New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-31
TIE STATE RAILROAD COMMISSION.

In 1882 the Legislature of this State created
a Railroad Commission. The act calling the
commission into being was passed IN response
TO a demand so general and so earnest that IL
is fair to assume that the public sentiment OF
New-York was back of it. The people were
convinced that their interests would be served
if the railroads, small and great, doing bust
ness in Ncw-York should be subjected to an
intelligent, fair, non-partisan supervision ms
was eight years ago. Since January, 1855
Railroad Commission has been engaged IN the
discharge of its important duties, as they are
laid down in the law of 1882. There have
been changes in its membership from time to
time. but. so far as we are aware, neither its
efficiency nor its trustworthiness has ever been
called into question.
Tn view of these facts the attitude which the
Legislature has maintained toward the Railroad
Commission is certainly open to criticism 10
is incumbent upon the commission to. report
to the Legislature annually " such suggestions
as to the general railway policy of the State
or amendment of its laws as may
seem to them appropriate. And the said Board
of Railway Commissioners shall be charged
with the duty to recommend and draft for the
Legislature such bills as will in their Judgment
protect the peoples interest in and upon the
railways of the State" That is the law, and
the commission has faithfully obeyed it. But
what has been the result? Has its labors
borne fruit? Have the measures which it has
recommended become laws? The first report
of the commission was presented in 1884, but
none of the bills which it submitted got through
the Legislature of that year. The bills were
again presented in the commissions report for
1885. Some of them were passed by the Sen
ate of that year, but none of them by the
Assembly In 1886 not a single commission
bill passed the Legislature save the one limit
ing the appointment of railway receivers. All
the commission bills failed in 1887; in 1889
the commission reported that it approached the
subject of legislation with some hesitation"
since the Legislature of 1888 had paid no
attention to it's recommendations while the
record of the Legislature of 1889 in reference
to the commission was equally fruitless.
Now we submit that the conduct of the
Legislature in this particular is anything but
praiseworthy. If the Railroad Commission is
not a useful organization it ought to be abol-
ished If it is useful, its recommendations are
entitled to respectful consideration. The bills
which it has presented from year to year ought
either to be passed on their merits or killed
for cause. AS a rule, however, they have been
simply ignored. The substance of these bills
has been published in THE TRIBUNE, and our
readers are aware that most of them provide
for genuine and much-needed reforms in the
management of railways, Thus one of them
provides that railways hereafter constructed
shall not cross highways at grade another pro-
hbts street railways from laying centre-bear-
| ing rails third is aimed at the discrimination
by railways against shippers by canal fourth
makes railways responsible for damages by
fire from their engines fifth compels rail
ways to construct a low railing around the
roofs of their freight cars, to. prevent brake
men from falling off. What is the matter with
these bills? Are they not practical? Are they
not in the interest of the people and without
| injustice to the railroads? At all events the
measures named and all the others drafted by
the commission ought to receive fair play. 1t
is not fair play to allow them to die in com
mittee, Or if they are reported, to perish OF
| delay.