Evening star., 1929-12-15
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

It was many year after the adop-
ton of the Constitution that the in
terState m m er e"
interstate clause in 1t was taken
comm.ro. advantage of by Con-
OVAOAOS' greSS for the enactment
of laws regulating the practices OF COM
mon carriers. In The Star Of December
9. 1879, is the following:
"The power of Congress to regulate
interstate commerce is not questioned
and under this right Congressman
Reagan of Texas proposes to have the
Government establish some regulations
over railroad trafic. Mr.. Reagans bill
passed the House in the Forty fifth
Congress, but was buried in the Senate
committee. 1t was fought at every step
by the railroad owners and officers who
are always opposed to any law, except
such as they make themselves, for the
government of railway matters, The
Reagan bill forbids unjust discrimina-
tions by railroads in freight charges,
requires that uniform rates shall be
charged for long and short distances
and prohibits all poolings and rebates.
The people who patronize and support
railroad lines, as well as build them, to
a very great extent, have proved power
less against their eXtortions. Compet-
ing lines combine with rivals and excess
siye rates are established and main
tanned. Another bill pending before the
House proposes to accomplish Substan-
TALLY the same end as the Reagan bill,
but by a different method. 1t was in
troduced by Mr.. Sapp of Iowa, and pro-
videS for the appointment OF commits
sion which shall establish rates and
regulations for railway trafic.
\
"The rushing enterprise of English
journalism" says The Star of December
IL, 1879, was forcibly
British news illustrated by a circum-
Enterprise oSSmTe occnrTed Wn,cn m the eSneTi
ence of the London Times. Mr.. Delane,
the ablest and most famous editor that
paper ever had, died on Saturday, No
vember %, at Ascot, a railway station
not 40 minutes from London. Yet not
a line in regard to the event appeared
in the Times until on the Tuesday fol-
lowing. Imagine a leading American
newspaper making such an exhibition
of ITSELF"
In respect to the premature publica-
tion of presidential messages to Con-
greSs and other "State
JefferS0ns papers" touched upon
pracadant in this column week
1AeUeU0N'' ago, The Star had the
following further to say in its issue Of
December Is, 1879:
There was no chance for 'enterpriS-
ing journalists to get possession Of and
prematurely publish Presidents mes
Sages in the early days of the Republic.
Presidents Washington and Adams de-
livered their messages in person to Con-
greSS and Mr.. Jefferson was the f1rSt
to depart from this custom. He turned
the annual address into an annual
message and sent it to Congress,
precedent that has been followed by all
his successors. In sending his first
message to Congress he wrote to the
President of the Senate as follows:
1.-The circumstances under which we
find ourselves placed rendering incon-
venient the mode heretofore practiced
Of making by personal address the first
communication between the legislative
and executive branches, have adopted
that by message, as used upon all sub
seQuent occasions through the session.
In doing this have had principal
regard to the convenience OF the Legis-
lature, to the economy of their time, to
their relief from the embarrassment OF
immediate answers on subjects not yet
fully before them. and to the benefits
thence resulting to the public affairs.
Trusting that q procedure founded
upon these motives will meet their ap-
probation. beg leave through you, sir,
TO communicate the inclosed message.
with the documents accompanying 1t. to
the honorable the Senate, and pray you
to accept for yourself and them the
homage OF my high respect and consid-
Grafton"