The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-01-03
MTER sTAlE c0MMERcE LAw.
Railroad Men Admit it Has Been Violated Cert
Sections Obnoxious.

Railroad Men Admit it Has Been Violated Certain
Sections Obnoxious.
CHICAGO, Dec. ga number of
original interviews with railroad men
on the inter-state commerce law are
printed to-day Traffic Manager
Reeve, of the Chicago g. Grand Trunk,
says: For the past twelve months I
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 haYe
resorted to various schemes, contrary
to law, to evade the act, such as under
billing, payment of commissions. ap-
pointing shippers as agents, etc. From
the beginning believed the law was a
good one and also was of the opinion
that it had come to stay. l am o. the
same opinion today and although
believe 1t could be amended so as TO
make it more operative in every
respect. / still think that if all roads
would strictly obey the present law in
spirit and letter, it would be far better
for the railways themselves and more
satisfactory to the commercial commu-
nifty at large"
Vice President Bond, of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul wants the sec
ton prohibiting pooling repealed, and
an amendment adopted requiring that
like public notice shall be given when
rates are reduced as when raised, and
make such notice no less than twenty
days, and thirty would be preferable.
instead of ten as now. The commits
sion should have authority to suspend
such notice when necessary to meet the
competition of lines working, wholly or
in part by water, or via Canada. He
also favors an amendment prohibiting
transportation contracts with shippers
for longer period than fifteen days.
and with a light restriction as to the
price of tickets sold through or outside
agencies. Section 10, fixing penalty
for railway officials guilty of violation
of the law should be amended so as to
make the penalties alike applicable to
| the shippers who receive a direct pc
cuniary advantage therefrom.
President Stickney, of the Chicago
Kansas City u st. Paul railroad, gives
expression to much the same ideas as sci
forth in his speech before the Western
| Freight association last week. He
wants a more vigorous administration
of the law. 1t is, he says, fatally de
| fective in one respectable right tC
control carries with it the duty to pro
tect, and no government can rightfully
| take away from the individual the pow.
| er of protecting himself without at The
same time extending the protection Of
the government and 1.-THE act to regu
late commerce" has to certain extent
recognized this principle. Before the
| enactment it was customary where 1
company was forced by competition Of
otherwise, to accept the remuneratlv'
rate at one point, to make it good by a
higher charge at intermediate points
and where one company made preda
tory excursions upon another to make
reprocals in the good old way. Self pro
lection in the manner indicated, is
prohibited by the law, but the law fail
to extend any protection against com
petitor company making an unremun
erative rate. and from making preda
tory excursions into its neighbor':
baliwick armed with the power to Gu
rates. The value of all railway prop
erty, estimated to be One-tenth of al
the property of all the civilized nations
must be utterly destroyed; or, armet
with this tremendous power and ;
moderate amount of available money
the freebOoting speculator may rob ant
plumber at his discretion, both thu
railways, their owners and the public
who are the customers of the railroad