Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1874 — Cheap Transportation—Some Facts. [ARTICLE]

Cheap Transportation—Some Facts.

In order to show the action and attitude of the Republican and Democratic parties’* oj the question of cheap transportation, we have been at soma pains to collate the following facts on this subject from official records, showing how both parties acted and voted, The subject was first broached in the For-ty-second Congress. On the 27th day of January, 1873, Hon. J. B. Hawley (Rep.) moved to suspend the rules and pass a bill to provide for the appointment of commissioners to collect information in relation to railroads forming lines of commerce between States. Of course, the object of this inquiry was to see if Congress had the constitutional right to regulate the railroads. Pending the motion the House adjourned. On the 3d of February Hawley’s motion came up in the regular order of business, and was defeated by a vote of 75 yeas to 98 nays . Of those who voted in favor of the motion there were 69 Republicans, 5 Democrats and 1 Liberal; of those who voted against it there were 78 Democrats, 19 Republicans and 1 Liberal. Of the delegation from this State every Republican voted for the motion, and every Democrat (Niblack Kerr and Voorhees) against it. So the matter was killed in the Forty-second Congress by Democratic votes, they refusing even to authorize the appointment of a committee to collect information in regard to the right of Congress to regulate the railroads. On the 20th of January (Forty-third Congress) Mr. McCrary, of lowa, (Rep.) reported from his committee on railways and Canals a “bill to regulate commerce by railroads among the several States,” which was ordered printed and recommitted. February 26th it was reported back with amendments. After some debate, in the course of which the measure developed unexpected strength, Mr. Niblack, of this State, moved to lay it on the table. Motion lost. Mr. Eldridge (Dem.) moved an adjournment of the House, which motion also was lost. Finally the previous question was seconded and the main question ordered when the House adjourned. The next day, March 26th, the bill was read a third time and passed by yeas 121, nays 115. Now mark the final vote. Of those who voted in the affirmative there were 115 Republicans, 5 Democrats, and 1 Liberal; of those who voted in the negative; there were 68 Democrats, 44 Republicans, and SLiberals. This bill was widely published and commented on at the time. — It provided for the regulation of the passenger and freight tariffs of all the railroads in the United States, according to a just and equitable standard, and for the secure protection of the peple against extortionate charges. This bill was passed in the house by Republican votes, only five Democrats voting for it, against one hundred and fifteen Republicans So much for that bill, which passed the House, but has not yet been acted on by the Senate. On the 9th of February, in the House Hon. J. Q. Smith, a Republican member from Ohio, moved the suspension of the rules and the adoption of the following: “Be it resolved by the House of Representatves. That in the judgement of this House it is within the constitutional power of Congress by law so to regulate commerce among these States to protect that portion of our internal commerce which is among the several States from all unjust or oppressive tolls, taxations, obstructions or other burdens, whether imposed by railroad companies or by combinations thereof, or by other commop carriers, when engaged as the instruments of such portion of the commerce of the people'; that the present conditipn and magnitude of the commerce among the states are such as to demand the prompt and wise exercise of the power and duty declared iu this resolution,” This resolution was adopted by yeas 172, pays 64. Of those who voted in the affirmative there were 156 Republicans, 14 Democrats, and 2 Liberals ; of those who voted ip ft l ? negative there were’ 51: Demo-

crats, Il Republicans, and 2 Liberals; In the Senate, on the 20th of June, Senator Windom, of Minnesota, a Republican, offered an amendment to the regular river and harbor appropriation bill, providing as follows: “Fgr surveys and estimates far the improvements r< commended by the Senate select committee cn transportation routes to the seaboard, u]»n the four routes indicated in the report of said committee * * * $200,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of War, in such manner as his judgement will secure the greatest amount cf exact information for each of said routes.” The amendment was agreed to by ye.is 39, nays 12. Of those who voted in the affiirmative there were 28 Republicans, 9 Democrats, and 2 Liberals. Here again, it will be seen, the bulk of the vote in favor of the appropriation and preliminary survey for improved water routes was Republican, while the bulk of the vote against it, 7 out of-12, was Democratic. In the light of these votes we appeal to the people to say which party has shown the best disposition to respond to their demands on the question of cheap transportation.—lndianapolis Journal.