RAILWAY LEGISLATION 217 



of railroads and report to the president its findings, including 

 statements of what rates ought to be charged, whether they 

 should be uniform per mile or not, and what legislation might 

 be necessary on the subject. This measure failed to pass the 

 House, but the Senate adopted a resolution for the appointment 

 of a select committee of seven on transportation routes to the 

 seaboard, to consider the part of the president's message relating 

 to cheap transportation. The committee was appointed by 

 the vice-president, with Senator Windom of Minnesota as its 

 chairman, but was able to accomplish little during the session. 1 



The Senate also adopted several resolutions instructing its 

 committees on judiciary and on commerce to inquire into and 

 report by bills or otherwise upon the constitutionality and 

 expediency of legislation to regulate rates on interstate commerce, 

 and the right of Congress to construct and operate or authorize 

 the construction of interstate railroads. 2 The committee on 

 judiciary appears to have paid no attention to these resolutions; 

 but the committee on commerce presented a report, February 

 20, 1873, in which it declared that it lacked the necessary informa- 

 tion to report a bill even if prepared to report favorably " which 

 they were not." 3 This was accompanied by a minority report 

 from the chairman of the committee, Senator Vickers of Mary- 

 land, which argued at length against the constitutionality and 

 expediency of federal regulation of railroads. This ended the 

 attempts to take action at this session; but shortly before 

 adjournment an important step was taken, when the Senate 

 committee on transportation routes to the seaboard was in- 

 creased to nine members; was authorized to sit during the 

 recess at such places as it might designate, to employ a clerk 

 and a stenographer, and to send for persons and papers; and 

 was instructed to investigate and report to the Senate at the 

 next session of Congress on the subject of transportation from 

 the interior to the seaboard. 4 



1 Senate Journal, 42 Congress, 3 session, 41, 73, 74, 75. 



2 Ibid. 29, 35, 72, 73. 



3 Ibid. 413; Congressional Globe, 1522; Senate Reports, no. 462. 



4 Senate Journal, 609, 615, 616, 625, 627. 



