St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-01
Cooley's Commission Reports
the Operation of the In
terState Law.
Public Policy Could Not for a
Moment Sanction a
Trust.
Many Recommendations as to
Necessary Legislation
Submitted.
It Seems Probable That East
Bound Rates Will Be Adj
vanced Soon.
Special TO the Globe.

Special TO the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.--The annual
report of the interstate commission
places the railroad mileage of the coun-
try Oh the 30th day of June, 1888, at
152,7S1, of which 1912 miles had been
completed and brought into operation
within the six months preceding that
day. The railway constructions of 1856
was S,411 miles, and in 1887 it was 12,6SS
miles. The number of corporations rep
resented in the mileage is 1881, but by
reason of leases or other contract ar
rangements many corporations hold
control of and operate one or more
roads owned by other corportions; and
the whole number making reports
of operations at the date named
was Cos. a summary of the
formal complaints brought before the
commission during the year is as fol-
lows: Cases heard and decided 80,
eases heard. not yet decided 6. hearing
not completed o, cases withdrawn or
settled %, cases suspended by request
10, cases assigned for hearing 8, total
107. Upon the subject of the law, the
commission says: To what extent, if
Mt all, the administration OF the act has
been harmful to tho carriers. is a sub
ject upon which the views of railroad
managers have from time to time been
publicly expressed; sometimes to the
effect that the damage has been very
considerable. The commission is pos
seSSed of no evidence showing that the
general result has been
OTHERWISE THAN BENEFICIAL.
Unquestionably the railroad business
of the country has suffered many and
very severe losses during the past year.
But these have not been due to the act
TO regulate commerce. Discussing rail-
road trusts, the commission say: ANY
thing equivalent to consolidation of all
the roads of the country under single
head, OF even those of a considerable
section, whether by meager OF by the
formation of a confederation which
should have powers of legal control or
by the creation of what is now techni-
cally denominated trust could hardly
be supposed possible, even if the parties
If the parties could come into harmony
on the subject an arrangement
of the sort would be so over
shaGowing, so powerful in its
control over the business inter
ests of the country and so susceptible
of being used for miscellaneous purposes
in many ways that public policy could
not for a moment sanction it, at least.
unless by statute it We're held i'm close
legal restraints and under effectual
public supervision and control. The
voluntary arrangements OF the kind in
other lines of business are already
sufficiently threatening to the public
interest, and the most ardent advocate
Of the concentration Of railroad author
itv cannot reasonably expect that any
thing of the sort to control the trans
portation of the country will be pro-
vided for by legislation. Without
legislation to, favor it, little can be done
beyond the formation of consulting and
advisory associations, and the work of
these is not only necessarily
defective, but it is also limited
to circumscribed territory. In the alb
Sence. Of any such concentration of au-
thority the carriers by rail have it in
their power to do very much towards
establishing better relations with the
public at large and towards performing
better service for the public. by first eS-
tabiishing better relations among them
selves. The need of this is very imDera-
tive. The first requisite to the estab-
Iishment OF better relations among the
carriers by rail would seem to he rec
ognition, on their part, Of the fact that
they seem to the public to constitute q
class, with. to some extent at least, COM
mon interests are likely to be con-
trOlled by the same motives. The COM
mission sums up its conclusions OH the
subject of
UNIFORM CLASSIFICATION
by saying: Uniformity in classification,
fnp fnr no
plished without serious mischiefs. is
desirable. There is gratifying progress
in the direction of unificati0n. and it
has been very marked within the last
year. So long as the carriers appear to
be laborng towards unificatiOn with
reasonable diligence and in good faith,
it is better that they should be encour-
aged and stimulated to continue their
efforts than that the work should be
taken ont Of their hands. The com
mission recommends: That some place
of greater capacity than Castle Garden
be provided for the reception of immi-
grants. located somewhere upolr New
York harbor; that all regular lines of
interior transportation be allowed 10
have agents at the place so provided.
who may sell tickets under regulations
prescribed to secure equal privileges to
All and prevent abuses: that the pay
ment of commissions for the
routing of immigrants, and for
procuring the shipment of immi-
grants from foreign countries be de-
clared Illegal and punishable, and that
The commission be authorized to pre-
scribe fares for the TRANSFORMATION of
this class of passengers. The commits
sion reneWs its recommendations Of last
year with reference to express com
panieS against the sudden raising of
rates without notice. Other amend
ments to the law are also urged upon
The attention Of congress. The com
mission believes that notice of intention
to reduce any rate which any carrier
subject to the act makes or joins in,
ought to be published not less than
three days before the reduction should
be given effect. as provided in the
amendments now pending, and that the
provisions against false billing, false
weighing, etc. should embrace also the
owner of the property or any party act
ing for the owner or cOnsigB1r of prop
erty who shall he party to any such
unlawful conduct.
RAILROAD RATES ON COTTON.
CnoJoy's S-onnmiScinu TIiyaS q