Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-11
Uniformity In Returns.

A resolution was adopted offered by the
committee on rail- DAD statistics, author
izing the. committee to prepare forms and
data looking to a uniformity in returns of
railroad statistics to the interstate COM
merce commission.
A resolution was also offered by Mr..
Isaac b. Brown of Pennsylvania. which
recited that grade crossings are the most
prollf1c causes OF accidents IN the opera
ton Of steam and electric railroads and
therefore the chairman of the convention
be authorized to appoint committee OF
five to prepare a bill providing for the abo-
ltion OF all existing grade crossings, and
to prevent the creation of grade crossings.
The corfmittee, it was provided, was to
make report at the next meeting of the
convention, with the view of having bill
presented TO the various state legislatures
In the discussion which followed some
of the members, while favoriEg the resolu-
! ton, especially If IT resulted in the aboli-
| ton of the dangerous grade crossings, were
| OF the opinion that 1t would be impossible
for the proposed committee to frame a law
that would be applicable to the conditions
| in all the states.
| 1t was brought out that in some states
| laws already existed for the abolition of
| grade crossings, the expense to be
| met by the state, by the locality and the
| railroad companies. But the improvement
| in some cases was left optional with the
| parties ramed In ether states. it was said.
| sufficient power existed for making such
improvements, but the cost sometimes pre-
vented. The resolution was adopted.
Defects In Law.
The report of the committee on legisla-
| ton was read by Mr. Edward A. Moseley,
the chairman. which called attention to the
| defects in the law and suggested some
remedies for existing evils.
| The report recommended that laws be
made so as to provide for more specific
| method Of enforcing rates, requiring public
| carriers TO keep their books open to public
| officers. especially showing the cost of the
| property and the "details of the various
| transactions, and providing more perfect
machinery to enforce the criminal clauses
or the laws in regard to common carriers
There was some question raised as to the
Immediate adoption of this report. or post
ponement of its consideration, the chair
man having stated that he had been I'M
able to get the committee together, and the
report was the expression of his individual
some of the views report, and after
discussion 1t was decided to postpone
action upon the reperk until the afternoon
session. 2aisI
Shortly before / b,eqock the convention
took recess and Iroteeded in body TO
the White House, dwheye the members were
received by President Mckinley.
It is probable tina convention will finally
adjourn at the cfsseiiof the session this
afternoon. 81 ;'of
Afternoon Session Yesterday.
At the afternoon session Of the conven-
| ton yesterday some reports of special COM
mittees were received. put they were large
| ly of technical interest. In reporting upon
the classification Hk CONSTRUCTION expenses
A. X. Teisberg of Minnesota expressed the
desire that the railroads of the country
| so classify their construction expenses as
to enable the commissioners to obtain a
| more comprehensive idea of them than
was now possible.
"A lively discussion was precipitated over
| the question of the powers. duties and
| work of the railroad commissioners, in the
| course of which It was developed that rail-
roads generally regarded the orders of tina
commissioners merely advisory" Sew
erai cases In which the authority of the
commissioners is now being tested in the
| courts were cited
Joseph Fiory of Missouri urged the con-
vention to- mdorse the railway arbitration
Dill, which 70 now pending before the Sem
| ATE. having already passed the House of
| Representatives