The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-23
PROPOSED RAILROAD LINES
Conaissisaer 81 Railreads sugsests
TAsir Necessity. In order TO
Properly DsveIop ana Handle the
Trade Comins From the Orient.

Properly Develop ana HaA0Ae tAo
Trade comias From the Orient.
WARRINGTON, Dec. el-The commits
sioner Of railroads. In his annual report
talks largely Of new trade relations with
the Pacific coast He says:
sWo have every reason to believe tnat
We are about to enter into new trade re-
latiofss. in the near future, with our new
possessions, and through them, thus prom
Using continued ana growing prosperity
for our people for many years to come.
Accordingly I beg leave to renew the sug-
gestions Of my last report, urging the air
line railway from Kansas City to san
Diego, Cal. Such route should be on the
shortest line between the cities Of Boston,
New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore
. to the Pacific coast, where. on the parallel
pines, It Would ana the shortest route to
these possessions and to their commercial
and military relations. Similar routes
c aS q ana Dn s eSc ss. and
Seattle and Galveston and San Diego, to
draw 8 great part OF the worlds commerce
ever our wilderness possessions and trans
The nations manifest destiny to become
one Of the greatest commercial powers OF
the s.r , ana inS rsss
commerce, calls for generous and prompt
recognition and encouragement. All Of
these lines wcvld probably not cost more ,,s
be needed for the construction and equip
ment Of the isthmian canal. Trey would
give Us healthful latitudes that are not
ey at home. furnish rapid transit for All
kinds of trade and command q large por-
ticn Of the vast commerce Of the world.
tnsntsi rouses warrants 9vs he .h sssumpon
Tor ali routes. while the moderate rates
q ns us p aaa the to
people In the transt OF their travel and
trafnc. The system extended by .teamers
s g to n q M sd ne Soa
until employment win be at hand for all
who prefer It to idleness.
These possessions. With those Of the West
b Improved and developed in pursuance
Of His great designs. Woe must be the
end Of 2 people who reject and condemn
the munincence OF generous God"
Interstate Commerce.
A comprehensive bill for the amendment
Of the law creating the Interstate COM
merce commission has been introduced in
the senate. The bill is In most respects
similar to the Cullom bill OF the last con-
gress, for the same purpose. but 1t has
been changed In several minor particu-
lars. The main features OF the proposed
measure are as follows:
The commission IL authorised, after
hearing case. to make an order direct
ing, the carrier to desist from the VIOLA
ton found and to also prescribe in such
quired to do or not to do for the future
to bring itself Into conformity with the
act; and in 50 doing the commission is
hx both q maximum and minimum rate
or dinerential In rates when necessary to
2rsysnt Experimentation; e determine the
Ing carriers. and the terms and conditions
under which business shall be interchang-
ed when necessary to the enforcement OF
ton and to amend the rules and regula-
lions under which traffic Is moved. The
commission now has no power In any
by railroad companies
The bill makes the order Of the commis-
sion effective within the time specified.
thirty days Any carrier may, within
thirty days, begin proceedings iT the Uni
ted States circuit court for review OF the
to he court m and fR Re case IS y
have precedence in the courts. If the
court upholds the order. or II the order be-
Genes zen, effective Otherwise the carriers
OF 1900 Tor each offense, and for every
Day It continues In default If additional
evidence is found necessary in court, the
court must direct the commission to take
i and make supplemental report The
orders of the commission now are NOT
enective until 1t brings suit In the court
TO enforce them. and the delays involved
frequently extend over periods OF years.
The bill also further provides that the
commission shall make and establish a uni
haul clause is made an absolute prohibi-
ton. except upon leave granted by the
commission. Large penalties are provided
sSs .,t STARTERS IN case q departure from
feature IL eliminated from the act, and
shippers are not liable for any offense ex-
D Dsp p,inf or other fraudulent
1ers for failure to file annual reports be-
TORE September 30 OF each year. The COM
mission is authorised to prescribe the forms
OF accounts and to inspect the books OF
carriers and 1t may employ speciai arents
or examiners, who shall have aufhoritv
under the order OF the commission TO IN,
spect and examine such accounts
Releasing the Transports.
Ouartermaster General Ludington has
begun the work of lowering the war ex-
penses by releasing several of the trans.
ports engaged in carrying troops ami
mails and provisions, since the beginning
OF the war with Spain and during the
Phiiippine instruction. The fleet was
added to from time to time until within
the last few months when the total num-
Der OF vessels employed was forty. In
addition to these, several others had been
bought outright and fitted UP as trans
ports.
The chartered vessels cost the govern
ment from $500 to $1,000 each day they
were In service, whether lying in port
waiting for soldiers or en- route to some
point. The daily expense of the army for
chartered transports was from 5000 to
$4,000. ~
Now that all the troops intended for
service in the Philippines with the ex-
ception of one regiment have been land
ed there the necessity for such q large
number Of transports no longer exists.
During the last five weeks FIVE of the
chartered vessels have bepn diecbarvad