The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-11
GEN. WILSON SPEAKS.
The Interstate Commerce Law.
He Addresses the Committee on
Certain Proposed Amendments.
Those Are Touching tho Relations
of Canadian Railroads to 1t.
BE Represents Nobody but the
American People and Himself.
His Hearers Evince the Greatest Inter-
est In the Subject and Thank
Him for His Clear Prosenta-
ton OF the Case.

WASHINGTON, Feb. l0,-Gen. James II.
Wilson addressed the interstate commerce
committee OF the Senate this morning,
proposing certain amendments TO the in
terstate commerce law touching the rela-
tons Of Canadian railroads to that law.
He said he represented nobody but himself
and the American people. He represented
no special interest, but sought merely 10
contribute his share as private citizen to
the accomplishment Of desired purpose.
He said ii might be fairly assumed that
one Of the best feei,rss Of the interstate
| commerce law is that IL requires publicity
to be given to all rates, and that whatever
needs TO be concealed In connection with
contracts for rates ON either freight or pas
senger Is wrong, and should be prohibited.
He therefore proposed that the flrst para
graph Of Section should be amended by
adding the following words: cor to enter
into any secret or private contract or UNI
dentanding whatever, in reference 10 or
connected directly or indirectly with the
rates or conditions precedent or subsequent
under which any traffic shall be secured or
transported, and all contracts and condi-
tions other than those ordinarily printed
on the regular tickets, or in the regular
bills Of lading connected with the sale Of
passenger tickets or transportation, or with
the shipments OF freight, or with the diver
sion OF passengers or freight from the line
or route OF any other common carrier, shall
be deemed 10 be public contracts, and shall
DO made OH written or printed forms in
triplicate, one for each Of the parties there
| 10, and one 10 be forwarded 10 the commits
sioner appointed under this act, under
such regulations as they shall prescribe.
lie also suggested that Section be
amended by striking out all Of the second
paragraph, the purpose aimed at being TO
make II unlawful for any common carrier
TO receive freight but not passengers) AT
any point in the United States and carry
the same through for any foreign country
10 another place In the United States In
bond, or without paying duty on the same
nc the port or place Of re-eniry. Owing,
however, 10 the permissive effect OF exist
ing laws aud the regulations OF the treas.
ury department, by which the Canadian
railroads arr permitted 10 take goods from
various places in tho United States and
carry them in bond and in sealed cans
through Canada, and bring them back
without paying duty thereon, ho would
strongly urge the amendment Of the i'm
tcrstatc commerce law by substituting for
the second paragraph Of Section the fol-
lowing
"And nothing In this act shall be con-
strued 10 allow any common carrier 10 TO.
cciye any freight In the United States 10
be- carried In sealed cars or In bond by
railroad through foreign country 10 any
other place in the United States free OF
duty and all laws and regulations there
under, which have been construed 10 per-
NIT such practices, are hereby repealed"
This, he said, was n radical measure, but
he hoped 10 convince the committee that
II was called for and fully justified by our
paramount and permanent national in
teresls.
FiBt-Eycr since the present consiitu-
ton went into effect II had been the set
tied and unbroken policy Of the national
Congress 10 protect our coasting trade and
reserve II exclusively for the benefit of
ships carrying American registers and
from the session Of the iint Congress, now
nearly 100 years, no foreign ship had been
permitted 10 engage In our coasiing trade.
The object Of the laws and regulations.
he said, appears 10 have been tw0-iold. To
protect and foster American shipping, and
TO increase tho public revenues. When
these laws and regulations were first made,
railroads were unknown and unthought
Of but II they had been In use along our
land borders, rs ships were on our sea
board waters, could Il be doubted that
Congress would not have taxed, iosicrcd
and protected them within our own linn.
its NJ against such as might be located in
foreign territory Congress nj that time
laid heavy tax upon carriages, which IL
aftcrward increased and then repealed,
and II was fair 30 assume that Il would
have taxed railroads bad there been any
90 tax, and II would have protected
them "pari passu" from competition by
foreign railroads. Conld II be coniended
that our commerce up and down the Al.
lantic coast or along tho gull, or up and
down the Pacific coast OF along the great
lakes, between points exclusively within
our national jurisdiction, had any better
right 30 protection than commerce between
other points within our boundaries. As
Congress had taxed ali American railroads,
M the several States now derived n very
large portion Of their revenues from them,
} and ~ they were the property Of our own
I citizens, lay wholly within our ownb0r'ler,
, bound the various pots u our country 10
gethor with bonds IL steel, aud were fully
able 10 handle all our local and interstate
commerce between the cities and section,
reached by them, they we're surely entitled
| TO whatever favor could be- given TO them
} by the government a. against railroads w.
, ing wholly In foreign countries and con
= trollcd wholly be foreign subjects aud gov
ernmenis.
Sccond-There was no, another govern.
meni In the world that permitted, or bad
ever thought Of permitting the Practice
and the absurdiiy and injustice oil II were
: abundantly manifest when Il was remom'
4 bercd that the government Of the very do
= minion which was bycoiiing enriched by
lis enjoyment from M refused positively Y
, permit American railroads In the norm
2 west 10 take wheat out Of Manitoba, han
II through the United States aud fc.ente,l
Il free Of duty for Canadian points. Onil
few days ago urgent appeals were mas ni
BIZ the Canadians - &c ag.hofiliee p, w
tawa 10 rcscind their orders on tbs snblcc
}. lest our government might Iclaliale an'
thus bring the Grand Trunk, Canadian
Pacific and other dominion railroads V
J. bankrinicv