The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-23
AGAINST ADOPTION
The Report on the Leeds
Amendment.
READY FOR THE SENATE
AS Was Expected, the Committee Is
Opposed to the Abolition of the
Railroad Commission.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

SACRAMENTO, Feb. O.. = Immediately
upon the converting of the Senate to-
morrow morning Senator Earl, chairman of
the Committee on Constitutional Amend
ments, will recorder report on the Leeds
amendment. which has been in the hands
Of that committee since early in the ses-
sion. 1t will be signed by Earl, Carpenter
and Mahoney and possibly by Senator
SeaweIl. Senator Burke declines to in
dorse it. The report says:
"The proposed amendment strikes from
the present constitution those provisions
establishing a Railroad Commission, and
proposes as substitute in lieu thereof the
regulation of the railroad companies by the
Legislature as before the adoption of the
new constitution. save and except that a
limitation is placed on the Legislature to
control by q uniform maximum distance
tariff for passenger and freight service, and
also a freight classification known as the
Western classification, comprising a quarto
publication OF some eighty pages. I his
uniform distance tariff and classification is
made applicable 10 all the railroads in the
State. some thirty in number. under indie
pendent ownership and control. regardless
OF the length Of the road or amount of
business or cost of construction or opera
ton or whether operated In mountains or
valleys"
After cOmmen ting on the character Of
testimony taken the report says that it
would not be wise to confer upon the Legs
lature the duty Of fixing railroad rates. 1t
would be q constant source of contention,
it saws, at every session and with the con-
stitutional limit of sixty days the Legsla-
ture would have little time for the consider
alton of any other subject
The report further argues that the pres
ent grievance in relation to railroad rates
is not the fault OF the new constitution, but
rather Of the people themselves in their Sc
lection Of the members of the Railroad Com
mission. The people of this State" con-
tnues the report. have the power TO make
their Railroad Commission all that could
be desired if they will take the care nee
essary in the selection Of the members of
the commission. 1t is easier for the people
TO select three fit men for the commission
than 100 fit men for the Legislature. The
evils OF the former system of direct legs-
laiive regulation are not so far be-
hind us as to be forgotten or to
require enumeration, and in the opinion Of
your committee 1t would be going backward
for California to return TO the system that
produced those evils. Yonr committee Is
also Of the opinion that to adopt as a part
Of the constitution of this State a maximum
or other schedule of uniform distance rates
for passenger and freight traffic and an
eighiy-page book OF commodity classified
ton would be not only grotesQue depart-
ure from the accepted idea of what State
constitution should be. but would place
rigid letters upon transportation companies
in this State, which would bring disaster
TO some of the industries of California, which
could only be remedied by repeal Of the
proposed amendment. Your committee does
not believe that it is practical or right that
a uniform maximum distance tariff should
apply TO all roads alike. or 10 all sections of
the same road All roads, or all sections Of
the same road. cannot be constructed or
operated at Il uniform cost. To do this
would be TO utterly disregard the cost to
the carrier of its services-an important
factor in making fair and equitable rates. I"
For these and various other reasons the
recommendation will be made that the
amendment be not adopted