The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-27
INTER State COMMERCE.
Testimony Regarding the Eff
cheney of the Law.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS TALK.
General Opinion that the Law is a
Good Thing If Only Enrorced-It
Should be Lived Up to by the
Companies for their Good.

CHICAGO, Dec. ga number Of ad-
ditional interviews with railroad man.
ayers on the Interstate Commerce law,
are printed to-day. Traffic Manager
Reeve, of the Chicago & Grand Trunk
road, says: For the past twelve months
l do not believe that the provisions of
the Interstate Commerce law have been
properly observed by many of the rail-
ways. On the contrary, they have re-
sorted to various schemes contrary to
law to evade the law, such MS underbill-
ing, payment OF commissions, appoint
ing, shippers as agents, etc. From the
beginning believed the law was n good
one. also am OF the opinion to-day,
and although believe it could be at-
tended SO as to make 1t more operative
in every respect, | still think that II all
the roads would strictly obey the pres
ent law in spirit and letter it would be
far better for the railways themselves
and more satisfactory to the commercial
community at large.
WANTS TIE POOLING SECTION REPEALED.
Vice President Bond, OF the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul Railway, wants
the section prohibiting pooling repealed,
an amendment adopted requiring that
like public notice shall be given when
rates are reduced as when raised, and
make such notice not less than twenty
would br preferable-in-
stead OF ten as now. The commission
should have authority 10 suspend such
notice when necessary to meet the COM
petition OF lines working wholly or in
part by water or via CANADA. Hc also
iavors an amendment prohibiting trans
pOrtation contracts with shippers for n
longer period than fifteen days, with II
light restriction as to the price OF tickets
sold through or to outside agencies. Sec
tion 10, liking penalty for railway otli-
cials guilty OF violation Ot the law,
should be amended 80 rs 10 make pen
alties alike applicable to the shipper who
receives direct pecuniary advantage
therefrom.
WANTS TIE LAW ADMINISTERED.
President Stickney, OF the Chicago,
Kansas City & St. Paul Railway, gives
expression to much the same idea set
forth in his speech before the Western
Freight Association last week. He wants
a more vigorous administration OF the
law. tis, he says, fatally defective in
one respect. The right to control car
ries with it the duty to protect. No
government can rightfully take away
from the individual tho power OF pro-
teCting himself, without ut the same time
extending the protection of the Govern
ernment. The "act to regulate COM
merCe" has to certain extent reCog-
nized this principle. Before the enact
mentit was customary where company
was forced by competition or otherwise
to accept less than the remunerative
rate at one point, to make it good by
u higher charge at intermediate
points, and where one company
made predatory excursions upon another
to make reprisals in the good old way.
Self-proteClion in the manner indicated
is prohibited by the law, but the law
fails to extend any protection against a
competitive company making an unre-
rate and from making preda-
tory excursions into its neighbor's baili-
wick. Armed with the power to cut
rates, the value Of all railroad property,
estimated to be one-tenth OF all the
property of all civilized nations, may be
utterly destroyed. Armed with thfs
tremendous power and moderate
amount OF available money the free
booting speculator may rob and plunder
ut his discretion both the railways, their
owners and the public, who are the Gus
toners OF the railways.