days notice. The COM
mission will publish these rates SO
far as they deem it practicable
to do so. This provision will
be likely to be effective in securing to the
public fair and equal rates of freight
charges. The secrecy of their rates and
the facility with which they can be changed
makes it possible for the carriers to dis
criminate unjustly between their custo-
mers and no commission would be able to
redress the grievance if such secrecy could
be maintained.
The law forbids rebates absolutely,
which is another most important provi-
sion. Itgives great power to the commits
sion to determine what undue discrimina-
ton may be and it is doubtless wise in
this, as it seems to be impossible to define
such discrimination in law. This act
declares that no greater charge shall
be made for longer than a
shorter haul for like quantities and classes
of freight from and to the same stations.
tbs clear that this provision has in itself
little force and may be readily evaded
and that the action and Interpretation of
the commission are essential to make it ef-
fective. Thelaw recognizes this, and gives to
thecommission thepower even to authorize
in special cases a greater charge for
shorter than for longer haul.
A limitation of charge which depends
upon the quantity and quality of the goods
and upon identity of starting and deliver
ing points would leave it in tha power of
the carrier to discriminate pretty much at
its pleasure, if the discretion of the com
mission was not interposed by the law to
check the action of the carrier and to COM
pei a compliance with the law; which is
that the charges made for carriage shall be
just to the companies and all the people
1t has become very evident that the in
tervention of Congress is needed to make
them SO. The companies need as much to
be protected from each other as their Gus
toners need protection from them. State
legislatures cannot control them, because
the rival companies run in different states,
and state law which would bind
one to equal charges would cripple it
in its competition for business with
another, not so restricted but able to
make the class of freight that it has no
competition for, pay for the carriage of
other freight. 1t is to the public interest
that railroads shall receive fair and COM
pensating tolls for their service and that
these tolls should be equalized laid upon all
who require railroad service. This commits
sion Is established to secure their public in
terests; and no more important duty is
laid upon any officers of the government.