Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-30
THE ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION.
"A Discussion Of the Interstate Com
merce Law and Its Constitutionality.

The monthly meeting of the Washington
branch of the American Economic association.
last evening at All Souls church, was occupied
with consideration Of the interstate-commerce
law. The paper of the evening was read by
MIR. Posey 8. Wilson, who said that when the
act was pending he opposed it, on the ground
that it was both unconstitutional and crude.
He then went on to speak Of the general well
fare" clause Of the Constitution, and concluded
that certainly none of the fathers foresaw the
steamboat and railroad, or dreamed Of the
time when it would be '.for the general well
fare" to give Congress the power to say that
steamboats, and railroads should charge so
much and no more, or no less. He thought
that II the law became troublesome to rail-
roads it will be attacked in the courts. for Con-
gress cannot limit rates. But he said that it
was not likely to be since the president of the
Interstate commission says that railroads never
do so well as when living up to this law. Prob
ably all that can be done, in the opinion of the
speaker, Is to hamper the carriers as little as
possible by vindictive legislation, leave them
free In buying material and compel them to
deal equally with all men. Property in car
riers is private. Law. he continued, cannot in
free country fix railway tariffs, but it can
compel carriers to operate under some general
principle, as, for example, to assume a unit of
weight as a car load and a unit of distance as
the mile.
IN THE DISCUSSION WHICH FOLLOWED
the reading Of this paper the president, Car
roll ID. Wright, spoke of the interstate law as
applying only to railroads extending through
more than one state. The powers under the
Constitution to regulate interstate commerce
were the same as those used in legislation re-
lating to debt, marriage and divorce, corporate
rights, &c. The interstate law did not claim
to apply to roads lying altogether in one state.
Paul i. Bowen thought that the government
ought to own the railroads, but the assertion of
the right by the people to regulate and control
railroads was tendency in that direction. He
thought the present law a complete failure,
but ii served to demonstrate the fact that such
corporations could not be controlled by law
President Adams, of the Union Pacific, was
quoted by the speaker as saying that the effect
Of the law was to hasten the consolidation of
railroads. In Mr.. Adams opinion this was
being done too fast.
Ralph Beaumont was of the opinion that the
law was a failure, and argued in favor of gov
eminent control. Mr.. Moore took the oppo-
site ground, and said that railroads were pri-
vate property and the state ought to respect
them as such. Messrs. Adams. Newcomb,
Renick. Tibbitts and Blodgett took part in the
discussion, and President Wright said in con-
clusion that the opinion seemed to be that the
interstate law was a failure.
Officers for the ensuing year were elected as
follows: President, Hon. Carroll d. Wright;
vice-president, Mrs. Annie Fl. Barns; secretary
and treasurer, John b. Daish; council. Chas.
F. Adams, Posey s. Wilson, and the officers of
the society.