The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1893-02-04
AN IMPORTANT | L


Representative Miller has introduced
in the general assembly a bill that mas
already created quite a stir, and whlcn
promises to become one OF the important
measures of this session. In brief, the
| bill Is, in substance as follows:
An act to prohibit railroad companies
| from wning or controlling stock In man
ufactories or business ior tne
purpose OF dealing in LUMBER, grain,
merchandise, coal or other mineral, VI III
! ducts therefrom for commercial purposes
| for the benefit OF such company otner
than freights to be charged thereon rs a
common carrier, or for the purpose OF
controlling the officers OF such company,
or entering into any arrangement with
any proposition or individual to deal In
any such commodities except for Its W
use; also to make 1t unlawful Tor business
corporations to issue stock or pay money
to any railroad company TO aid IN any
manner in carrying on a commercial bus
mess in the commodities mentioned.
Any railroad company violating the
provisions mentioned shall, for the first
%ofrense, be liable in the penal sum Of not
less than $1,000 nor more than $4,000; for
the second offense, double the first pen
atty, and a third violation shall result in
a forfeiture Of charter and all corporate
rights pertaining thereto. ANY contract
or agreement made in violation of the
act Is rendered absolutely void, and no
purchaser shall be liable for a cent In
CURED under the prohibitions of the
law. and may plead it a 8 a bar to col
lections. Prosecuting attorneys are
directed to enforce the law and to this
end may call on the attorney general for
assistance, and upon conviction receive
one fifth of the fines collected. Judges
having criminal Jurisdiction are re-
quired to give the act in special charges
to the grand jury. Upon trial all officers,
agents or employees Of railroad COM
panies shall be competent witnesses
against the defendant, unless protected
by law against eliminating themselves,
and all books and papers pertinent to
the issue in each case shall be produced.
Necessarily the bill Is quite lengthy,
but the main features are given.
In presenting the bill Mr.. Miller said:
Railroad companies have no right In
law to do q commercial business, but
they evade this inhibition upon their
chartered power by having organized q
business company under the laws Of the
state and then the railroad company, |
through the acquisition Of the stock Of
such business company, officer the same,
and then put 1t as effectually In the
control and power Of the railroad COM
pany as II a part OF the railroad COM
ranu ond IN fhio xtyoy tho roilrnodo oro |
gradually getting into doing q CONNER
cial business, In operating elevators,
coal mines, etc. This ID notably the case
with the Missouri Pacific Railroad
company, which Is said to own the stock
and control the entire business OF the
Rich Hill Coal company, the Western
Coal end Mining company. and the
Lexington Coal and Mining company.
1.-The effects of all this Is the practice
of Determinations against others in the
business, to create on the part of
the railroad company monopoly, oppres-
sion and fabulous profits to the railroad
through its great capital and advantages
over all others and an injustice to the
of coal land and the vast coal
interests of the state, and grinding down
the wages Of toiling miners In O way to
lead, in a very few years, to as bad q
of things as now exists In the
east under the policies Of the Reading
combine.
For several years these questions of
discrimination, injustice and wrong on
The part of the railroads have occupied
the business of the courts and the rail-
road commissioners, but no remedy
could be given for the reason that the
law was inadequate.
IF railroads can thus deal In coal, by
-. a. v~NAAoa ft,nxr nnn n0snfNNl thu /
grain and other products In the
state, and In fact it is believed that they
are interested in certain elevators and
districts In the state"
If the statement of Mr.. Miller that
railroad companies have engaged under
cover of alias corporations in coal min
ing, numbering, grain dealing and other
forms Of commercial transaction Is true.
they are clearly in violation of the con-
,titution, and should be prohibited,
The opponents Of the bill have already
attacked it on account, they say, Of the
which they claim Is harsh and
lnsound. 1t need not necessarily be 30,
and the bill is subject to amendment In
his or any other particular-but 1t Is
Ioss Of time and the veriest nonsense to
enact a law and omit q penalty. The
fact is, the penalty Is the business end
Of every law intended to prevent wrong
and the INTELLIaENcER fully
endorses and believe the people Of La
county will endorse the measure
Mr.. Miller has introduced. II no rail-
road company Is In violation Of the con.
stitution In the way charged, then the
law will certainly do them no hurt. If
any are in violation then they should be
restrained just as we would restrain q
man from stealing his neighbours horse.