The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-14
NATIONAL REGULATION OF RAIL
ROADS.

The proceedings of the national conven-
ton of railroad commissioners which has
just adjourned after a session of several
days in st. Louis, seem to show that pub
lie sentiment is steadily growing in favor
of legislation on the transportation ques-
ton. Most of the Northern States have
laws providing for the appointment of rail-
road commissioners who are invested with
certain powers relative to railroads within
the State, and whose duties are somewhat
akin to those of the Interstate-commerce
Commission, except that state commission
ers cannot NEEDLE with m between
the States. Indiana is one of the few States
that has no railroad commissioners. Their
duties require them to make a study OF
the railroad question in all its phases, and
they are probably more familiar than most
persons with the evils of the present sys-
tenn and with the means of reforming or
far as possible, to protect the interests of
the people, and their views may be pre-
sumed to. look in this direction. There
fore, it is of interest to note that the recent
convention heartily approved of the inter
state-commerce law and of continuing the
commission and charging its powers. A
resolution was adopted declaring that this
convention does hereby urgently recon-
mend the immediate passage by Congress
of such legislation as will effeotually pre-
hibit the transportation evils and abuses
described in the annual reports of the In
terstate-commerce Commission for the
years 1890 to 1896 inclusive, and to this
end attention is particularly called TO the
recommendations for legislation contained
in the tenth annual report of said commits
sion" The convention also adopted a reso-
luton d~eprecating any modification of the
interstate-commerce act intended to con-
fer additional powers, privileges or ex-
emptions on the railroads, unless such mod
i~fcat;on shall be recommended by the In
terstate-commerce Commission. Among the
amendments already suggested by the COM
mission and approved by the foregoing
resolution of the convention is one recon-
mending that not only the officers, agents
and employees of railroads., but that the cor
porations themselves be made liable to in
dictment for violation of the Interstate
law. 1t is also suggested that the
railroads be required to adopt, within such
reasonable time as may be prescribed by
Congress, a uniform classification OF
freights, and that upon their failure to do
so the commission be authorized to pre-
scribe such uniform classification. and that
the railroads be required to conform to it.
Other recommendations are that the COM
mission be authorized to appoint special
agents to inquire into the business man
agement of railroads, and that the roads
be required to file with the commission
monthly reports covering earnings and
operating expenses, such report to be filed
within thirty days after the close of each
month. These recommendations fare not
new, having been made by the Interstate
Commission in reports of recent
years. The point of interest is that they
are unanimously Endorsed and their adop-
ton by Congress as a basis of legislation
recommended by a convention of state
railroad commissioners A fair conclusion
seems to be that intelligent public opinion
throughout the country is moving steadily
in the direction of demanding stricter ma
tional supervision and regulation Of rail-
roads.