The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-10
The Good Points of the Reagan and CullOm
Bills incorporated Into New Measure
Pooling To Be Absolutely Prohibited.
The House Passes the Bill Providing
for Counting of Electoral Votes.
How the Result Shall Be Announced, and
How Objections Must Be Presented and
Considered Washington News.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE..
The CODferees Finally Succeed in Agreeing
Upon a Measure.

The Conferees Finally Succeed in Agreeing
Upon q Measure.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9-The conferees upon
the interstate commerce measures, popularity
known as the Reagan" and "Cullom" bills,
reached an agreement to day upon the differ
ences between the Senate and House. The re-
| port of the conference committee will be pre-
sented as soon as it can be prepared and signed,
and its adoption will be asked at an early day.
The bills passed by the Senate and House pro-
posed different plans for regulation of the inter
| state traffic of the country Both prohibit un.
| just discrimination between persons and places,
the giving of special rates. preferences etc. as
well as certain other practices which are de-
clared to be unlawful. Both bills require rail
roads to publish their rates, and 10 adhere to
them when published. They did not differ ma
terially in the penalties provided
for violation of their general provisions.
bat they differed widely in the methods pro-
posed for securing their enforcement The
House bill gives every shipper with grievance
| the right of action in the State and United
| States courts on his motion, and in his own be-
half for recovery of the damages he may have
| sustained, with the provision that a reasonable
attorneys fee should be allowed in every case of
recovery. The Senate bill did not preclude
shippers from instituting suits in their own be-
half, but it provided for the creation of com
mission required TO investigate all complaints
made and to settle them by arbitration if pos
sible, and if not, to prosecute the case in the
courts when it finds that the shipper is entitled
to redress. By the compromise which has
pose to put both of these plans of
regulation into operation and to retain the re-
medal features of both bills. They will recon-
mend that the House agree to the commission
system as it stands in the Senate bill, and that
the Senate agree to a provision allowing such
shippers as may elect to do so to prosecute suits
for the recovery of damages in the United States
courts on their own behalf. with the provision
that they shall not have the right to pursue
their remedy in the courts and through the COM
mission in the same case. On the vexed and
much-debated question of the long and short
haul compromise has been agreed upon. The
House bill absolutely prohibited greater charge
for shorter than for longer distance which in
cudes the shorter upon any one railroad
The provision OF the Senate bill pro.
than for longer distance under
substantially similar circumstances and condi-
tions over the same line in the same direction,
and from the same original point of departure or
to the same point of arrival. 1t also authorized
the commission to make exceptions to this gen.
era; rule in special cases in which it seemed
proper. The substitute section agreed to by the
conferees makes it unlawful for any railroad to
charge more for the transportation of passengers
or OF like kinds of property under substantially
similar circumstances and conditions for a
shorter than for longer distance over the same
line and in the same direction, the shorter being
included within the long distance, with the pro-
viso that in special cases, upon application and
after investigation. the commission may pre-
scribe the extent to which such railroad shall be
relieved from the operation of this section. The
House bill contained an absolute prohibition of
pooling. while the Senate bill provided for an
immediate investigation by the commission of
the question of legislation upon the subject.
Upon this point the Senate conferees have
yielded and accepted the provision of the House
bill. The following is the provision of the House
bills
That it shall be unlawful for any common carrier
subject to the provisions of this act to enter into
any contract agreement combination with any
other common carrier carriers for the pooling of
freghts of different and competing railroads, to
divide the aggregate net proceeds of the earnings
of such railroads, any portion thereof and in any
case of agreement for the pooling of freghts as
aforesaid, each day of its continuance shall be
deemed separate ofense.
Upon the question of publicity of rates there
was no difference of opinion. The house bill re-
quired each railroad to publish and to adhere to
its rates between points upon its own line The
Senate bill made it the duty of tho Commission
to also enforce the publication of such
through rates might be found pos
sible to publish A substitute has been
agreed upon, by which each railroad
is required to print and keep in every depot for
the inspection of the public the rates it may es-
tablish between points upon its own line. They
are also required to file with the commission
copies of all joint tariffs of through rates to which
they may be a party, and the commission is re-
quired to secure the publication of such through
rates as far as may be found practicable
Other notifications of minor Importance have
been made but these the principal ones
upon which differences of opinion existed When
the substitute bill has been printed the commit
tee will go over it carefully and may find it nee
essary yet to make some changes, but they
have substantially agreed upon their recon-
mendations.
THE ELECTORAL COUNT.