The Grange advance., 1874-05-06

It's between themselves rather than with
the public. The result was an agreement
as to rates and an end Of competition. -,
Having become strong and rich, the trunk
lines began the work of extending their
power by the construction of branches and
the absorption Of weaker lines extending
into the adjacent districts. @@'' ,
The following extract we advise our
readers to look into closely. for if it is
found that all attempts to regulate
freights and fares by law have proved
and will prove unsuccessful, that it will
be an act of wisdom to seek redress
through another channel
In England, to whose railway system
ours corresponds more closely than to that
of any other nation, the subject of regula-
tion has been discussed for more than a
third of a century, and experimental upon
by Parliament in almost every conceivable
form. Commenting on these experiments
the Massachusetts railway commissioner
says:
"Nowhere has the system Of special leg
islation been more persistently followed,
been more complete than it's failure. As
the result Of forty years. experience, re-
viewed in the recent elaborate report Of the
joint committee on amalgamation of rail
ways, it may be said that the English leg
islatlon has neither accomplished anything
it sought to bring about, nor prevented
anything which it sought to hinder
In Ohio, where the system Of direct reg
ulation has been tried for several years.
the railway commissioner, in his report tor
1873, says:
" 1t is unnecessary here to reiterate The
experience of Ohio, or the results OF the
numerous and persistent efforts OF her Leg
islature to fix upon some practical and
equitable law governing this matter The
report Of this Office for 1859 gives list Of
nine distinct rates authorized by law for
the transportation OF passengers and
freight. The several acts since passed.
and labored attempts each session to de-
wise some system by which rates eau be
justly regulated by law, have failed, as in
the past, to accomplish the object desired"
In his report for 1870, the commissioner
says:
''There is not railroad in the State,
whether operated under special charter
or the general law, upon which the laws
regulating rates are not in some way vio-
lated nearly every time regular passen-
ger, freight, or mixed train passes over
it,"
The railway commission of Afassachu-
sets, after thorough investigation of this
subject, embracing the railway systems Of
foreign countries, and the various attempts
ut regulation in the United States, pro-
nounce Legislative regulation Of rates and
fare impracticable, aud recommend :'the
control and regulation of the whole, the
ownership and management Of part"
REASONS FOR FAILURE.
The parliamentary committee Of 1872, af-
ter elaborately reviewing all the various
modes OF railway regulation that have been
proposed and tried in Great Britain, many
Of which correspond with those on which
reliance seems TO be placed in this country,
state their conclusions. drawn from forty
years experience, as follows, namely:
''Equa! mileage rates they pronounce
impracticable."
''Kates to be fixed by relation to cost
and profit on capital" they dismiss, be-
cause attended with difficulties which are
practically insuperable.''
Immediate reduction Of rates. they
say, "would he merely a temporary reme-
dy, for the reason that change which
will give the company ample profit to-day
may, through the increased economy, or
other cause, be excessive tomorrow"
"Periodcal revision cf rates. is de-
c!ared to be ''inexpedient and impractical
ble''
''Absoiute Limitation OF dividends'' is
pronounced ' impossible and undesirable"
Division OF profits beyond u certain linn
it between companies and the public - they
reject, because attended with s. insuperable
difficulties"
"Maximn rates. they say, g will ef-
feet but little, II any, reduction, because
the actual legal maxima are rarely charged
in the case Of goods, as is evident from the
existence Of special rates; and in the case
of passengers the present action OF the
companies in carrying third class passen-
gers at the parliamentary fares by all their
trains shows how impossible it is for par
Lament, or any other authority, to deter
mine scale Of maximum charges, which
shall continue to be fair and liberal to the
public under charges OF time and circum-
stances.
Eacn and all Of these modes of regula
ton have their alvotates in this country
who confidently rely upon them to reduce
the cost Of transportation. Let us exam
sne them with reference to the practicable
ty and expediency OF their adoption by
Congress. l assume that a general law Of
Congress regulating railway transporta-
tion, to be successful in the accomplish
ment of the desired object, must operate
fairly and justly upon all, and that while
it protects the public from undue exac-
tions, it must also guard the equitable and
just rights Of stockholders who have hon