The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-28
LCUMMUNIUATE
The Great Monopoly.


The stupendous MONOPOLY which is projected
in Senate bill No. rs, entitled ga bill to regu-
late express business orer the railroads Of WT-
qinia,' is exciting alarm. And it may well
excite alarm, for nothing is palmer than that
the success of this project will seriously DAM
age the public interests, and greatly interfere
with the general convenience.
The title of this bill is no key to unlock its
spirit and intent and therefore let no one be mis-
Ted byu Instead of being Z" a bill to regulate
express business over the railroads of Eir-
ginia," 1t is a bill TO grant these railways the
monopoly Of that business. No other interpre'
tation can be put upon the bill. TH become q
ln,o the cypress business tDiU be exclusively ear
ried on Ly gigantic joint stock Company, made up
Of rdilscdyS, both ia and out Of the State, and
expressly authorized to cooperate UPON SUCH
TERMS AS SUCH COMPANIES MAY DETERMINE"
Competition with these railways will be
impossible, and the inevitable consequence
will be that the public will be deprived OF all
those conveniences and facilities which they
now enjoy, and which grow out of the
ceaseless strife and competition between
those who are now conducting the business
of carrying by express. This business, like
every other business, is carried on with most
advantage to the community when there Is
competition in it and, like every other busi-
ness, it languishes and loses efficiency the
moment YOU protect it from competition.
Surely we should expect the return OF some
great contribution to the public good from
these railways for the immense privileges of
this bill But there is nothing of the kind.
They give no assurance even that they VIII
carry on the express business with greater
efficiency than that with which IL is now car
ried on So far from ii, they have provided
in this bill that their liability shall be ninety
Der cent less than it is now, as common car
riers. 1t certainly requires no very great sa-
gacity TO foresee what is to result from this
extinction of competition and limitation of
consideration of the monopoly which 1t is pro-
posed to grant by this bill, the railways would
be perfectly willing to assume responsibility
commensurate with their corporate assets.
What good is the public TO derive from this
measure I? We answer, NONE None! 1t can
not be otherwise than damage and wrong.
Is it said in reply that there are evils In the
way in which the express business is now car
ried onH We rejon, that to give the railways
the monopoly of that business is no way to
remedy those evils. The sole and only cure is
competition. THAT ALONE WILL INSURE CHEAP.
NESS AND EFFICIENCY. It is certainly with an
Ill grace that the railways now endeayor 10
engross to themselves the express business,
which, as is familiar to ALL grew out of their
own carelessness and inefficiency. And why
was this carelessness and inefficiencyf Simply
because the railways are mOnOpOtiSts, the con-
sequences of which predicament dLCdyS are
slothfuiness and inattention. Hence, If this
bill should become law, 1t is predicted that
in less than twelve months it will be de-
nounced and denied from one end of the State
to the other.
The Slightest attention to the third section
of the bill will satisfy the reader that under
the BILL all competition with the railways will
be impossible. They are allowed to charge so
much and other express carriers are pro-
hibited from charging any more. But all
other express carriers must employ the rdtt,odys
to carry for them /; and the railways Will always
take care TO charge them all Htatthe lao dttOtcs
and SO there will be no margin for q profit, and
no express carrying can be done oy such
other carriers unless they charge more than
the railways, which they cannot do, because
the public would not pay 1t, and because II
would be violation of the law and even in
those cases in which the bill allows the carrier
TO fix his own price, 1t is manifest that the
railways would never contract with other
express carriers at less rates than those at
which they were doing express carriage LOT
the rest of the community ana heTgoTe Le
grievance toould be as great az ne one case "S "e
other.
Now, so far from the bill in question being
useful one, IL is confidently asserted that no
express business can be well and efnciently
done where railways are engaged In IL oher-
,Dise than as ordinary common carriers merely.
The reason Is, that they, having the monopoly
of transportation, would be constantly Sc
curing to themselves advantages over otner
express carriers. Hence 1t does seem TOO
obvious for discussion that the public good
demands that railways should be restricted to
carving on their roads and not allowed TO
carry beyond them, and that they should be
compelled TO be entirely neutral rs to all
express carriers, and 70 do carriage fortnem
ali alike. In this way there are no shackies,
no restrictions but there is active, faS, and
wholesome competition.
The bill before rs regulates the prices 10 be
charged for express carriage, aad usts feature
alone Is proof that the bill contemplated mo
nopoLy. for there would be no necessity Tor
such q provision II competition losre possfote !;
indeed, in that case such a regulation ioou!d oc
absurd since t Is the effect Of competition TO bring
prices dolcn 10 fair and proper standard, tctth0ut
Die assistance Of legislation!
But although the bill, so far as competition
Is concerned, must result In the immediate
prostration OF all who are now doing the
express business, IL nevertheless contains q
provision (see the first section) that the rail-
ways may become stockholders in such COM
paIies as may be carrying on that business
This Is very ingenious device, by which the
railways will be able to appropriate 10 them.
selves the benefits Of the organizations and
facilities of these express companies, iohich tcfH
no longer be able 10 erist Independently u them,
and IT The sdme time oct rid " ssm as rfcdls, FOR
rivalry there cannot be bsti0sea those auaose Interests
are identical.
1t Is therefore urged that the passage Of this
bill Is much to be deprecated as measure
frought with wrong, and tnimicai 70 tne
interests OF the Commonwealth OF Virginia.
PRo Boxo PuBLIco.
Forney il doing his best 70 conyinee MS reaa.