Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1884 — INTERSTATE COMMERCE. [ARTICLE]

INTERSTATE COMMERCE.

Opposition in Committee to the Reagan Bill. [Washington Telegram.l The House committee which is dealing with the subject of interstate commerce, has been sitting daily for over a week. The debate thus far develops the fact that a majority of the committee favors a commission and is opposed to the Reagan bill. The features of the Reagan bill which are most earnestly opposed are substantially these: 1. The section which provides that the informer or prosecutor of a case for any of tho penal violations shall have half of the amount recovered. This, it is claimed, will encourage an organized raid of spies, informers. and tramps to molest the operations of a road, not in the interest of the public, but for blackmail and personal interest. 2. That clause which prohibits a greater charge for a short than for a long haul, Congressman Davis claiming that this is especially directed against the West, and that it will reduce the value of every farm in the Northwest. 3. That which ptohiblis pooling of freights between competing points. The disposition of the committee seems to be to say nothing about it, neither authorizing it nor prohibiting it. 4. The requirement to publish schedules which cannot be changed except on five days' notice. Congressman Davis makes one point against this—that the Grand Trunk and the Lake Shore, with New Ycrk Central connection (neither of which routes can be affected by the bill), could control all shipments from Chicago oust; or, in other words, that the other lines would be subject to such a contract as these routes might impose upon them.