Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-05-13

may 20 80 miles from Saint Louis and q
mandatory could not exist there, because
it could not ship its products shorter dis
lance for the same amount that shipment
could be made for longer distance from
Saint Louis. A manufacturer under certain
circumstances might have advantages to
build up manufacturing interest at local
point, vet by reason of the very fact that the
competitive point is Saint Louis, and that
freight can be shipped at cheaper.rate by
competitors in the same business, that man
ufactory is DESTROYED. That is one instance.
You may 20 through Indiana and that
same principle is involved all the time.
You may go into Ohio, you may go to West
Virginia, and the same result follows
Towns can not be built up between inter
mediate competitive points. If you offer
to ship you have to pay more for the less
distance; labor must 90 away from the
country to the cities, and the farmers them
selves are placed at disadvantage as
against those at the points that are called
competitive points. .,
This principle of the long and short haul
is recognized in New York by the railroad
commission of the State. 1t is recognized
by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
There is not a well-managed railroad In
this country, in my judgment, that objects
to it, 1t simply has the effect OF equallzlng
rates over the whole country and TO give
the people and the towns and the shippers
of the whole country an equal chance.
Senators cannot rs n matter of justice or
policy urge any good reason for denying
this amendment. If this amendment Is de-
feated you ingraft it here on the statute
book and make it stand out in bold relief
that this Senate is legislating against the
the interests of the community at large in
favor of large competitive shipping points
We do not ask to do any injustice TO the
large shipping points by this amendment.
want to see cities grow, but they ought
not to grow at the expense of the country at
large.
Take the raising of wheat in Indiana,
Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia, and in Ken
lucky; we do not ask to get to market
cheaper than those farther west We say
to them. "You are entitled to all the advan-
tages you have; we do not ask reduction
to your disadvantage; we onl y ask that you
shall not have lower rate than we have IN
the aggregate" In other words, we ask
that YOU shall not ship wheat or livestock
by our doors to the same market, twice the
distance at a less price per carload than
we get, thereby reducing the value OF our
product in the market as compared with
YOUR product in the market to the extent
that you have lower rate than we have.
Is there any reason that can be given why
this principle should not be of general APP
picaliop? As long as the fourth section OF
the bill limiting it to the same point OF de-
parture stands as it is the bill legalizes dis
elimination and authorizes the commission,
when appointed, 10 carry it out And the
commission can not do otherwise than carry
it out, because it has no power to make
rules varying it. If you leave in this bill
the words "and from the same original
point of departure" the commission can not
90 beyond that, and when a shipper comes
here from an intermediate point and COM
plains of discrimination and asks the COM
mission for a remedy, the reply Of the COM
mission will be There is the law; it recog-
nizes the right to charge you more than the
shipper from a more distant point, and we
have no power to interfere. We can not
change it. We are only appointed to carry
out the provisions of the law and we can
not 90 beyond il"
Mr.. President, do not desire to discuss
the question further have presented the
points which think ought to be considered,
and do not believe it is possible to pass a
law permitting Determinations recognized
by this bill as it stands. 1t would mean to
apply the principle to a few competitive
points and to leave outside at least so per
cent. of all the people, and all the towns,
and all the manufacturing interests of the
country. The Senate can not afford to do
that. 1t is the worst kind Of discrimination,
and in my judgment no bill can give salts
faction, and can reach the points of discrim-
ination complained of in the long and short
hauls. that contains the words "and from
the same original point of departure"