, 1873-02-19

tho statute book III illinois,. aud
Iesisaifos Of other atatoa: It Is n impossbe su i
to spoak coitninly OF such n eyatom III advance
but tho Commiasionera nro u,lablo to flntl In IL
stnyt1laE which hes has not boon repeatedly
iH tho Englieh measure Of maximum Bpooinl
ratcs gonolnltzcl 10 Ms to cover tho oaso of SOW
oral cornoirationn inato9d Of ono. It would np-
poar tint tho moro s''oll measnros aro oxtonled
como, and tho creator must 10 tho difficulties in
tho way Of lloir successful operation. What
ovor weight ATTACHES, therefore,, to tho
experience " wlioh han boon cnrnod respect
Ing t1e simpler :, and earlier. export
to the moro genornl and complex. Tho Logisla-
turea undertaking to deal with the subject hnyo
ofroot Of competition, tho laws intendcd to bo
applicable only to roads Of ono class bocono mp
plicablo to those of anothor; thoro is no disori-
ina.ion as regards special 'roquiremontg oithor
within tho lines OF classification, and passenger
road may find itsolf, put on tho sa,no footing az
. minernl road; It ia almost an impoBsibility
th9t any measure G could b bo framed at oaeo SUI,
the requirements OF 80 complex systomt and,
even II 1t wore possible to frame 1t, II Is OK
tremoly improbable TINT 1t could pass tho ordeal
ThS dnal diiiculty With all legislation OF th,a
class s its excessively dangerous aud politically
oorrnpting tendency. It forces tho corporations,
whether they wish to como thero or not, into tho
Of tl0 dogsatnso md tho roems Of 9on
for tho protection OF thoir interests for tho Co.
sonco OF the system ie, tint certafn poraons,
whother tho Legislature itself Or officials desig-
@ assa s gy s aSS5tqfs hgS gSya I'D 5y upon
nue'of property belonging to others. Tic Com
missioners have grave doubts as to tho success
of any effort at tho regulation Of the railroad
syste1n which practically effects separation be-
A
agemont.
OF thcir. iinyostigationB, tho Commissioners
b ni' Dr. | form fa Of aw in W3ish woud ~ 30 apps
ront that they themselves entertained littlo con-
tdencs. 1t Ia unnecessary to add, however, that
should tho Legislature, Of the Joint Committee
| on Railways, arrive at different conclusion as
Of tho naturo Of that under discussion, tho
membora Of this Board will contribute every as
slatancc in their power toward maturing m Of
| fpctive measure. ''"'
roRE1aN RAILROAD BysrEMe
Tho experience of othor countries In reln-
t1on to their several railroad syatc1na las
frequently been roforred to in the discua-
Hions Of the last few ycarH. AS tho statements
roneoua, md Us correct information On this sub
ject ia very important, as throwing light on
some Of tho most difficult problo1ns which tho
American people arc nov undertaking to solve,
4 description Of tho loadng railroad sygtama Of
!; Europe, and tho policies In regard to them Of
tho several countries to which they belong
Il GREAT BRITAIN.
The English railway systom moro nearly re-
sembleB that Of this country than any othor in
Europe. It grew up. OIL: tho principle Of inde-
Y pendent corporate existence, FREQ Of Govern
mont control. A special charter has always been
granted by Parliament for tho organization oi
: eyory company, mud tho yarious changes through
4 which the aoycrnl corporations have passed have
all boon n,ade anbiect to Parliamentary approval:
Nowhere an he systq% Ct peea iogsaton
mny DO added, could havo boon moro complete
than ita failure: As the result Of forty years OF
experience, reviewed in the recent elaborate re-
port of tho Joint Committee on tho Amalgama-
the English, logislation has neither accom-
plshcd anything which it sought to bring about,
nor prevented anything which Il sought to hin.
dor. Tho expense incurred by tho Vario'ls com
and in conducting their Parliamentary contests
was almost incredible, and was ostimatod, many
yenrs ago, at total Of s375, 900 up to tha1
time, or one-qnarter part Of j the cost Of tut
lied upon tariffs Of rates, which inserted it
} tho charters, to regulate charges on tho seyora
7 roads, Under tho practical operation OF tho sys
tenn Of transportation By rail, these havo rarol.
theory prevailed that thoao restrictions wero un
| necessary, as q IN enlightened view Of thei
, own interests would always compel mnnaGor'
evantss ot e the pS Ta Tcen
toe report that experience has demonstrated
that this. is truo 'fonly to o limited extent
Competition botweon railroad companies was
next relied upon, and charters were freely grant
, cd. This took place in 1874, but tho Conlmitto,
!, now report TINT competition between railway
: exiRte only to a limited extont, and cannot b.
/ maintained by legislation" Provision was tho,
made by IN elaborate law, worry similar to tho i
, per cont purchase law in force in Massaohusett
ICON. Stat, ch. Gs, s 1889, for the ultimate as
! sumption Of tho railroads by tho Government
: The Committee now report that "tho terms q
, that act do not appear to be suited to til
o be likely to DO adopted by Parliament, ii case Q
Il any intention OF Parliament at my futurc tim
h to purchase tho railways" Tho over.compot
o ton which l,ad been stimulated then led to
= rapid consolidation Of competing roads. Thi
o excited the utmost nlarm, md Parliament fe
Q many years persiRtontly attempted to check it
i the Committee now report thnt :" this procos
O haa not brought with it tho evilB that were ar
( to prevent it, and equally impossible 4 to Ia
o down any general ruios determining its1i1nita {
Q character" Many acts woro passed regul,a,tir5 =
It transported tile Committee now find th
IS 1.-THE Ill succoas of this attempt ms
10 vol Justify hesitation in. entering upec
3 further goneral legislation Of tho Same kind
l. laborious and thorough investigation, pass
= roylow all tile various panaceaa for rnllrou
l. abusos which nro annually introduced as move
% tics into tho Legislatures OF this country; tlt
ind 'sodual mileage rates impracticable and Ii
ID expedient;" IN revision al rates and far
as ! founded on cost and profit impraeticablo,
st maximum scale Of terminal oharges could wi
ut difficulty be determined and would result
., ''litto II any gain to the publio;", lmmodia
= reduction Of ratios and faroa by law, "evon wht
t. practical, cannot bo looked on as permanent
L, etfeotunl;"' the periodical revision Of rat
ID md farea," they find "lmpraoticable witho
in somo standard Of reviHion," NJ
g. baBis for: which they oonfess thomeolv
Ii wholly unable to suggest; tho revision Of rat
q fixed amount, they conclude is "undosirab
ID in tho interest Of tho Publlc;" tho revision
= rates and fares founded Oh division OF pro-
ID above O cortain amount between tho oompani
of and the public, they tlnd to DO attended in drai
10 Britain, with CREST, II not inauporabe dltllcu
D TICS" And to conclude al, tho Committee, aa
O. tin orrnnlzntinn of q Rni]xnY aud Cn1al Cor