RAILROAD TARIFF.
On motion by Mr. McCULLOUGH his bill [S. 19] defining unjust discriminations of railroads in rates of charges for transportation of freight or passengers, was read the second time with a Committee report recommending that it lie on the table.
Mr. McCULLOUGH: He nor the people he represented have no quarrel with the railroads, but there are many unlawful wrongs being perpetuated by Railroad Companies, which, the Legislature of Indiana must consider and right sooner or later, and the sooner the better in justice both to the people of the State and to the Railroad Companies. His bill does not propose to fix any rate per mile, but to prevent charging more for conveying twenty five miles than for conveying fifty miles, or as much for conveying twenty-five as for thirty miles. There is not a clause in the bill prohibiting a Railroad Company from doing anything but what is palpably unlawful tinder the present law. The person overcharged may recover that amount, and in addition a sum sufficent to pay the expenses of the suit. In the decision of all Courts, wherever the question has arisen, it has uniformly been decided, and the Courts have held that railroads have no right to make the discriminations they do make, and that everybody knows they make Railroad men generally admit that they do make discriminations such as are in violation of law, but there is no excuse for the Legislature to permit it. Every time a Railroad Company violates the provisions of this bill they violate the law as effectually as a mob that would stop their trains. It is not justice to the people of the State that they should come continually to the Courts, as they do, claiming the protection of the State. Why, they themselves say, "We will not obey the laws of the State." The Legislature will be recreant to its trusts if it does not come speedily to the relief of the people of the State and stop the gross, outrageous and unlawful discrimination continually being perpetuated by Railroad Companies. He spoke at length in opposition to concurrence in the report of the Committee.
Mr CAMPBELL cemented it was the duty of the General Assembly to throw round th people a protection from outrages and unjust railroad discriminations. He bad no desire to wage war upon the railroads, but the magnitude of this problem deserves careful consideration, which urged the Senate to give to this Question, His bill says but little on the railroad legislation, out proposes a Railroad Commisison with instructions to prevent unjust railroad discrimination. There is a necessity for arbitration between railroads themselves, as there is a necessity for arbitration of railroads and the people. There is unjust and extortionate charges made between intermediate points by nearly all Railroad Companies, and some thing should be clone for the correction of the evil. Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and various other States have similar Commissions, but the best of all is the one in Georgia, from which his bill is made up. This plan has been in operation in Georgia since 18[?]9, and has been found to work satisfactory and to bring the railroad authorities and the people on better terms than were ever known before. In conclusion he asked the Senate to consider this subject carefully and refuse to concur in the report of the Committee recommending that the bill lie on the table.
