tion of railroad and water routes it should be found necessary that a railroad should reduce its rates, it was believed to be in the interest of the people that the railroad should be left free to reduce its rates, but when it had once reduced its rates that it should not raise them again except upon ten days' notice. These provisions in the judgment of the committee are of very great importance.

I do not know that many amendments are to be suggested to the bill, or that there is any desire to materially change it, and therefore I shall not go into any larger discussion of the measure; but if amendments materially changing the character of the bill shall be proposed, I may then undertake to present my views more fully upon any of the particular points which may be raised.

Mr. SEWELL. Mr. President-
The PRESIDENT pro tempore.

If the Senator from New Jersey will yield the Chair will lay before the Senate a message from the President of the United States.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Chair lays before the Senate the unfinished business, being the bill (S. 1532) to regulate commerce. Mr. SPOONER. I submit an amendment intended to be proposed by me to the bill, and I move that it be printed.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The amendment will be printed. Mr. HARRIS. I submit an amendment intended to be proposed by me to the pending amendment of the Senator from New Jersey. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The amendment to the amendment will be printed.

Mr. HARRIS. I move that the Senate adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; and (at 5 o'clock and 15 minutes p. m.) the Senate adjourned.

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1886.

BUSINESS OF PACIFIC RAILROADS COMMITTEE.

Mr. DUNN. I am directed by the Committee on Pacific Railroads to ask unanimous consent for the adoption of the resolution which I send to the Clerk's desk.

The Clerk read as follows:

Resolved, That Tuesday, the 11th, and Wednesday, the 12th days of May, 1886, after the morning hour for the call of committees for reports and consideration of measures, be set apart for the consideration of measures reported from the Committee on Pacific Railroads.

Mr. SPRINGER. I will state to the gentleman from Arkansas that the 11th day of May was on Saturday evening set apart for the consideration of bills from the Committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. DUNN. We examined the Calendar of Sessional Orders before drawing the resolution.

Mr. SPRINGER. The order to which I refer does not appear in the last print of the Calendar.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the present consideration of the resolution?

Mr. SPRINGER. I object to the assignment of the 11th of May. Mr. DUNN. Then I will ask that the committee be limited to the 12th, with a recess from half past 5 until half past 7.

Mr. WEAVER, of Iowa. What measures do the committee propose to call up?

Mr. DUNN. There are several measures.

The first on the Calendar is the bill to require the Northern Pacific Railroad Company to pay the costs of surveying, selecting, and conveying its lands. Another measure is a resolution providing for an investigation of the business of the Pacific railroads which have been aided by the Government. Another measure is the general bill providing for an amendment of the laws in relation to paying the debts of the Pacific railroads to the Government. Mr. WEAVER, of Iowa. Does the resolution include a bill to grant certain privileges to the Northern Pacific Railroad in the Yellowstone Park?

Mr. DUNN. It does not. There is no such measure reported from the committee.

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. Does the resolution include a bill for funding the debt of the Pacific railroads?

Mr. DUNN. It does.

Mr. WARNER, of Ohio. Then I object.

Mr. DUNN. If objection is made, I ask that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Pacific Railroads. The bill to which the gentleman from Ohio refers provides for the payment of $41,000,000 of that debt at a time before it becomes due under existing law.

Mr.WARNER, of Ohio. I would object to any bill or proposition to postpone the date of funding the debt.

Mr. DUNN. The bill does not postpone the date, it anticipates it. Mr. HOLMAN. I think it is very important that bill should come before the House. While I am opposed to the extension of the time, I am very anxious to see the bill brought before the House for consideration. When once before the House the House will have control of it. Mr. BLOUNT. Is the resolution so drawn as to interfore with prior orders?

The SPEAKER.

The resolution will be again read as now modified. The Clerk read as follows:

Resolved, That Wednesday the 12th day of May, 1886, after the morning hours for the call of committees and the consideration of measures be set apart for the consideration of measures reported from the Committee on Pacific Railroads, and that a recess be had at 5 o'clock till 7.30 p.m. to be devoted to the same purpose.

Mr. BLOUNT.

except prior orders.

I shall have to object, as the resolution does not

Mr. DUNN. It simply asks for one day.

The SPEAKER. Objection is made.

Mr. DUNN. Then I ask that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Pacific Railroads.

Mr. COWLES. I object to the reference.

The Senate, as in Committee of the Whole, resumed the considera tion of the bill (S. 1532) to regulate commerce.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The pending amendment is that offered by the Senator from New Jersey now occupying the chair. The Chair will state that as the amendment proposes an additional section its consideration is not necessary to the text of the bill at this time. The Chair therefore asks that the amendment lie on the table for the present.

Mr. CULLOM. Then all the amendments offered by the Senator from New Jersey will be passed over for the present.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. That course will be taken.

Mr. VAN WYCK. Before making a few remarks on the bill under

consideration, I desire to suggest a few amendments to be printed and considered in their proper order. It is not necessary that I should read them all, but I should like to call the attention of the chairman of the Committee on Interstate Commerce to one or two. In section 19, line 3, after the word "pooling," I propose to insert:

Also the system known as stock watering.

Then I propose to add as an additional section the following:

All suits for damages and penalties when brought by individuals may be brought in the State courts of the State where cause of action originated or penalty was incurred, and the railroad corporations against whom suit is so brought are hereby prohibited from transferring the same to any Federal court.

Mr. SPOONER. Would such a provision be valid?

Mr. VAN WYCK. I suppose that is a matter which can be corrected by statute. I apprehend the power to prohibit the removal of suits from State courts is within the reach of statute.

Mr. CULLOM. If the Senator will allow me, I understood that the amendment of the Senator from West Virginia [Mr. CAMDEN] is to be the amendment now before the Senate for consideration.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment pending was that offered by the Senator from New Jersey, the present occupant of the chair, and that has gone over.

Mr. CULLOM. I will ask the Senator from West Virginia if he understands his amendment to be now pending?

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chief Clerk informs the Chair that the amendment has not been formally offered. The Senator from West Virginia gave notice that he would offer the amendment and addressed the Senate upon the question.

Mr. CAMDEN. I understand my amendment to be pending.

Mr. CULLOM. It is not pending, according to the statement of the Chair.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator can move it now. There is no record to show that it is pending at this time.

Mr. CAMDEN. Then I move the amendment of which I gave notice.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The amendment proposed by the Senator from West Virginia will be stated.

The CHIEF CLERK. Stride out all of section 4 from line 1 to line 18, inclusive, and insert:

SEC. 4. That it shall be unlawful for any common carrier, as provided in the first section of this act, to charge or receive any greater compensation for a similar amount and kind of property, for carrying, receiving, storing, forwarding, or handling the same, for a shorter than for a longer distance, which includes the shorter distance, on any one railroad; and the road of a corporation shall include all the road in use by such corporation, whether owned or operated by it under a contract, agreement, or lease by such corporation.

Mr. CAMDEN. I also desire to offer another amendment, which is to strike out in lines 5 and 6 of section 4 the words "and from the same original point of departure."

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska [Mr. VAN WYCK] has the floor on the pending amendment.

Mr. VAN WYCK. Mr. President, the people have reason to take courage that some advance has been made, at least in sentiment, during the last year on the question of transportation.

The report of the Committee on Interstate Commerce and the speeches thus far delivered have recognized the great wrongs done the producing interest of the nation by railroad corporations, and have shown their violation of human laws and utter disregard of everything sacred.

The committee are inducing the people to expect some radical and

effective legislation, which is not entirely sustained by the bill presented.

Last session I was antagonized by this committee and many Senators on the proposition that no greater charge should be made for a short haul than a long one.

I have a right to feel rejoiced that the proposition then advocated against great odds has been fully adopted by the committee and indulge the hope that Senators who so persistently denied its justice will see it as the committee do and give it their cheerful support.

LONG AND SHORT HAUL.

We need it in the West for local shippers. A pro rate charge is not asked; only that for hauling 50 miles they shall not charge more than for hauling 500. It seems idle to say this will necessarily raise the through rate. That can not possibly be done.

The through rate is now nearly confiscation. amount to prohibition.

Another raise would

The producer now realizes barely the cost of producing. When two bushels are taken to get the third to market, it is demonstrated that the farmer, after cost of producing and paying taxes and interest money, has not sufficient left to make good the necessary wear and tear of the farm.

THROUGH RATES EXCESSIVE.

Already the rates in some cases are prohibition. During last session that charge was established when I alleged that in portions of Nebraska the people were compelled to burn corn for fuel; that in some sections it required 150 bushels of corn to purchase 1 ton of hard coal. People in the East were startled by the fact, while in Nebraska some of the editorial fraternity, who think the highest position in life is to do the bidding of railroad corporations, and proud to be ordered by the magnates, aided, no doubt, by their own innate cussedness, having no feeling in common with the Syrian when he humbly protested "Is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing?' But these fellows rejoice to be not only servant, but dog.

For stating this fact they charged that I was an enemy of the State, that immigration would cease where such gross oppression, extortion, and injustice was allowed; but immigration did not cease. The whole coun

try realized that a State with soil so rich and productive, with people so industrious, standing at the head of all the States in intelligence with a less percentage of those unable to read and write, with more soldiers of the late war to its population than any other State, where such men, on such soil, with such extortions, could live and toil and be happy, was oue of the best places to find a home, and they came by hundreds and thousands and will aid in the work of emancipating labor and breaking the gyves of corporations on the limbs of that young and growing Commonwealth.

A year has passed; the world denounced the heartlessness of corporations that would force the necessity of using

FOOD FOR FUEL,

but what effect did that have with those who had forged the chains, fastened them on the limbs of the young giant, and hold, as they think, the key securely? No concession to humanity, no yielding to the entreaties of toil.

The homesteader, with his wife and children, toiling long months and weary days, plow and sow, cultivate and gather, and then haul 150 bushels of corn to the depot and take home barely 1 ton of hard coal. In other portions of the State more fortunate he can exchange probably

100 bushels or less of corn for 1 ton of hard coal.

This does not apply to the entire State; but during the last winter in more than one half its territory the people were compelled to

BURN CORN for fuel because OF EXCESSIVE THROUGH RATES.

Then millionaire officers and well-paid attorneys and frail editors will argue that the rates are not excessive because not as much so as more excessive rates charged in other places; but here is the fact that to a large section the coal dug out of the earth by the hand of labor in Pennsylvania can not be exchanged for corn raised by the hand of labor in Nebraska. The rate must be excessive because it is prohibitory.

The farmers in Western States during the last winter have been converting their corn into beef and pork, and now the through rates are so excessive that they will scarcely realize in return the meager price or value of the corn.

If the farmer in Nebraska can find a better market further west for corn the railroad actually charges him on 300 miles transportation the same freight as for 800 miles east, so that now the basis of charges is "all the traffic will bear." The railroad rulers, stronger than Government, are determined that the farmer shall have only the privilege of

WORKING HIS OWN FARM ON SHARES,

they taking the lion's share, and allowing for himself the usual third, and if that will furnish him beyond ordinary subsistence then his share is made still less.

We are in the midst of depression, and all other pursuits must be laid under contribution so that full dividends shall be declared on watered stocks and fraudulent bonds; grain, beef, and pork may be reduced one-half in price; no abatement in charges on transportation. All industries must not only sustain their loss, but help make good the losses of corporations. No sympathy for the laborer, whose pay is reduced; no sympathy for producers, whose products are reduced one-third to one-half; but a dismal groan ascends for ever and ever from a portion of the press and from legislative halls if railroad bonds and stocks do not receive full returns The people have been patient and long-suffering, and the cry is even now going up, "How long, O Lord, how long!"

When Senators who delight to be called conservative, when a committee free from radicalism or demagogues boldly acknowledge and proclaim the great wrongs and violations and robberies committed by corporations, that would seem to be the "end of the law and the testimony."

Then the great question comes, to redress these wrongs, to prevent their repetition and give the people a remedy against the extortions.

NO COMMISSION,

This bill in declaring certain principles is well. Annexing a commission with large salaries and little power is not what the people are demanding.

The commission will be no better informed to declare what legislation and punishment is needed than this committee of distinguished Senators after visiting important points and conferring with persons of different views, and giving a year to its careful consideration.

The results from State commissions are too meager to induce a high admiration for that tribunal. The corporations are becoming earnest advocates for a national commission, expecting it to prevent them from being too severely squeezed in the tender embraces of each other, with no power to protect the people from their rapacity.

EXTORTION IN RATES WEST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER.

You would suppose the Pacific road, built by the generosity of the