Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 16, 1874, Page 2

AR <ALV LT XUy AUE, SPRINGFIELD. Wore Iniquities Unearthed in * Connection with the State Printing, Amount of Grab-Law :Bonds Repre~ sented by the Two Revetiue Committees A Freo Banking Resolution Introduced in the Senate, Proposed’ Retrenchment in the ‘Way of Discharging Olorks, Report of the Fodoral Relations Coms mittee Relative o the Kansas Pagifle Railroad, STATE PRINTIN (c N Spectal Dispatch to The Chicano Tridune, INIQUITOUS DEVELORMENTS, Srmivarieey, Iil, Fob, 14.—Cummings is the pame of tho lnst witness oxamined by the Print- ing Committco, Ho evidently understood tho Ins und outs of the business, laving been lero fiftoon yoars, and boipg now foromsn of & bind- sry. Ilo oxmmined all the work dono, and ox~ prosacd Lis opinion with smusing delibgration. . Books that should bave beon stitohod wore #gawod pnd glued.” It would not do to opon o “gawed ond glued book twico in the same place,” ntd tho witness, * Why not ?" asked Chairman Bradwell, *Decausoit would bo very apt to como apart,” said Cummings. Ho thought tho binding law gave only ¢ eawedand glued " pricos, bowever. On s large cditlon tho differ- enco betweon stitching aud sawing aud gluing wonld bo cousiderable. On an edition of 10,000 Agricultural Roports, cloth binding could bo dong for 26 couts a volumo, 'Thnt would be romunorative. If lo egstimnted tho work ho might flpuro it lower (Rucker, tho .binder, charged conts & volump). 1o figuead on the Rogistey blanks_prass wack for which the printors charged ov » $975, and would | bo willing to.do the same work for $5660, That would b remunerativo, snid Mr, Cummings. e had not bid for the present contract, but Lo bad figured on it, mado out bids for pthor par- ties; had mado out o bid for John 1T, Johnson ; tho bid was never put in; it was not put in be- enuso Mr, Johugon made moro money by keop- ing it out; he was told Johnwon was prid §1,000 for not bidding; he was. alao informed thet Posoy & Davis got several hundred dollars, and so did Richnards, and soveral othors ko ling Leard of ; he did not care to esy who gave the monoy ; it was pretty gencrally -undorstood whero it camo from; yes, it camo from the Journal pnd Regisler offices; ho would supply the paper, composition, —pross-work, aud binding of the Registry blanks for §5,000. Tho presout contractors clinrgo $18,000. Gen, Balea testified that when he was 8tato Treasurer ho was ono of tho Printing Com- missioners; that ho had mado the award ; that Gen, Lippitcott aud Seoretary Rummel had gono to him sftor tho Bailhache-Meorritt bid lad buon put 10 and wero indignant ; thoy thought some- thing wag wrong becauso’ thoro was only one bid in, aud it wad at tho maximum price; thoy wanted to throw out tho bid, and so did ne, and the Commissionors adjourned for o week to soo if they could mot conceive of a plan b{ which they might readyortise for bids, but the law wae mandatory. 1'he Commissiouors thorefore made tho award, T'ho General contradictod Maj. Bail- Lacho. e sworo that the Commissioners had the origiual bid and othor papars befors thom, and that there was no orasure in tho bid when tho award was mado. The Printora have engaged ox-Gov. Palmor to defend thom, which sbows thoy are badly frightened. . NEW LAW PROFOSED, The Houso Printing Committee have resolved to make anew law to pravent, it possible, the traud now perpetrated, Todo so, thoy must stop the purchasmg of bidders, besides rogulat- ing 1unato depravity and oniginal sin. — THE GRAB LAW. . special Dispateh to The Chigago Tribune, INTERESTED COMIMITTEES. SenmxoFELy, I, Fob. 14,—The following atatoment shows the smount of Grab-law bonds " ropresontod by the two Rovenue Committess : BENATE COMMITTER, Nlcholson, Logan County Ferrell, Hardln County. . Reyuolds, Cook County. Baldywin, LaSalle County. Tastle, DeKalb County, ... . Patterson, Whitesido County. Warren, Ttancock Count, Glenn, Brown Count; Wars, Unlon County Cumtnings, Fulton G II0USE GONMITTEE, Graham, Mercer Couuty. Bullard, Livingston County Hawee, Logan Cotinty. Dotton, Cook County. ... Carpentor, Kuue County. Boflitt, Macon Couuty Chambers, Kuox County. Freelund, Moultrlo Couni Armstrong, Lasnlle Count; Welnbeiiner, Madison. Thornton, Fulton County. Sylvester, Douglns County, Stroud, Logan Couuty., Bmith, Fagotlo Counly. Total,....... 5 132,400 102,000 +00,82,074,250 1t is useloss to oxpect any changea in the Jaw from Committees interosted in_maintaining tho lww, It looks us if thoso Committees were pucked to defeat any amendmeont jnimical to the ondholders, It was perhaps part of the schome which raised tho assessment and coptrolled the Equalization Board, A = THE OURRENOY. 8pecial Dispatch to The Chicano Tribune, FIEE DANKING BESOLUTION. Brrixarerp, I, Fob, 14,—Besides the Fi- pouce Committee there ara threa or four Seus- tora who know just how to remedy all the finan- cial questions of this decade, and have prepared and introduced resolutions thercon which are now on file, Dir. Yoris has repeatedly tried to ct up his resolution for discussion and passage, ut t{m Senato Las stendily rofused to ulmn this «qiestion, to do so being in its opinion, ill-timed and unnecessnry. AMr, Castlo introduced tho following reeolution this morning, and tried to tako advantagoe of the thin attendanco to gob it up, meke 8 speech in its favor, and get it pussed by & viva voce vote, for, thero balu% 1o quornm prosont, no ono would dare to call the yous and noys. Ho camo Very nioar succecding, only ouo, . Torrall, objocting. 3ir. Voris and otliors ro- re{lrod to were ubsent. 'The rosolution reads as follows : \\'u:muvl “The interests of the peoplo of thia State demand an nercase {u the volume of our currcney § ud, Wirexzas, The Natlonal Banking act nsing tho our- rency upon United Statcs bonas 18 the best for giviug the peoplo currency ; and, Witzneas, Thot et s unjust in thot &t make & modogaly of tho busiicss of banking ; thoreforo, Tesoluat, By tho Benato, tho Honsp of Representa- tives concurring,herein, That our Senutors in Congress Vo nstructed, aud our Representatives requested, na speedily aa may bo, 10 procuro the passigs of a law aulborfaug {rco bauking uuler the Natiousl Yaukiug act, e ISTOCK.-YARDS, Special Dispateh to A'he Chicugo Tribune, DILL ¥OR THEIR REGULATION. BraiNarieLp, Ilh., Fob, 14.—The Iudiclary Comnmitteo roported against the bill regulating chargos for feed, oto., at the Btook-Yards, Br, Hay enid the charter of the Btock-Yaids pro~ vided for their control by general Jaw, Thoro was no legal sbjection to (ho bill; but o was opposed to the Logiulature interfering with tho business of npnoplu_. unless in oases of urgent necessity. Ho bolioved that competition was the best regnlator, aud, unluss sbusos woro laring, the powor of the Logislature should not fio oxoroised, ‘The Committeo had little direct evidenca bioforn it regnrding tho n)legod abusos ; but Lo had spoken to tho Henator from MeLean (Casey), and to the Bonator from Logan (Nichol- son), who had fiunu to Chicago and invostigated tho” alleged nbusos in the Btook-Yards last year, ’.l‘fimm gontlemen, thomsolves large deal- ord in stock, hud roported THERE WERE NO AUUSER to be romediod, ‘o majority of tho Committeo saw 1o necesslty for regulating tho businecsy of tho Company, ) Mr., Moaore, of Adams, presented & mmmlty roport recommonding that the word person bo Inserted so that 1t should Le applicablota por- Bous &t well aw corporations. ‘I'ho minority ro-. Rorc was Blgnod b Mm;m. of Adams, Lcitze, ohuston, Quinn, Shaw, Orondorf, and Walkor, i Slofite e that the Logielaturs had 0 -RIGNT TO FIX MULES, ¢ and it was duo to the shippors of stock fn Il nois, Towa, Nobrasks, nnd all Western States and Torritorien, that tho rates should be rogulated. ‘Flio bill allowed tho company to olisrge “50 por cont ovor nad nbovo tho curront market prica of liog and othor provender, and that wesan im- meuso proflt, ‘I'yo Sonator had suffored from oxtortlon int tho Unlon Stonk Yards, aud ho Lnew .shippors | had beon cheated by fulno weights and oxorbls tant oharges. y ! ALL AIOUT A LITTLE HAT. i Ranlin gavo an inatanco of an’ attempt to soll | | hiu 400 pouuds of hey for 800, when ho was, then nccompaniod by 125 hoad of cattlo. Ar, Bhaw wantod rogulntion. T'lie pooplo in' ui8 county wantod tho yards rogulated. “Falso | woights Liad beon used, aud oheating carried on by wholcsalo, ) “Mr. Hopkins, tho gunrdisn angol of the! ards, smd the éupromn Courk decision gave tho cilaturo moro power than tho ohnrtor of tho: ardy, but it was a question of polloy wlmtlmri 1o Logislaturo slionld ‘rogulate what did not| need regulation, As-for the story of tho gon-!| tloman (Rankin), 1€ was a falsolood, 'Ho.ordered ( 800 pounds of ‘hayfor 125 cattlo; and, attor hlui cattlo hind fod on it for two Lours, smid o hind ! only rocoived 400 pouuda, o Mr. Raukin—I can prove -tho oattlo word not focding on tho hay-twenty minutes. : Mr, Hoplkins deonied tlio ‘atatomont, and-sald} hay was glven the gontloman woighing in.all 860 pounds, aud what did that Liay-secd gentle- man u‘!]o but go to tho ofiico aud pay for only-800, ounds. p*h.h', Moore, of Adams, eaid.mon GOT NO SATISFAGTION AT TIIT:-YARDS, and, whon nomfiilnlut wag mado, thoy wero or- dered to go to Snvage wout for monopoly. Armstrong, of Grundy, dofendod tho Btock-Yaras as -bolng ! falrly conduoted and indispensablo-4o -the com- morco of the Btato, H Tho roport sgainst the bill was dofoated—84 to iflmflly, tho-amondment including porsons was ndopted, and-the bill ordored to -third roading.’ 1t will surely paes the Hounse. —_— . THR K. P.'AND U. P. ROADS, Special Dispatch to The Chicago Zvibune, REPORT OF TUE COMMITIEE ON FEDEUAL RELA= * TIONS, Srnivorteny, Til,, Feb, 14,~Tho House Com- mitteo on Foderal Relntions reported favorably ou tho momorial of tho Kansas Pacific Railroad, and recommonded the adoption of & proamblo and regolutions winch rocite the lawe undor which tho Union Pacific and Kensas Pacifio Ttonds woro built, and thon continues asfollowa: AnD Wueneas, Tho said Konsas Pacific Raflway Company, having this constricted anj put Inoporation ‘abont 745 miles’of first-clags raflroad, extending from -Kensas City, in Missour, to s couneotion with the “Unfon Paciflo Raliroad at Oheyonne, in Wyomingy'sa provided for and required in tho acts of Congrest, tho plo of the soveral States und Cerritoriesnre cutitied . £5 Tiw to wniform rates: of freigit sud passage enst- | word and weatward_over tho Ualon Paciflo Railroad, and over the Eanssa Pacific Railway, 88 & branch there- of, without diserimination of any kind in favor of tho ; rond or business of elther of said companles, or ad- wvorso to the roud or business of either of thom, And auy discrimination by the Unlon Paciic’ Rail- road Company ogalnst {rolght and _passonger trafic from tho Ksusas Pacific ltaflway, destined fo ypoints on the Union Pacific allroad west of Chioyoune, or to polnts beyond the weatern terminus of safd Inst= named road, as also any discrimination by said Union Pacific Railroad Company against esstern-bound freight and possengor truflic from points west of Ohey- entio, and destined to poluts on tho Kansss Paciilo Tiailivay, or cast of Jts castarn torminns, {s in violation of the Luwa of the United Slates, sud infurious to tho peopley who nre by law entitled’ to uniform rates of frelght and pussago over sufd Unlon Pacific Taflroad | aud” brauches, Aud auy .such discrimination by the ‘Konsas Pacific Rallwoy, ogaivst frelght atd passonger traffl to or from the Unlon Pacific Rall- road, 4# aliko in violation of law snd {njurious to the publle, And, WiEngas, The people of the State of Illinofs ara Jargely intereated in commerco and intercougeo with tlie yast and rapidiy-doveloping reglons “travorsci by tho Unfon Paclfic Italiroad pud ranchiea; and, togother Witk tho peoplo of ad facout Slales, are cntltled <o ail tho Lenefits of tho unlform rates snd choico of routes which wore jntonded oud provided for in_tho acta of Congress orgonizing and subsldizing said rallronds ; therofore, Itesulued, by the Sonate, the Houso of Roprescnta tives conourring thereln, That our Senators bs in- structed, and Roprosculativea in Congress Lo ro- quosted, to urgo upop the consideration of {hsic reapoctive Houscs auch legislation ns sill secura to the pooplo of tha Unfted States thoss equal advaniages and facilities o to rates, time, aud transportation on the Union Pacifio Railroad and tho soveral branches thorcof, which are reserved snd guarauteed to them a8 achict port of the considoration to bo givon by the erously given to them by Congress, Jtesolved, Thnt tho Secretary of Stato bo: fnstructed to forward u copy of tho forcgoing presmble and reso- Iution to gach of tho Senators sud Lteprescntatives in Congress from this State, The resolutions were lald over for printing, g MISCELLANEOUS, 5, Special Dispatch to The Chicaqo Tribune, . THE REVENUE LAW. ° SeniNarieLp, I, Feb, 14.—Ar, Plowman’s bill amending the Itevenue law was ordored to a third reading in the House. It rostorcs the sys- tom of sssessmont in voguoe before tho passage of the prosont law, and allows tho countics, towns and cities to make local assossments sep- arato from the assessmont for State taxos, CARELESS LEGISLATION. An instanco of the carclossnoss with which laws are enacted is tho poesago of two bills al- most identical, ono of which went to the Gov- orvor from the Senate, the ofhor from the House, They both chauged the Practico act 80 as to al- low roilroads to be sued in any conuty through which they run. Of course the Governor will veto one of them, but what sort of a way is that to make laws, auyhow ? The Bennto opened with twenty-six Senators— Lnst B quorum—prosent, In lows than half an our tho numbor was reduced to less than ‘s quorum, and no business of importanco was trausncted. IS TN BENATE. Mr. Burke introduced a bill applving the pro- visions of the Goneral Practico aob for courts of record to Justices' courts, 50 fur ns amond- ing pupors and procéedings aro concerned. b, Brown introduced a bill smending the Goneral Railroad TIncorporation sot, by which a com- pany shell not loso its corporato existence by failing to comploto its enterprise within the time preacribod in its charter, but shall only forfeit ituright to proceed therowith, BEGULATING SLEEFING-CADS, Sherman, of Cook, offered the following, which was unanimously adopted : Itesolted, That tho Commitico ou Ratlroads be, and they uro heroby, instructed Lo prepare o Lill to prevent unjust discrimination and extortion by the Pullmaun Puinco-Car Company and other companies runufng aleeping-coachies on " tho rallway Jiues in this State, and Ax reasenablo maximum rates on the same, CILIOAUO UNIVERSITY, President Doolittle, of the University of Chi- engo, arrived this morning ts see ‘about the pusuage of the bill providing for the apdolut- mient of » Obancellor, There Hoems to be no objection to the bill, and it will probably pass, PROPORED RETRENOUMENT, #ix. Moore, of Marshall, hns beon inetructed by bis Grange to introduce a bill abolishing tho post-offices in tho Bonnte and Houso, Tho best way to do that is to adjourn the whole concorn. Ho is uuxlnuu(lfr inquiring Low many committoo clerks will be discharged, so that he can send word to tho Grange how much ho has saved the Stato by introducing the resolution peuding for thelr dismissal. BOUTIHERN PENITENTIARY, The Sonate Committes on Poual Inatitutiona will report in favor of locating a Houthern Peni- tontiary, only Reynolds boiug ngainst it Will- iamson haa not mado up his mind, It takeshim along timo to make up his mind, ho hps so muoh miud, OLD SLEDGE IN DANGER. Logialative and fashionable ciroles in 8pring- fleld ure agitated by the announcement (hat tho Mothadist Church "has rison in_ita wrath, and denouncod the dancing and card-playing which liave 8o much advanced the entertaining recop- tions given by fhe Govornor. The Church de- mands that these ungodly prococdings shall coaso, whilo unconverted heathen pray that His Excoflonoy will tako n firm stand in favor of the light fautastic, euchre, and old slodge, A chnroh-committes waited upon tho Goveruor, but the result iu not known, - . LINCOLN PAK DILL, The House paesed tha Lincoln Park bill by an -émor ency voto, aud it was read onoo in the ounte. CORPORATIONH. My, Cullorton introduced a Dill allowing stockhiolders, by a majority-vote, to inorease tho number of Direotors of corporations, THE REGISTRY REPEAL BILL, The bill rupnulhl% the Regintry luwy boh:)g on its third reading, Messru, 'lvrudwull aud Jones talliod tho party, aud thirty-one responded at tho fivst ory for ‘help, and flfteon at the noxt. Aftor an hour's fllibusteriug, the bill was post- poned until next week, fu spile_of Jones, lirad- well, aud the oanous. ‘Then Jones called the yeas and nays on a motion to adjourn slll Mon- day, but once more the gmy failed him, and the Houeo ld{mmmd, the Bouafe haviug progeded them by fwo hours, " companlcs for tho grant of lands aud bonda go gou- |- ‘THE IRAILROAD QUESTION. Extracts from the Aunual ;Roport of the Massachusetts Com- missionors, Railroads .Oannot Bs Regulated by’ FEoonomioal Laws, The \Docirine of .Evolution Applied sto ithe :Present ‘Struggle. ‘Exemination.of the FourMethods ‘of reating Railropds. iComparison of the Jllingis.and Masea- * chusetts Syatema, Tho following statement-of -tho railroad dis- sonsalon in-its varlous:plinsos +is.oxtractod from tho advance aheois of tho forthcoming report.ot «tho Masanohusctts Board of Mallrond. Commis~ slonors : THE'GENERAL RAILROAD DIROUSSION, More public attontion-than ever .bofors has, during tho last year, ;beon given to -the naturc snd extont of tho ralatiops oxistiog .botwoon «Governments :pnd railroad -corporations. This ‘Liag ospocially- boon tho case'ln America, «where most unusual actlvity, and, at times, 'an un- necossary dogroo of tompor, have chisracterized .tho discussion gnd consequené political action, ‘While the burden of the disoussion has -rolatod to ‘tho -unsatisfactory oheractar of sthoso rolations, -the tondency of politieal nction has everywhore boon towards their closer ;| deflnition, and tho drawing of tho machinory of .trausportation more and moro within.the -range of -Government cousrol. Not tho lenat noticeablo feature of the'agitation {8 the fact that it hos ‘boen mainly confined to this country amd to Gront Britain, In Groat:Britain it haa led.to the creation by Parliamont of a Board of Rallvay and Cayal Commissfonors, which Is apparontly dosigued to act a8 o spocial tribunal having cog- nizanco only of cortaln questions nrising be- twoen railrondcorporations as among themselves, or betwaen them and the community, In Amor- jon it has resulted in prolonged legislative do- bates and inquiries, in the passngo of numerous aws, and, in cortain States, in tho framing of now constitutional provisiona, 1t mny bo nssumed that, oy o rosult of FORTY YEANS' EXPENDITURE OF CAPITAL AND TAnon, tho genoral worlk of ‘railroad constructionis now completad in .its largor aspccie;-or, in othor words, the more civilized countrios of 'tho earth are supplicd with improved highways sufficiont for thoir immediate wants, To.the work of con~ struction has succeeded tho quostion of adjust~ ment; an enormons mass of machinery, social and cconomical, is sesuming its relations with .tho political syatems into which it finds itsalf .incorporated, and is -nocessarily oxerclaing a very disturbing -influence. upon thom. The omount of this disturbanco seoms closely proportioned in differont communitios to the dogree in which their railroad systoms wo re, in tho begiuning, eatablished upon a ro- lianeo for an oven ‘oporation on gonernl economi- cal lnws alone, or upon:Governmont supervision or control, It would seem to, be much greater in-tho former caso, andless in tho latter. This ariges from the fact that all the communitics which sought to bage the rogulation of their railroads upon the cconomical laws are in some way, and whother consciously or unconsciously, trying to abandon that ground and to got upon some other. It may nowbo taken as very gonerslly con- ceded {hat rollroads ‘arve, and from the very naturs of things must always remain, PRACTICAL MOKOPOLIES § that the oporation of the law of competltion. as sfecting supply and demand can oxerciao a vory limited control over them, and that oven this limited ‘control is rather of = disturbing than of an equalizing charac~ tor. ’L‘hu.su?ply of .compefing railronds. is not sud canuot be indefinite; nor dooa the jue creuso in their number tond to diminish the cost of transportation ; nor, when unprofitable in one placo, can they bo moved to another; nor, can nny cxcosd of capltal invested in them bo relens- od at will and otherwise used; nor can they bo mada to feal tha influenco of compotition kqualty 2t all points which-thoy serve. Compotition is, however; mado up of theso vory eloments hore wanting; it is their presence which supplics its effeetive, regulating foreo to the oparation of thoe natural lawa of supply and demaud, Tho popular mind hns beon slow to reslizo that they wera hore ‘wantivg; but, onco the obylous fact is conceded, it follows that o1l the denlings of railronds with the commubity ‘must ecither bo unregulated, except by tho in- tormittent action of o disturbiug force, or elae that thoy must bo carried on uuder & greator or less degroo of governmental inter- foronce. ‘Vory naturally, thetefore, tho charac- “tor snd degreo of this governmental interference oro most sclively dikcusaed in'thoso countrics which originelly organized their railrond systems upon tho assumption that no such iutorferoncs wag necessury. Of theso couutrics, America was that ono which carrlod its reltance wpon eco- nomical laws tho furthest, Itis in Amories, cousequently, that the work of readjustment is mitampuuied with the greatest amouut of difii- culty, As yot, human ingenuity hoe dovised BUT FOUR METIHODS ostablishing the rolations in which tho raflroads of any country ehall stand toward ita Governs mont. Left wholly in the hands of private indi- viduals, or of corporations, thoy msy be inda- cndent of all Government control, stsuding on hio same footing ag cotton-mills or iron-foun- drlea ; or, thoy mny bo subjocted to the opera- tion of special municipal laws establishiug their obligations, rognlating their charges, and Hmnlt- ing their protita; or, atill remaining the prop- erty and undor the control ‘of privale par- tied, thoy mumy bo subjected to on ox- coutive suporvision and control; or, flually, in _whole or in part, “thoy may bo owncd and operatod by the Sinte. In fact, & spocies of natural Jaw of political ovolution governing transportation by rail may now be formulated. In all countrles, the political systems of which are based upon the principles of non-intor- forouce in industrinl enterpriges, railroads sre firat organized on the theory of their suflicient rogulation by natural laws, © From this incipiont stnge thoy dovolop through en attempted regu- lation by Joglylative onactmont into n atateof practical exccutive suporvision ; tho’ wholo rocess touding, with a greator or loss Sogrec of friction, towards tho floal rosult, in_which tho work of trausportation by rail must apparently be recognized ns ono of the functions of government, This procoss of evolu- tion mny now be studied in difforont clyilized countrica in_each of its sovorzl stages. In cor- tain parts of Amorica non-interforence is dovel- oping into an attompt at lopislative roq:llnflnu: in othor porte of the country nud in Luglaud, logislative rogulation is passing gradually iuto tho phase of excecutive supervision, which may bo studied in Trouce as a porfeoted system ap- proximating to Stato ownorship; which flual condltion agaln, is in its turn mattor of warm _ disoussion ‘both in Amerlca and iu England, while ju Belglum ft is already in full dovelopmont. 'Tho geadualand inevitable evolution in this process of dovelop- mont bas perbaps boon mora olearly illustrated in tho oxporience of Amorics than in that of any other slnglo country.® For in theory, though not in law, THE RATLROAD CORIORATIONS OF AMERIOA orlginally onjoyed an indepondence of Govern- mont control cummon to all gouoral industrisl ontorprises; thoy wore ordinerily llkened to ns- sociations for mr}wuau of improved bool-mnking or bakivg, and Ioft iu their opocations to bo controllad by the samo oconomical laws, In practico they have boen subjoct to all sorts of speclal a;iluluuon intended {o regulate thom iu tholr relations to tho commuuity, T'ho analogy of the furnpike and hridgo corporation, supplomented by tho law of common carrlors, hias’ boon followed ; and, for over forty years, the attompt on tho part of Joglelative bodies to franie siatntes In tho naturo of usury laws whioh would be of somoe binding forco when applied to transportation by rail kg boon no less incossant than futile, Witk the grosily lucroasod kuowi- edge on the subject now gonerally diffused it ia sufliclontly apparent, not only “why stch offorts always’ have proved fatile, bub why. slfo thoy slwaya must provo so. Ae reganls faros and freights, ifor oxnmplo,—tha favorite subjoct for logislation,—tho framing of & practi- cal tailrond tatifl, one which will oven faitly con~ +form to'local and cconomteal roquiromonts, is the most diflioult and . porploxing task to which tho moro oulightoned and oxporionsed rallroad mnnagars aro ealled upon to addross thiomselvos. ‘1t continually,” aleo, "hecomes more porploxing ~atud moro diflicult juat as tho .systom grows com- Plnx. Yot until very recently, tho- idos ‘among logiulators' lins “been simost univorsal that it roguired only ~tho passago of somo " slmplo “law, ‘limited to .n fow scolona which almost any ono could drayw -up afior an hour's cunnmume’lon, to rogulato tho wholo Isabjoct -on - a wiae, just,-cheap, and per- mauont basis, Aocordiugly tho siatuts books of all tho Btatos contaln examplen of ennctments r,nnuud An this spirit of ' confident -ignoranco, pon -theso this: Board has had frequont ccon~ -slon to commont in {ts provious ropoits, -aud -thelr futility is-now gonorally conoeded. TIAILROAD EVOLUTION, In (this country, ‘therofore, tho rolations of the rallroad system to tho politicnl systom mny bo_considored .an bnving now presed throu two plinsos of dlecussion and attempted sottio- mom,—con'unrmxding to two stagon in tho -pro- -cous of ovolution—and to bo ontoring on o third. - It s passed through the non-intorrerouco phase -and the lnw-mlvo phase. wuring the last-yoar it Ias, in:the Btato of Illinois, entored upon what -mny bo onlled the phaso of oxccutive supervi sion ;-while in Magsnchuretts tho disoussion has advancod yet furthor, aud has fairly touched its: utmost pogsiblo limit In the agitation of ;a mons-~ uro looking:to partisl 8tate-ownorslip. JAran nxrurhnum in o dircction nover ‘before attompted In this country, tho JIOYEMENT, NOW GOING ON IN ILLINOIS fs, theroforo, eapeolnlly worthy of attontion. A " briof akotch of tho recent rallroad legislation of tho Stato will not, therefore, 'bo out of placo. Originally, Tllinofs, in at loabt a8 grenb s degres a8 any othar Stale fn the Unlon, abandoned the wholo quostion of trausportation by rail to the natural oconomical law of competition. Its rafl- road corporations wero organized ‘without any limitation upon thelr powers, excopt such ns might bo.deducod from tho somewhat vogue ‘maxima of tho common law, Tho anxiely of the ?oo lo to sccuro tho rapld construction of heir rmlrond lines was w0 grost, and ‘their confldence in tho ofiicney of compotition as an all-suflicient snfoguard against oextortion was so” impllolt, that they even nog- Jected'to rotain, as was then tho prachico in many othor Dlaltn, lelRlatlve puwer over the chartera for purposes of amendment, altoratton, and roponl, All tho early franchises granted in linols wore nccordingly, uudor the rulo of con- stitutional 1w Jaid down in - the Dartmouth Col- logo -case, irrovocablo contracts ‘botween tho poople of the Stato and tho corporations ito “which -they wero granted. Tn the course of time, however, snd after tho railroads wero uonnh-uotcd, it beonme ap- paront that theso natural economical Inws, 80 jmpleitly relied upon for their rogulation, had vory -fmporfect and unanticipated effact. Qompetition, instend of producing uniformity, “cheapuess, and ' stability in trausportation, lot to precizely opposite results; in placeof uni- formity it led to gross inequalitics botweon competing and non-competing points ; in placo of ¢heapness it lod to nlternations of liberelity and extortion, and in placo of stability itled to violence of fluctuation, If any effoctive control ovor the systom was desirable, it becamo ob- ‘vious, therefore, that it must Lo sought else- whoro. Accordingly, when tho Constitution of 1870 was ‘framed, railronds -were oepecially declared public highways, and tho duty-of ‘pussing lnws establishing reasonable ‘maximum rates for transportation upon them was imposed upon the Leogislature. Provision ‘was alao madoin-genoral torms for laws to cor- rect abuses, aud to provont unjust diverimina- tiou and oxtortion, with ponnltics for their violation on-tha part of the corporations, * to the oxtont, if necessary for that purpose, of forfoiture of their proporty and franchisos, Acting undor_ this constitutional authority, the first Logielature which assombled aftor tho Constitution ofa1870 wont into effect, Pissed cortaln luwa of gront complaxlty, pro- ibiting, on tho ground of unjust discrimina- tion, tho charging of the samo or & Jarger sum for doing any work of transporiation over o smaller aum-as gompared with o lorger distanco of tho same rond, and furthor providini for thie clazsifiention of tho railronds of tho Sinto ne- cording to thoir earnings, and the cstablishing in detail of specific rates of farea and froights for them accordingly. In othor words, reconrse was had to tho system of logislativo regula- tion, pure and simple; and a Bourd of Rail- rond Commissioners -was created, whoto duty it weas to sco thav tho torms of the law wero complied with. Tho corporations, how- evor, Insisted upon their constitutionnl rights, and refused to recognize tho validity of the «statutes. . A TEST OASE: . was accordingly made under the provisions in re- Iation to discrimination, and the Iaw was finally decided to bo unconstitutional Dby the Supremo Court of the State, In rendoring its decision, ‘however, tho Court jntimated, oxtra-judicially, that, thougl s .. uld not imposo upou the corporationdBpocific and arbitrary rules respecting discriminagion, or umnpose tixed rates at which fhey must perform the work of trans- portation, yot that tho corporations woro undor o common-law obligation not to diserimiu- ateunjustly, or charga for tho sorvices thoy reu- doroed other than yeasonablo rates of componsa- tion. If, couscquently, n greator rato was chargoed for loss than for tho larger distanco, this act the Logislature could make prima facio evidenco or unjust discrimination ; scouring tho railvond companies a briat &y jury not only upon tho fact of the discrimination, but upoun the question of its justness, o othorwiso, It bo- came, therofore, n.question to o decided in each case, what ratas wore reasonablo. At this point, tho Logislature again took up tho work, = Meanwhile, tho brief experience already had undor the old law bad brought to light VERY BERIOUS DETECTS init-of n most radical naturc—so serious, in- dead, as.to'lend to its abandoument on grounds ywhich constitated an sbandonment of tho whole idea_of tho control of tynnsportation by ox- clusive logislative action. 1t was fouud thut no law could be framed sufiiciently flexible to pro- vido in advance for all the requiroments of n syatem 8o complex 58 that of modern trans- portation by rail; some ploy of dis- orotion to "“meot individunl requiromeuts was absolutoly necessary., In ather words, the discussion advanced in Illinois, after the failuro of tho act of 1871, by one on~ tiro stage, and enteredupou o wholly now phasa ; ‘Jegialativo provision~bnd foiled and was abau- doned, and, 1 placo of it, rocourso was now had to 2 system of executivo suporvision and con- trol, “Uucouseiously to itself tho Loglslatura wa tronding THE TEGULAT, BEATEN PATIL OF EVOLUTION, Anow statuto was _pasaed in Day, 1873, which was designed to avoid the logal objections to which tho previous aot had beon' open. I was framed throughout upon the principlo suggosted in tho deolsion of tho Bupreme Court, that railroad charges must, under the commmon law, be rensonablo; an that, whon unreaeonablo, thoy weve illegal. The point was to dovise a binding test of the reason- ablo, This tho Logislaturo itself, undor the coustitutional Mmitation put upon'its powers, could not do; but it fmposed the duty upon tho ordinary jury of twelve mon. Having thus sot- -tled upon a tribunal, the Legislature proceeded to lny down general rules to guido that tribunal, These rules prohibited all unjust discriminn- tion on the part of railrond corporstions be- tween parties doaling with them, as woll as all pots of extortion on nccount of any services rondored; and the receiving in any case moro than a ‘‘rensonablo”™ componeation was to con- stitute on act of oxtortion. Tho law then went on to declare what should constituto in nuy caso prima facio ovidonas of extortion,—such a8 the charging of tho samo or a larger sum for tho carnuge of any passonger or equal quantity of merchundise over o less as compared with a groator diatanco In the eame dircction; or over an oqual distance in the same direction upon no mattor what portion of the same road, and without regard to tho point of commonco- ment; the charging higher rales as termn- sl clarges at ono point than at another, or more to one person thau to avollior ab the same polut: thoe charging moro tooue party than to another for Luuling cars from tho samo ?om, and for the same purpose, over equal dis- ancel of the same road. ‘L'ho act also provided in torms that it should constituto no excuso for disorimination or extortion that it occurred only at competing pointa, In addition to thoso gon- eral principles of decision, tho Railrond Com- wissioners of ‘ tho Btato wero further directod to propare schedules or tariffs for tha -several roads, which thoy were empowerod to-chango as mught prove to bo expedient; oud the charges containod in theso sohodules wera to bo judiciully held to bo reasonable, un- til decldod “to o othorwiso by tho vordict of jury, Inother words, the offoct of the luw way to shift tho burden of proof in each purticular case of allogod extortion onto the corporation; the schedules of the Commiissioners wore nat doclared to be in themsclves rensonnblo, bub wero declared prima facio avidonce of what way reasonable, und it devolved upon the dofondants to prove that thoy wero otherwise. Tho furthor Aluéy of visiting difforont localltics, hear- ing’ complaints and instituting suita thoreon, whloh could be discontinued only with their na- sent, was alao imposed upon the Commissioners, : Jurlos wero .authorized -to bring in vordiots agninat corporations on 1 propondoranco of ovi- denao, and, in their verdicls thoy could, within cortaln limits, fix tho amount of tho ponalty, «which wan establishod on o rising scalo for each succopsive violntion of the law. "'he lnw wont into oporation upon the st day of July, 1873, Althougli the corporations rofusod to acknowlodgo lts validity, ou thoground thatit, no losa than tho provious Inw, was an infringomont of thetr chartorod rights, thoy declarod thelr in- tontlon of roviulng thoir - tarlMs In.striot - con= formity to.its provisions mo fnr as thoy rolated 1o tho matter of dircrimtoation, Accordingly A NEW BET'OF TAMTES was arrangod by them to tnke offect on tho firat dny of July, 'Tho Btate Commiesloners and the frionds of tho law nllege thgt theso tarifs woro rrepnrnd,,hownwr, with o view to rendoring the aw odlous by bringing ita op[:runulvo fonturas, whote any such could be doveloped, into promi- neheo, It is’ not fmprobablo'that such waa the cnso; but, upon this point, -tho Commis- rioners of Marenchusotts ‘havo no means of arriving at n conclusion, Meanwhilo.the Illinols Commissionors, 'in complianco_with the pro- vislons of tho law, nru‘mrufl additional tarifls of tlioir owit_for the varions roads of .the State, which,, unless othorwiso ordored by the Logisla- turo, will tnke offect uimu the 15th of Junuary, 1874, as primn facio ovidonco of whatlie renson- able. -I'heso official aochedules hinve beon pitb- lished, nnd effcct n vory consldorable reduction from the rates established by the corporntions thomeelves In their tariffa of July 1, It is undorstood -that the corporations do not propose to pay attention to them. Tho Commigeionors lave, meanwlille, insti- tuted tost cason undor tho clausos of tho Inw prohibiting dicrimination and extortion, and thoso coses aro uow pouding bofore tho courts. Tho legal nspoots of tho Illinois discussion ipossess no immediato intorest for the people of lassnchusatts, With opo singlo excoption ail tho railroad charters of this Btato are subjeoct to legislalive altoration, nmondmont, or ropeal, Accordingly, should the Goneral Cowrt of Massachusotts woo it to pass a law similar ‘to that of TIlinole, mno quostion as -to its bindivg forco could well be ralsed. As_regnrds Its inhorout morits, tho law of Mlinofa iy very . OLEN TO ORITIOISM. It is unquestionably & great improvoment on' tho provious law. It s based on more correct principles, in that it sooks to do sway with ino- uality and instability in the cost of ‘transporta- tlon, Withot fizposing a forfeituro of franchise a8 thio ono penalty forn violation of thoact, It furthor lenves room for tho uso of o cortain do- groo of disorotion to meet tho requircments of individual lines ; it doos not geck to impose one bard, inflexible rule upon nll, Bub in many respects it iy most unskillfully drawn, and rovealy, on the part of those who framed it, not ouly a great lnck of famil- iarity with tho important intorests thoy unglor- took to rgulate, but also a nottconblo -disrogard of somewlint obvious cconomical principles. ~ An oxnmination of the law would scem to indicato that tho Illinois Logislaturo cannot pursue the Massachusotts systom of preliminary hearings boforo committocs pending the framing of hilffi. ‘This systom may bo opon to grave objections, but it ccru\ln]{ provonts tho roporting aud pass- ugo of many ill-considored measures, It is, for inatanco, dibicult to beliove that mnny provis- iong of the Iilinols lnw could have stood the teat of o Manssnchusotts committoo-hoaring. In just g0 far, it is accordingly weakor than it need to have ‘been, and must broak down and be amend- ed, oven should its constitutionality bo sus- tainod: THE REYOLUTION. But, notwithstanding theso modifications, it may woll bo questioned’ whetlier the Logislnture of Illinois wns posacased with nn adequate sense of the mingnitude, not of tho change, but of the revolution it inaugurated by tho passngo of this Iuw. It was, in fuct, nothing Joss than o sweep- ing away of the entirg basis upon which not only their ratlrond system had been built up and their tranaportation carried on, but even that upon which population hind distributed itwelf in their State. All this was now souglt to be abolished ata given date, aud anow and very ditforent systom was to be substituted i its placo. Upon tho 1at of July compelition as a reguluting or disturbing power in the worlk of transportation was to cense, and o system of graduatod rates undor State supervision “was Lo take its place, During nearly thirty years it had been tho inovitablo though unauticipated result of a public policy confidently reliod upon and zonlously pursuod, to coucentrato the business of the cwmmlmil{ ut cortain com- Joting and consaquontly gront! ‘y favored points. T'hia was the vory cssouce of railroad compe- tition,—tho obvions and inevitable result of freo railroad construction. It could nevor hnve been supposed that oll pointa would be sup- plied with an equal number of competing roads, and, in tho absence of govornmental restrictions or control, it scemed vecessarily to follow thab the best supplicd points could drive botter bug- ning than others with thoso who supplied them. o corporations and their mothods of pro- cedure woro thus the sunplo and logitimnto resuits of the political system nud publio policy whicl had shaped their growth. Tho diffieulty wasy no surfaco difliculty, but lay deop down ab the bnso or tho cconomical and political organi- zation of the community, It arose from tho misspplication of fundamental oconomical lnws, "Phie true causo of cowplaint was with a political thoory nusapplied, no properly with those who, with ouli' too much enotgy, had carried it ous to its final logical conclusions. Yho theory, us is now seon, was o mistaken one, and tho system crented undor it, admirablo in many respocts, in othors produced rosults both uncxpocted aud wroug—results which the commuuity could not pormanently cudure. Noue tho loss, the policy which v-4 founded on this theory, had in IHi- nois not ounly existed from the bogiuning, but it had been earefully fostered by Jaw. Not only had the busiuess relations of tho commumty conformod themsolves to it, but iu great dogroo thoy wero dependont upon it, Yer the laws of 1871 and 1873 at oncedeclared tho continuance of the systom, so long aud so carefutly fostered, to be a crime, and visited any recognition of it with heavy peunltios. Such a suddon and radi- cal chouge could hardly do othorwise thau wori much individual aud local liardship at sll com- poting points ; for at all such the uniform and uvorogo tarila coutemplated by tho law noovs- sarily lmplied henvily increused rates. But thoso points carriod on their compotition for tiudo against othior compoting points boyond tho limits of tho State and the consoquont opora- tion of the lww, To thow, thoroforo, the Inw was productive ouly of disaster. This completo ignoring of all but ouo closs of oxisting facts, ling Irogueutly been noticed in the legislation of other Statos as woll us of Illinois, But it may foirly bo doubted whether it bas over advenced tho prospeets of any desired roform, "This Bonrd hna horetofore, in other reports, hied frequont occasion Lo express its opiions on the fundamental principle of the Illinols [iw, hat lnw would seem to inaugurate what may porhops best be described as o MIXED SYSTEM OF REGULATION, The railroads are primmiily roferred to the oporation of certain natural laws, which in fact havo very imperfect application o them; the consequont deficioncies it in thon mought to supply through the ma- chinery ol tho courts, In other words, the hardsbips incident to & defective political econo- my are to bo romedied by u process at law, The oxperiment thus attempted necessarily involves & geparation bolween tho ownorship and the control of railrond properly. ‘T'he property is to continue in tho corporation, but the suporvision over it, amounting to o rogulation, is to be vested in officials of tho Btato. It cortainly connot bo unid that uo systom based upon thiy principle could under any circumstancos bo suce cesufully carried on. Buch a one is, on thoe con- trary, now found successfully operated in France, Indoed, it i a singular illnstration of the very marrow limits within which avery ad- justment of railroad with politicnl systoms must bo cifected, that tho Illinols oxporiment is a crudo nnd apparently unconsclous, but yob an almost oxact IMITATION OF TIIE FRENCH FOLIGY. Thig Inttor moy be said to be founded on throo simple principles: railrordy shall not chargo morao for carriago ovor o lesy than over o groator distance; under similar circumstances thore ghall be no discrimiuations made bowween por- sons; no changes in tanfls shall bo effccted oxaept aftor o specified public notice and upon tho approval of the Miunistor of Public Works, who exorcises & conslunt supervision over tho oporniions of all the roads, Theso aro almost oxaotly tho fundamental principles of tho Illinois Inw, with a Board of Railroad Comuwissionera substituted in Elu(‘u of & Minister of l'ublio Works, Yot tho fact that such a systom can Do succossfully administored In Franco by no menus implios its uqlunll{ nuccossful adminfatra- tion in Amoriea, It lian thero grown up with tho gradual dnvaluflmmll of railroads, and is n part of the political Labit of the country, Tho Fronch civil-service has pormanonce, aud consoquutly is familiar with ita business, Tho railronds aro accustomod to supervision, and tho community looks to the Government forit. ha French railrond polioy is also thoroughly logical,—it s built from tho buse up, 1t docs not, like thut of Ilmois, begin with # aublimo roliunce ou tho oftlency of natural lnws, sud sud in & jury-box,— trying, lhruugh tho vordiot of twolvo inter- osted’ men, to forco the rosults of politienl oconomy into & confortmty with the otornal fituoss of things, ‘Tho French systom, on the countrary, wes bogun and onds in & donial of the ofiicacy of competition to regulato transportation by rail, It was orlginated and built up undor tho direot suporvision and protoction of the Governmont. Erance wag dlstricled among sovon gront corporations, and theso woro not oncouraged to intorforo or com- poto with ono anotlier, Under thess multifari- ous conditionn n given system may wotk wall there, but nono of thewo conditivns are found in Tlinols, It would be wholly promnture, how- over, at prosont to exprous_any final opinfon ny to tho ultlnirto success or failare of the expori- mant in thnt Stato, It will bavo to ho judged by its rosults, Bhould it accomplish aven n part of what its frionda hopo from it, it will undoubt- oly oxerolto o -wide-nprond influohce ovor the course of logislation in othor Btnten, THE MASSACHUSETTS BYRTEL Whilo tho oxborlmaont of .oxecutive superyinion s upon its ‘practical trinl In_Illinols, {lio disous- slon has mado a step furthor in ndvance in Mas- enchusetts, whoro.n propunnl of partinl Btate- ownorslilp haa boon agliated. “This {s the final posgiblo solutlou of what is known ns the rail- rond problem. As n solution it ‘differs’ in two important yempects from that mnow: boing attomptod ‘in 1linols, ‘It wolthor scchkes to effect an; separation - botween tho ownorship and tho maungemont of . rail- rond proporty, nor does it try to establish an ar- Ditrary rogulntion of rallvonds, wholly {uconkist~ ent with the'fundamental prineiple upon which tho railroad system was, founded. In \Mnesae chusotts, as in Diinols, that fundnmontal prinel- plo was compotition, through the light of oxporl- onco, Lhat the projoct of “8lato-ownership, ns proposed in DInesnchiusotts, necks to make the 8yatein roturn, ‘I'ho proposal -ling heon to ate tempt tho roguiation of all tho railroads of tho Stato, through tho pablic mansgemont of ono of them. Tho community fs thus to oxporintont with ita own proporly, nnd not with that of Iprlvnlu partios, Biarting from .the fundamental proposition that compotition is tho best Euaslbla rogulating power,—far ‘ bot- ter thou tho atbitrary decision of any trib- unal a8 towhat mny or may not bo * roason- able,"—tho theory of partial Btnto-ownership noxt rocognizes ns n corollary to this principle thio anliorism that whore combination s pnsnlBlu competitiou ia impossiblo. ‘Both roason and ox- poriencs show that the combination of railroads owned by private cunlmrntlou i8 mot only prac- » tionblo, but that it iy nuuolntelfl noaessary, to sava them from destruotion al osch othors’ hiands, Compotition among railronds boyond u cortain point onn, indecd, rosult only in their consolida- tion. It theroforo both hins followed, and nec- ossarily must follow, that cithor compotition as s rogulating forco +will bo_nbandoned and recourso Ind, 1 In France and_1llinols, to an excontivo substituto for it, or clso that somo compoting agont must bo futroducod into tuo systom so difforontly conatitutod from tho other nembers’ of it that it will not cuter into combinations with thom, ‘Chis alion olomont it is sought to gecure through diversity of o\\‘nomhlE: & public road compoting with privateroads. But tio ond always lopt in viow Iv, not the abandoumont of competition as the regulating forco, but the ro- turn to it; 1t is, on the contrary, those most re- Iuctant to secopt o partial Btaté-ownership who propose the abandonmont of all reliunce on anmpnmlou and o rcoourse to arbitrary roguln. o, PUDLIC AND PRIVATE ROADS. It bos, Lhowever, generully been argued that tho compotition botween publicly owned and privately owned roads would be most onorous to tho latter; tho former it is always, in this cago, prosumed, buhlq oparated ~ in com- otition, regardicss of loss, The reply to this hns_been, that, prosumnbly, publicly owned roads would aliays hava to pay by thelr opera- tions o rensonablo futarest on their cost, or that thoy would bo abandoned in the future as they have froquontly been in the ‘past, The argu- ment, howover, was certaiuly specions. Daring the past summor tho Cowmissionora took ocon- sion to assuro themsolves of tho dogres of weight do to it a8 ovidenced by the practical exporienco of privato corporations in‘tho siugle country In which u systomatio compolation botweon public and private roads Lins ever beon carriod on, On this polnt the ovidenco of thoso manuging tho corpor- ation-ovned roads in Delgium was most umequivoeal, 'Chey frankly doclared ‘that they infinitely preforred o competition with publie rather than with privato roads, And'tho reason of this preforencoe, ns stated by thom, coverod the wholo argumont of cowpotition throngh mixed ownership. 'Phey said that the compoti- tion of publio ronds was cortain, equable, and Jjustly distributed ; that thoso managing them did not dare to show preference to porsons or localities; that thoy could not mnko a mouopo- lized Jocal business rccoup losses on o di- vided through business; that, consequently, the moungors of tho private lwmos ol ways knew what they had to expoct, and adapted themselves toit; in othor words, thoy worg regulatod in their oporations Dby iho public lincs. It was altogether othoriwiso, thoy added, as regarded a competition with private lines,—that was muoch moro dan- gorous, and in carrying it on thoy mever Lnow what to expoct ; ‘it was violont,” wastoful, and destructive whilo it lasted, and no perma- nent cessation of it could ever be counted upon. In ono word, it disturbed oporations instend of Tegulating thom. 'his wos tho ovidonce as rogarded com- potition with o public rond of the only managers of private ronds who have eyor been fairly subjected to it. As such it may bo con- sidored us entitled to somo woight In the further discussion of this subjoct, althongl it was ouly ‘what waa naturally to bo expected aud what hnd alrendy beon deduced from the goneral princi- ples involved. Itisno unew.fact that compoti- tion nmong thomsolves hns boen the groatost danger to which private railrond corporations lave always been uxruncd, nor that it hos fro- quently led to violent and sudden changes in their mothods of = operating their linos very dotrimental to thuse de- pendent upon then. Tt was oqually obvious on general considorations that thoss in- trustod with the mauagement of publio roads could not have recourso to tho excesnive local discriminafions which are necessarily incidont to all efforts at competition botween privately owned ronds, This ground has, howover, al- rendy beon repeatedly gono over in the course of tho recent genoral diecussious. » - IN CONOLUSION. ‘The history of theso discussions, as_hithorto doveloped in Massachusetts, is too well, known to make any detailod statement of it profitably, and the views of this Board aro sufficiontly uudor- stood. 'The completion of the Hoosac Tannol will unquestionably give tho subject great promi- neuco during thoe coming, as it bas given it dur- ing tho past, year. Tho Commisalonors soo no occasion to tevise or modify any of tho opinions thoy have horotofors ofiicially exprossed ; on the conteary, their investigatinns during the past summer have rather tonded to confirm them. But the constant attenlion thoy have, in the ex- orciso of tholr publio duligs, Loon compollcd to give to the subjeot, has impressed thom, more perhaps than most others, with n sense_of the diftfoultios which surround it, They do not, therefore, and cavuot, profess an implicit faith in any echome, no matter Ly whow advaucod, which looks to its immodiato and final solution. Noither do they consider it consistent with a cor-, rect sonse of their ofticiul respousibilily to seok to influence the immodiate conrso of legislution, otherwise than by a distinct statoment of thoir opinions when called upon for them, "To {his line of conduct they propoga to adlioro. Tho routine duties of tho Bosrd continually in- oreasio, and absorb more and moro of the atten- tion of tho Qommissioners, To theso thoy aro proparod to dovots themselves, Should tho Logislature or suy of its Committeos desiro to Ve informed aa to thelr opinions upon subjects of which they maybe supposed to have peculine knowledge or means of forming opinions, thoy will bg_ready to respond in the most unresorved wu?'. Boyond this they do nof understand that 1t Is incumbont upon them to go. They do not propose to {ako any part in tho discussion os tho especial adyocates of one policy or ofanother; thoy neituer consider themselves ns partisans, nor arn thoy willing to be regarded ns such by others, Thoe_ question it has devolved upon them to diecuss will doubtless long out- lost their terms of office; and, evon if they donot this should not prove to be tho caso, beliove thut n cotreut doclslon would bo lisstened by any zoalous and incousidorato appeals eithor public or private on their part, CuanLEs I'. ApAns; IR,y A, D. Brraos, Fhaxcts M, Jouxsoy, Tniltond Commisslonora, How the Duke of Ldinburgh Camo to 130 Married on Friday. ‘Thero hns been somo gmm:lp about town con- corning tho solcetion of a Friduy us the wedding day of the Duko of Edinburgh. "It was sakd that tho Queen,jwho s credited m somae quartors with a desiro to show contompt for the usages of tho Clroh of which ehio is ox-oflicio the Liead, was auxions that the marriage should bo performed in Lont—as was that of tho Princcss Loulse— Dut that Lhe bride’s family could not be brought to consont to this infringoment of the rules of tho Universal Chuiohi so the marringo was arvanged for somo dny 10 tho Inst ok Tn Jan- nary, But tho ‘Whursdny of that wook Is a fust day in tho Greok Churoh, the Saturday is the auniversary of tho death of a sant, and in Tussia no marringos can be solemnized on Sun- doy, Bo Friday wus cliosen, much against tho will of the Duke, who has tho usual sallor's suporstition agninst Triday as an untuckyday, Iowever, in Lussia Lridwy Is looked npon os a 210[11137 and uot as an unluoky day.—London elter, : THE COURTS. The Enickerbocker Insurance Company Again. History of the Troubles of Edwin Holmes. New Suits In tho Cuorises-Banlanptey Ttoms, TIE WOES OF A PATENTEE, Tdwin Tolmos hns fallon on evil days, and, in & clogely-writton bill of twenty-ono pages, ro- loaraca o long list of grievances, and sske an injunction to restrain tho sale of n good part of all tho renl estato in Ilinols, Iows, and Missige sippl, Holmen statos that In yuty, 1872, anoBenjamin W, Itoblnson mado an agreomont with complain« ant, as his agont, to soll " Cowles' Howing-Mae chino F'roadlo Power," for which ho (Robiuson) was to racoive ono-half of the not profits, Robine son dovoted his nttontion so fhe sale of the trendlos and rntunt rights in Now York Stato for © year, but did not pay exponses, Tho property he rocolved lio kept until io waa forced to sur- ronder it by throats of legal process, when ha ave it up. In Marsh, 1873, Tobinson took roploy’s ailvico to * Go Woat,” and located in Ohicago. 1fore hio apain bogan to soll trondlos and county and Stato rights, Amoug othurs, ha sold undivided futerests in the patent right for Thlinois to Soth A, Mattison, Joal Hulburd, sud Ihrnm Hulburd., Jool Hulburd, in ppyment of Iifs 20-140 port, save 1,000 cosh, a mote for £600, and the louso and lot 268 Park avonue. Hiraw Hulubrd paid 32,600 cash and 480 acrea ot land in Chaso County, Kensas, Robinson thought tho houso on P’ark avenue would bo a good homostead, and, thereforo, hiad the deed of it oxeouted to is wifo Mary, and tho read; was givon to hor for pin-monoy. The Io! were subsequently given to a favorito Trank W, Robinson, to keep him from tho liouso. He ‘evidently believed iu taking caro of his rolations, A compnuy. was formed .80bn after this anlo, botween tho Hulburds sud Robinson, callod the Sowing-Machine Power Company, with a capital of 310,000, Holmes, 1ot awars of Robinson's crooked doalings, cohveyed his intorest in tho patont in 1linois remaining unsold, and wns to receive stock in the Company therofor. Robin- son, however, in tho most thoughtful way, just to gnyo troublo, Lad tho stock mada in his own mimo, A very largo numbor of troadles woro sold by complsiuant £o the Company, oud tho money therefor was givon to Robinson to send to gnfd Holmes, Again obiuson, with s watch. {ful care for a rainy day, pockoted thoso prococds. In Soptember last, Hoimes bogan to feel sua- picions " that Robingoi waa. not' keeping this ugreomont, and came on here. Ho thon told him Lio must_riot violata® the contract - any firther, ;and Robivson faithfully promised he would not, ‘sud immediately proceedod to break his promise ;:g' selling tho patent-right for Iown to one A, J. altorie for about $14,000 worth of ron! cetnte” in Kane County, the deed for which was takon in hits own name, Tho Hulburds bought the right for Wisconsin,. paying thorofor in stock. ~This ‘itook, aud Lho patont-rights for Koutucky, Ton- nesses, Alabama, snd Mississippl, worc soon gold, aud paid for by 80,000 acres of land in Kon= ‘tuoky,112,000 acros of which wero carofully trange ferrod to'Mlrs, Tobinkon, ‘Complainant nlleges that Robinson lins'dig.: poued Of much of the proporty so wrongfully quired, and will disposs of moro - unloss ro- .:fi'ninc(l by an order of -Court. Ho theroforo aaks.that an injunction may bo issued to pro- vout his solling any of the proporty above men- tioned, and that a strict account may be hod of sll monoy and stocks roceived by him in trust for complainant. TIUE ENICKERBOCKER INSUNANGE COMPANY AGATN, About ton days ago a decree was eutered by .default 1 tho Cireuit Court agninst the -Kuick- orbocker Insurance Company and in favor of somo of its stockholdors, by which.decres Mr, ‘Chnudlor was appointed Teceiver, with powor to closo up tho Company's affaiy, . Saturdsy a mo- tion was made to sot this decrco aside. ~Ar. Girant, in support of the motion, read his own 2fidavit to prove that by & mistake no snswor lind ever been filod, though he supposed this partuor had dono so. * Ho also stated’ that pro- coedingu iu bankruptey had boen pending, and liad, of cnmo.({)uu o stop to any steps in the Stuto’ Court, ntid thus bo bad beocn led into & carelugsness in regard to looking aftor the affairs of s client, Mr, Shefiicld, on the other-&ldo, gave o history of the suit, aud argued that timo cuough bud beou given in which answer might have boonfiled. After hiearing goveral more af- fidavits and somo unimportant avguments, tho Court postponed the:furtlier heariug until Sat- urday. . FRENCH V. PRENCIL, Judge Williums Leard the caso of Eliza J, Tronch, of Blgiu, agaiust Horace Lrench, which way brought to obtain o divoree, on tho ground of the defendant’s adultery with & Mrs. Copes Innd, aud granted o decreo” in nccordance with the prayor of tho bill. Tt was'also provided that Fronch should docd to hia wifo cortain lots in Elgin, and pay $2,000 in_full for -dowor, etc., and ehio was 1o roleaso all Jior rights to his prope arty in Cook County. No defenso was 1lo- ‘duced, ond the bill was tafen by dofault. UNITED STATES COURTS. James T, Secor und Willism Tracoy filed & bill against tho Toledo, Poorin, & Warsaw Railway Company, and sl intorested theraundor. . ‘Tha suit is Lo forecloeo n consoliduted mortgago given to socure 6,200 Londs of four classes, for 1,000 onclr, which wero sccured by & mortgoge on all tho Company’s proporty in the State. Puyment of somo of the bonds has notbeen nade, aud o forcolosure ia therefore asked, and on injunction to prevent the Company fxom ine terforing with tho complainants’ possession, Oswald Fulde and Caroline Fulde commoncod an action against John Deindeckor for $5,000, Tdward Wells and others bogan a ‘suit' for $2,000 ngainst Barbara D, Roso. An attache ment in aid was issued, BANKRUPTOY ITEMS, Gacrge W. Mareh, of Evanston, filed a peti- tron agaiust Johu C: Fussoy, of tho_snme vil- Inge, alloging ou over-due note for. $275, which i yob uupuid. Morsh also charges that Bussoy Ling been attempting to disposo of his J»rapeny and has nllowed snits to ba _commenced agains him without making any.doteuse theroto, Fus- 8oy’ debts nre about 6,000, andhis asyets would invoico 8,000, but could not bo sold for cash for more than_£5,000, A rulo to show cause wag mado for Feb, 24~ Joshup A. Walkor, of this city, filod a yoluns tary potition, His abilities foof up about 817+ 000, mostly in #mall amounts, and his nsscty about 85,000, Tho ocase was referred-lo the Rogistor. cliesson & Robbins, of Now York City, filed u potition against Jlizaboth Clurk, of Chi cago. ‘FPhoy claim that she owes them- $603.80 for goods_ gold, ier, and charge thab ghe hns suspended payment of Ler commercial pap or, aud is iusolvent, und that hor store under the Grand Poclifo hay never paid expenses, A rule to shois eauso Tob. 21 was mado. Paul SButcliffo was- adjudicated - bankrupt by confession, and & wurraut of soizure wus issued, returnablo-March 14, Mary J. Willinma filed & potition agalnst tho National Lifo Insuronco Cowpany, against whieh, 1 will ‘bo remombored, a docres was en- tered a fow days ago declaring it insolvent. Po- titioner statos that tho Company owos hoe 1,004 on & pohey, and is insolvent. 'The potis tion ,atloges thut the Company's premises on Van Buron streot bave beon conveyed by trust doed to Bauford B. Porry for the benolit of cred- itors who hold tho Company's notes. ..Tho adjudication of bankiuptoy in the caso of W. L. Bladen was et aside, and’ leave given tg 1ilo & doniul, In the mattor of Jacob Ifelnyiche, an ineolv ent, Albort Piok was appointed Assviguos, AUPERION COURT IN UL John Suehlzon bogan a sult for $4,000 agoined Honry Pleper, . Charles Comatock brought suit agalust J, Young Scamuion, olaiming 8,000, Warron . Preston and Adoiph Konoman sed Thomina Middleton and Goorge 1’ Treadway -for 0,000, The Unlgln_‘ }unge nn;l Izulrx,fi;a_r %zrfim:g bogan & suit for 13,000 agninst Philip o' William Trico, aud A, 3, Cook iiled n patition againut Jamos M. Bryant for a mechuniv's log on Brysnt'a Blovk, eormer of !llndull))h and Doar= born atroats, to tho amount of $3,000, Honry Garnor sucd tho city iu trospass, laying damagas at §10,000. - Frank Sturges & Co,, brouglit suit agalost Ttobert Grinlth to recovar £3,000. CINOUIT COURT, Piorro Nonamio commonced a sult in attache ment agaiust I*, D, £, Itemoud to recovor $1,660, Sl consualonty Another Clorgywoman, Anothier lady prosolior s s00urod a pulplt fn Dox. ton, flor maume 8 Lora Ilaines, and she has been saveral years studyiug for the ninlstry, 8ho la g0 gars oldl, and has o * ploaalng, but uot Loautiful ¥u . Hor fnaugnral thono was the heneflt of res ligloua natitutions, snd she wore plan bluck, wiih ugm white ruchio around hor mock, aud whito Lice cullly