The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-01
POOLING OF RAILVA
Should Be Allowed Under Proper
Restrictions In the Interest
of Small Shippers.

WASHINGTON, June l, lS94.-RepreSeuta-
tive Patterson of Tennessee submitted, to-
day, a voluminous report accompanying the
bill to permit the pooling of railways. which
latter was agreed to by the House Com
merce Committee several days ago. The re-
port argues that it is absolutely necessary,
in order to prevent unjust discrimination.
and in the interest of small shippers and in
dividual enterprises, to allow railways,
under proper restrictions, to make con
tracts for the division of their net
or gross earnings. AS the railway business
is now conducted there is uncertainty and ir-
regularity growing out of secret cuts and
drawbacks in respect OF tariff and passenger
rates, and it results In building up the large
shippers at the expense of the small ones.
The report shows that while a great many OF
our railways are in the hands of receivers,
yet they would all be comparatively pros
porous If they charged the rates approved of
by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
EFFECT ON SHIPPERS.
Exactly the same causes which drive rail
ways into the hands of receivers are the
causes which destroy the small shippers.
The large shippers demand and receive dis
eliminating rates while the small shippers
are compelled to pay the published
rates. The report analyses the bill section
Dy S0CblOu. SnOWluS tHhb tn6 1utSI-
state Commission has enlarged powers
over the railways and can consequently put
an end to pooling contracts whenever the
public interest demand 1t, subject only to
revision by the Supreme Court of the United
States. And in case an appeal is taken from
the order of the commission disappearing
such contracts, they are to remain illegal
and unenforcible during the tendency of
the appeal. The report shows the i'm
practicability of corporal punishment of the
agents and managers of the railways. There
are two offenses defined in the Hll, one
against the shipper and the other against
the corporation; one embracing false bill
ing weights in the classification or other de-
vices on the part of the shipper, and other
violations of the law on the part Of the
railway company. Both are made indict-
able for these offenses, For the former the
shipper alone is i~ndictable, and for the
latter the corporation. The officers and
agents of the railway company in this way
are made competitive witnesses to prove such
offenseS.
THE MATTER IN COURT.
The report then shows how the bill pro
vides for the utilization Of all evidence and
statistics taken by the commission. They
are to be used as evidence in the courts,
and the courts are required to pass
upon the case as it is presented to
the commission. Cases coming up from the
commission have the precedence over all
other business, and the Supreme Court of
the United States is required to advance
such business in the same manner as the
! cases are advanced in which the government
is a party. The report argues in conclusion
that the hands of the commission are greatly
strengthened by the bill and that the inter
ests of the railways and the people will be
greatly benefited by its passage.