, 1873-07-31
WORKING OF THE NEW RAILROAD LAW.

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WORKING Of THE NEW RAILROAD LAW.
It was plain from tho beginning tint tho Rail-
roatl law passed. by tho last Legislature was tlos
tinod to kill competition. Ihs was, In fact, tho
intontlon OF its advocates. It was pasHed In
doforonce to tho complaints that cnmo from is,-
tormodlate aud nou-oompoting Stations TINT
| towns whore thoro woro two or moro railroads
wero favored with lower tariffs than towns whore
thcre WAS only ono. Tho now law Was framed
to place all shipping points within tho Slate On
tho Bame baas with respect to transportation,
and to govorn rairoal ratoa according to rola-
tive distance from markot. Tile effect was
sudden and complete roviyal Of tho policy
TINT had beon pursued for many years
In this State with regard to railroads. 1t lis not
m exaggerated estimate to say that 9100 000,0 900
hnvo beon expended In Illinois to scouro railroad
competition. It is this policy that Inns mndo 1lli-
nois tho great railroad State Of tho Union. Com
petition was for years regarded aa tho only safo-
guard against monopoly and tho sureHt proven
tion Of extortlon. To this ond there woro 1nrgo
municipal subscriptions in various parts Of tito
State to soouro competing railroads. Tloae towns
which wore fortunate enough to lie in tho line Of
projected railways woro regarded as peculiarly
desirable places to eottlo. Towns not 80
fortunate naturally sought for artificial compo-
tition and willingly paid for It at high pricoa.
Then tho cry Of discrimination was takon up by
tho towns md districts which woro not possessed
Of either natural or artificial competition, and
it Was tho pressl,ro which thoy brought to boar
upon tho Legislature that secured tho pro rata
feature Of tho now law. Tho result thus fur lns
been to kill competition without in tho least ro-
Loving tho intermediate stations. The rates
have boon Increased at competing points, but
they have not beon reduced rs general
thing at tho non-competi1lg points. The
nocosalty imposed upon tho Illinois rail-
roaas Of increasing tho rates ut
competing points las thrown the business into
the hands Of railroals having shorter distance
within tho State. This loss Of business and
gross earnings has boon followed by IN incroaao
OF rates on tho Illinois roadH. Unless 1t cau bo
proved TINT the loss Of business which the rail-
roads havo Sustained by reason Of tho Inv has
not boon sufficient to warrant tho increase Of
rates, tho pooplo must regard tho now law as an
inadequate remedy; and, in that case they will
be likoly to demand ita ropoal or modification at
the next session Of tho Legislature.
Tho Railroad Commissioners havo ruled cor
rect1y that tho now law does not prohibit specinl
ratos for ]arge conB,gnmonts. 1t applies only
to j" like quantities" p" of freight. This affords
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law il they choose to do 40. It is seldom that
any two consignmonts aro precisely tho sanle.
If they aro not, tho railroads have tic technical
right to make special rates. II Bloomington
wantB two cars and Lexington wants but one
tue Chicago l. Alton Road can mako Bloomington
low ratoH Us lit chooses to mako. Thoro is no ro
atricton Oh tho railroads under tho Inv to what
shallboregardod as q large shipment, ,aud they may,
therefore, decide this for themselves in every in
stance. It they should avail themselves Of tho
full scope Of this privilege, 1t will DO socn that
they could practically render tho law inopera-
tive. They have chosen not to pursue this
courBo, and tho inforonco il that tlloy prefer,
oven at aomo loss to themselves, to mako tho
pro rata principle olious.
Another construction which tho Railroad Cc1n-
1ssioners have made il absurd and untena-
bio. Thia is tho application OF the law to
Interstate commerce, ovor which Mother they
nor tho State Of Illinois hayo any control. Tho
railroads havo decided, however, to abide by this
construction, and in doing 30, they are injuring
themselves, the commerce Of tho Northwest,
and tho City Of Chicago. They justify them
Holyoa in this By tie plea that the people expect
} thom to bo governed by tic Railroad Commits.
J siouors. This is in one sonBo truo. The con.
struction, ridiculous aa it is, is undoubtedly thc
one Which tho masa OF the pooplo demanded
} The pooplo Of Fulton would be as wroth if they
felt that Iowa shipments could be 1nado from
Clinton, aoross the river at loss ratio than tlloy
. can nuke thom, as tho pcop1o Of Lexington
, were that Bloomington shippers hnd a
, lover tariR. This application Of the
t low to Interstate commerce hns Ind
. more serious results on a sldos than any otl1ol
: feature Of the law. Interstate commerce iii
/ cludoa shipments in transtfn aeroHs tho State
Y az from San Francisco 10 Now York shipments
B from points outside Of tho State to poilta within
o tho State, nj from Winona to Chicago; md from
j points within tho stato to po,nta outside Of til.
Htu.e aa from Dixon To buffalo. AH MI intlicalol
OF tho cfoct Of IMPLYING tic Inv to thin claas
y Hhip1nontH it III ntateA tlInt tho Eastern road
Which layo hut hulnll portion of truck With
tho Stnto layo loHt Iargo portion Ut thoir Erni,
huHlnnBa. It wan thu cl,Ht.tn of lhotn rontH |.
Hald THUR tn Hta!ionH OIL ntIsnr raH III Lait
= terror Ut thu btato n1nl taho through surBiYnulot
? to tho Eastern larsotH. 1la Alplieutio,. Ut III
It local raton from thointesor to C,icagu l,n ilni
l. tllA unprolltablo, nnd tho busiuoBa l,a, huu
1t largely discontinued, II tho law wnro not al
o piled to thH particular caau, lowoynr. thor
Y would bo worry aolous Discrimination, ngainat l!II