, 1873-02-19
RAILWAY LEGIBLATION,

efonofB, con81HslnE or 4lcsafa y. II. AQamH, Jf.J
A. D. Briggs and Francis Ii. Johnaon, have
acquired national reputation by tho thorough
ness aud conscicnsiousnesa of their work, ae
exhibited in tho several reports they hnvo sub
1nittod to tho Legislature Of that State. Their
fourth annual report is now boforo tho public,
and 1t Is aual prniso to say that It oxcoods in
ya1uo any Of their previous Investigations, and
far exceeds any other similar document over
prepared in this country. The several appen-
dices attached to tho regular report are Of groat
value, and oach ia deserving Of separate discus
sion. For tho present wo reproduce tho con-
Guiding portion Of tho report proper, which
rolatca to the regulation Of froights and faros
BY law.
It Is hardly possible to reduce within tho
ordinary compass OF newspaper article tho
substance Of all tho roasons which lead tho Com
missionors to tho conclusions which thoy have
reached. These conclusions aro adverse to tho
mode OF regulating railway charges by law which
hn8 beon attempted in several Of tho States. It
appears TINT no In America aro merely travel
ling over tho ground which has already boon
travelled in England, and that we aro meeting
tho gamo difflcu]tios md running tho Same
hazards which led the Parliamentary commis-
Bion of that country to abandon tho attempt
and to turn their attention to otlor modea of
moeting tho evils complained Of. Among tleso
difficulties may be enumerated tho following;
i. A uniform rate Of charge por milo is un-
iuat, because it makeH tho compensation out OF
Ill., ~
only when thoy ase in motion. 4 car may earn
hundred miles Of freight n.onoy ii kept
in motion a,ad not earn n cent while
waiting to be loaded or unloadol,
or while waiting for somebody to
bring load THUS, by d uniform mileage act.
long traffic il made to pay loBs on short traffic.
"Of coureo," they say, "this economical prln-
ciple n1uHt not be confused with the nbusos por-
potratod by the railroad corporations In charging
heavier rates to intermediate than to competing
points, or with oxtortons ut times praetised On To-
cal businosa" Moreover, uniform mileage rato
that would Afford @ fair profit to come roada
would speedily bankrupt othors.
2. Tho attempt to establish maximum rate
by special law ion separate roads has boon tried
and abandoned in England, 1t being impossible
| to foroteu the contingencies OF competition, Of
increase In quantities, Of facilities or economy
| in working, or Of the alteration in commercial
conditions. What might bo possible IN Eng
land, where tho whole railway systom is subject
to ono Legislative body, is altogether impossible
| In this country, the control being divided
| among thirty or forty different stataa. Noarly
alt tho more important railways In this country
have different aegmenta to thor lines in differ
ont States. This condition has boen brought
about by consultations. The Massachusetts
commissioners concur with tho English Commits
| sion In the opinion tint railway consolidation
cannot bo prevented, and TINT it has not pro-
ducod tho evils that wero expected to flow from
it. On tho contrary, tlloy think that the public
arc generally better served by consolidated thau
by separate management.
8. The classification acts most In vogue In
this country aro morcly M attompt to accom-
pliah by general laws what IT has been found III
England impossible to accomplish by apo clal
laws. general law, applicable to largo num-
bor Of roads. classified according to earnings,
must DO moro complex than Rpocia1 law up
plicable to only ono road. Il .torfort, the difIl-
Guilty Of dealing by law with the varying
conditions Of commerce upon single
limo Of road must be magniaod aud intensified
In dealing with numerous roala. Tho ratoa fixed
will be made the samo for freight road as for a
passenger road, aud for grain road az for a
mineral road, etc.
4. Tho final difficulty with all such legislation
is its corrupting tendency. 1t 'forccB corpora
tlons to bribo Legislatures. "T4o Commission
eflorta at tue regulation Of tho railroad system
which practically offoots separation between
tho ownership OF o railroad md it's manage
mont"
The systens Of railway management In Great
Britain, Belgium, Frauce, and Germany arc ex-
hauatiyoly examined, and the Commissioners
arriyo tentatively at certain conclusions;
I. rhat any System Of Government control Of
railways adopted must conform to the character
OF tho Government itself. We cannot import
tho systems Of Continental Europs without i'm.
porting their machinery ms woll. We cannot have
tho 1mpor1al System OF FRANCO without having
imperialism to enforce 1t, nor tho bureaucratic
System Of Prussia without bureaucracy to nd
minister it. Our form Of Government is legis.
lativo, and, II VIC enter upon the business at all,
It must 10 with tho tools OF loginlation.
II. Tho Commissioners cannot perceive that
the Continental railway System possesses any
advantages over tho British and American. On
the contrary, they think tho public arc not 10
we'll served u,,dor tho former rs under tho latter
and TINT II no should awap ourB for theirs wo
should soot want to swap back.
III. Hallway consolidation IL not OF ltaelt an
evil. Gu tho contrary 1t leads to eoonomy iu
operation, certainty aud celcrity in movement,
sud responsibility in management, all OF which