Argument Before the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives; In Opposition to the Pending Bill for the Regulation of Inter-State

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ...that such rate shall not be at that time exceeded upon grain between any interstate station east of Buffalo and New York, because we pass through three States? Furthermore, does not the act prohibit our company from making rates between Buffalo and New York, even in competition with the Erie Canal, less than our proportion of the through rate between Chicago and New York, although parties in Chicago may have contracted to pay agreed through rates; and does not this interfere with the inviolability of contracts? Then, under such phraseology, if the Erie Company's proportion of the through rate alone exceeded the local rate fixed by it, would not the forwarder of the Chicago grain have a claim under this act for such excess? Following this reasoning to its logical conclusion, does not the act provide that if the Erie Railway makes a low rate on grain from Elmira, N. Y., to Jersey City, such rate cannot be exceeded east of Elinira to Jersey City, because the grain in all cases passes through two or more States? Or, going further east, if the Erie makes a special but not a through rate from Middle-town to New York for the Oswego Midland Eailroad--with which it has no through arrangements--in order to divert grain from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence river at Oswego, would not the Erie be bound by this act to make rates upon like articles from all stations east of Middletown, in New York State, thence to Jersey City, not to exceed such special rate, the points of shipment and delivery in different States being within the definition of inter-state commerce? This bill clearly says so, and when these logical illustrations cover 960 miles of the Erie Rail-way, passing through three States, involving a main line and 16 branches, with upwards of 280...