cars, paid out for this purpose a sum in excess of $12,000,000. The owners of these cars, collecting these enormous sums, and able to exert an influence on freight rates affecting many millions of dollars in transportation charges, are not common carriers and are not subject to the act to regulate commerce, and no public authority supervises their accounts. This is a matter of grave importance which may well engage the attention of the Congress. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. The fourteenth annual convention of the Association of Railway Commissioners was held in the city of Charleston, S. C., on February 11 and 12, 1902. Representatives from sixteen States and from this Commission were in attendance. The Association of American Railway Accounting Officers and the Street Railway Accounting Association of America were also represented. Addresses were made by the chairman of the association, by Gen. J. W. Latta, secretary of internal affairs of Pennsylvania, and by A. H. Plant, auditor of the Southern Railway Company. Committee reports were presented on the following topics: Classification of operating and construction expenses of electric railways; legislation; delays attendant upon enforcing orders of railroad commissions; statistics. A resolution was adopted recommending to the legislatures of the several States the passage of laws providing for the prohibition of grade crossings outside of municipalities, in all future construction of railways, where steam railway lines cross the lines of other steam railways or where electric railways cross the lines of steam railways. It was also recommended that such reasonable and conservative legislation be effected as shall gradually eliminate grade crossings which now exist between steam and street or electric railways. At the convention prior to this, action was suspended on so much of the report of the committee on legislation as related to its recommendation that this Commission be empowered to adopt and publish a national freight classification. This question was specially referred to the committee on legislation of this convention for investigation and report. It was recommended by this committee that the National Government, either through this Commission or by some other means, establish and put in effect a uniform classification, unless the carriers within a given period shall have made one for themselves. This resolution was adopted by the association. The special committee to whom was referred the matter of a certain proposed blacklisting bureau reported a resolution condemning efforts made to form any association to prepare and circulate blacklists of railway employees, and the resolution was unanimously adopted. The committee on delays attendant upon enforcing orders of railroad commissions recommended in its report the following resolutions: Resolved, That the United States Congress be urged by this convention to pass a law making all the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission effective and in full force after thirty days from the date thereof, or at such longer time as may therein be specified, unless temporarily suspended or finally vacated as a result of suitable proceedings for review brought by defendant carriers in the circuit court of the United States in the manner and according to the procedure recommended by the Commission in its Eleventh Annual Report as an amendment to section 16 of an act to regulate commerce, the said amendment providing for the advancement of all cases between the Interstate Commerce Commission and the railroads in all the Federal courts. That Congress be, and is hereby, requested to enact such laws as may be necessary to have all causes involving the order or decision of any State railroad commission, or the decision of any court affirming, reversing, or modifying the same, commenced in or removed by an appeal or writ of error to any Federal court, advanced on the calendar of said court, and heard next to criminal cases. That properly attested copies of this report and recommendations be forwarded to the presiding officers of the two Houses of Congress. An interesting paper entitled "The genesis of railroading,” being a short history of the first railroads ever built in England and in the United States, was ordered to be printed as a part of the proceedings of the convention. The next convention will be held in Portland, Me., on July 14, 1903. REVIEW OF RAILWAY OPERATIONS AND REGULATION IN THE UNITED STATES. In its last annual report the Commission stated that it had in preparation "A Ten-Year Book of Railways in the United States," and indicated the general contents of the book. The scope of the work has been somewhat enlarged, and several parts or divisions, which are now ready—namely, "Review of Changes in Freight Tariffs," "State Regulation of Railways," and "State Taxation of Railways and Other Transportation Agencies"-are made an appendix to this report. All of which is respectfully submitted. MARTIN A. KNAPP. JUDSON C. CLEMENTS. JOSEPH W. FIFER. Commissioners. APPENDIX A. NAMES AND COMPENSATION OF ALL EMPLOYEES, TOGETHER WITH A STATEMENT OF APPROPRIATION AND EXPENDITURES. 1902. |