Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-04-22

,+ - p, contamination most deyoutly o be
wished and the necessity OF remedylhs the
determinations complained of is apparent.
Tho real question to be considered Is, therefore,
whether an absolute prohibition OF a greater
charge for a shor. than for longer distance
would accompli- the result desired by thoSe
who favor such legislation.
Mr. President. / think the committee
would have been fully justified in saying
that it is too in to be made palmer by
argument. thai h a rule Is susceptible OF
universal app IN, and would, under all
circumstances. a useful and fair one
The Justice of the general principle seems
now TO be admitted on all sides. The ex-
tent and manner of its application seem to
be the only question.
If the fourth section had stopped at the
end of the provision prohibiting charging
more for a shorter than a longer haul over
the same road and in the same direction,
leaving out the words, "from the same orig
inal p0int of deuarture," in lines and 3,
and then had left out the entire provlso fol-
lowing. the section would have accomplish
ed me object intended to be provided for
bv the proposed amount, aud the
object which ought TO be provided for
and without which any bin will fail to meet
the widest field of necessity for the passage
of Il law regulating interstate commerce.
The section as it stands limits the pro-
visions against charging more for a shorter
than a longer haul to shipments from the
same original point Of departure. Why
should this limitation be made! What Jus
tice is there in it?
Take. for instance, Chicago as the great
starting-poin from the West, IN which all
the trunk-lne roads leading to the Seaboard
are i'm competition-this provision limiting
is operations to the same original starting
noipt would mean that if a carload OF grain,
live stock. or any other product was ship
ned TO the seaboard at a given rate that the
rates ON all other shipments OF the same
kind of freight from Chicago to the same
points or to intermediate points should not
be charged more than the through rate
from Chicago to the seab0ard, but as soon
rs YOU get out of Chicago the roads have
arbitrary discretion TO charge the whole
country outside Of Chicago, to the seaboard,
any arbitrary rates they choose,
This would insure to Chicago and other
great competitive shipping points cheap
and uniform rates of transportation IN all
directions but would deny the same adj
yaptares and protection to intermediate
points and all other sections not blessed
with large commerce and competing roads
Such provision might aptly be termed a
bin TO increase the wealth and population
of commercial cities at the expense OF the
country at large" for it not only discrimi-
mates against shippers who are generally
the producers. at intermediate and non
competitive points, but 1t does more-lt as
eliminates against sections OF country, II
discriminates against the thrift and enter
prise OF towns. and the distribution of man
uiacturing interests, the value OF real estate
and of the general interest and enterprise OF
the whole country, outside of the large cities
and competitive shipping points. 1t resu-
lates arbitrarily the interstate commerce OF
the country and uSurps a function which
the Constitution confides to Congress alone
Il amounts to an abuse; and abuses Will
find q correction sooner or later, especially
where great popular interests are involved.
A town or section of country may have
manufacturing advantages of certain kinds
I that would enable it TO manufacture to adj
vantage i'm comp tition with larger PLACES
nc the same rate of freight But manulac-
turers and shippers at such points may be
either forced into bankruptcy or compelled
TO remove their business to the cities or
competitive railroad centers by being charg-
ed higher rates on short hauls than cOmpet-
itors i'm the same line of business are charged
for longer haus. Il has the effect of dri-
wing population and business enterprise
from the country and the towns to the cit
les and centers of railroad competition and
of creating for one section over another sec
ton commercial advantages which no pow
er ought 70 be permitted to exercise.
In order to show the workings of the pro-
vision as it stands in the bill, let us start
with a shipment from Chicago or Saint
Louis and follow it through to the seaboard,
and for the purpose of this illustration we
will assume the average distance to be 500
miles and divide it into sections OF % miles
each.
a carload of freight starts, billed through
to the seaboard at $50. The provision linn
its the rate TO all other shippers of the same
kind of freight over the same road from
that point to the same destination, or to
intermediate points over the same road to
the same rate. or in case of the shorter haul
not to exceed the same charge; but after
YOU get out 10 miles from the original point
of departure the limitation is removed and
shippers may be charged in the first 90
miles 20 per cent. more than was charged
from Chicago or Saint Louis to any point
i'm the same direction and shippers in the
next section of 80 miles may be charged 30
per cent. more and so on for any succeed
inc section, there being no limitation as
compared with the shipments from other
points OF departure The right to charge Is
unlimited except by the capacity Of the
freight to bear the charges.
But let US assume that at the end of the
sixth section, or 800 miles from the firstpoint
of departure the car reaches another impOr-
tant shipping center where competition
forces a recognition of the 300 miles shorter
haul. and the rate from that point is $50 for
the carload, but as soon as you get out Of
that point on the next section of 90 miles
the limitation is again removed and the
conditions may favor charging for the sec
tions covering the next 200 miles double
the rate charged in any of the preceding
sections. In other words, the provision eX-
tends only to shipments from the same
points-and leaves all Other points and sec
tious open to the same palpable discrimina-
tions that now exist. for local rates to 20
up OF down as circumstances and location
permit Competition fixes rates for cities
and centers of trade; individual railroad
lines fix it for the country and towns through
which they pass.
Mr.. President, we will now go back over
the illustration TO point out the practical