The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-20
REGULATING RAILWAYS.
THE CULLOM COMMITTEE ON ~.
,-TERSTATE COMMERCE.
cusses Improvement of Waterways
synopsis of the Bnl-Cieveland's ID:
pIomacy Criticised In the Senate.

WASHINGTON CRY, Jan. 2l-The re.
port of the committee accompanying ths
bill to regulate inter state commerce, pre-
scented in the senate Monday, forms a
printed volume of 2l6 pages. II reviews
the declarations of the United States SUI
prenne court relative to the subject under
consideration, and says that railroads are
common carriers, and that no common car
rier has the right under the conlmen law 10
discriminate between persons or places, or
to give preferences in any manner. Tie
railroad companies do not recognize as they
should, if says, the fact that they sustain
a different relation to the public from per-
| sons engaged in ordinary business enter
prises Railroad companies are rot so dis
posed TO regard themselves as holding q
public office and bound to the public as ex-
pressed in the ancient law They do not
deal with each citizen alike. They dis. rim
mate between persons and between places
The report concludes that public interest re-
quireS the regulation provided for, and that
it is the duty of congress to undertake it.
In speaking o. the competition of water
ways with railroads the report says that the
commerce OF the nation would derive fresh
and continued advantages from the con-
| struction Of the Hennepin canal IL con
tinues:
Cheap transportation between Chicago
and the seaboards is assured by the line of
free water communication open through the
1 great lakes, the Erie canal and the Hudson,
| and no method has been suggested by which
| the controlling influence Of that water com
| petition could be extended over so wide,
populous, and productive a territory at 50
| moderate an expense as by constructing this
short canal OF seventy-four miles, which
would give 70 the people of the
| upper Mississippi sGstes direct water
| transit connection with all the
states of The Atlantic seaboari and
with Europe. The necessity of this improve
ment is made more urgent by the high and
| oppressive RATES Of freight prevailing be-
tween the grain-producing states OF the
| northwest and Chicago as compared with
the charges made between that point ard
the Atlantic coast BY tie construction of
| this canal these charges would be materially
reduced, and the grain-produciny states
| given that cheap transit which has now be-
| come necessary TO enable them 10 success
| fully place their surplus products in for
eign market
| The following is a synopsis of the bill
| After specifying the classes of carriers, OF
rather the kinds OF traffic to which the reg
| ulations prescribed are TO apply, and declar-
| ing that all charges made by such carrier
shall be reasonable, the preliminary sections
aim TO prohibit every variety Of unjust dis
elimination; to prescribe adequate penal
ties therefor, and to prescribe for the en-
forcement in the courts OF the United States
| Tbnsa Saari1n- tpsl1ir}a 10
that all carriers shall afford reasonable
facilities for the interchange of traffic with
connecting lines, and the prohibition OF
a greater charge for shorter than for
longer distance, except when it can he af
Tentatively established by the carrier that
such charge Gols not constitute an unjust
discrimination.
Another section requires all carriers SUD
ject to the provisions OF the proposed act 10
file their tariffs and classihcatious with the
Interstate commission ami provides that
they shall he posted or otherwise pub
lished, but leaves TO be determined
by the commission the manner of pub
hcation and the PAGES at and between
which rates shall be published Provisions
is made for enforcing the requirements OF
the commission in these respects through the
courts and for the maintenance Of the rates
that may thus be published,
Provision is also made for the appoint
ment By the president Of five commissioners,
TO be confirmed by the senate, and several
sections are devoted to prescribing the
duties of the commissioners AMI the manner
in which complaints are to be investigated
and penalties instituted under its direction
| when found necessary.
In the senate Tuesday Hawley, from the
committee on military affairs, reported q
joint resolution which was passed, appoint
ing Gen John 7, Hartranft, % Pennsylvania,
as manager Of the National Solder Home
in the place Of Gen Mcclellan, deceased
Hsrrison's resolution, offered Monday
and objected to Nj Coclrell, to admit Mr.
Moody, of Dakota, TO the floor of the senate
then came up, and a debate between Harri-
son and Vest ensued, the latter denouncing
the action OF the people Of Dakota 10 81 III
suit to congress
After long and spirited debate the reso-
luton admitting Mr. Moody TO the floor was
agreed To- Teller then took the floor for q
set speech on the silver question after
which, at 3:55 P. IN the senate adjourned
A large number of executive conYmunica-
tons were laid before the house Tuesday
among them letter from the chief Of engin-
GERS asking an immediate appropriation of
$50 GO for the general work Of survey ON
the Mississippi river; and another from the
same officer asking an appropriation for
continuing the sea wall around Govern
or's island, New YORK Larbor: they were
referred
Bragg, from the committee on military
affairs, reported in the bill for the relief o;
Fitz John Porter: Matson reported the bill
increasing pensions Of widows from IS tc
| 40 mr. month