The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-26


CHICAGO ILL.,, Jan. IS, 1874.
State control OF railroads Is what most largely
alarms this city at this time. And as the national
Congress promises to forget Its own pay.rolls
and the confirmation OF White House pets long
enough to consider the policy Of 'running all the
railroads Of the country through q Congressional
''bureau,~ 1t may not be itimed to light these
national bureau buildings with the candle OF ex-
per1ence as It has burned IN Illinois for the six
months last past.
THE ILLINOIS RAILROAD LAW
has undoubtedly attracted wider attention than
was ever before accorded to piece OF State legis
lative experiment. 1t was baptized with the
Western hot waters OF anti-mOnopOly and looked
to as the young David with a smooth stone that
was to shay the Goliath Of extortion on wheels
propose now to briefly set forth the sharp corners
OF this law. note Its practical products and indicate
the ends It's theories are likely to lead to-
Its first section lays down the broad gauge track
1t processes to follow in these words:-"If any
railroad corporation doing business in this State
shall charge or receive more than fair and rea-
sonable rate OF toll or compensation for the trans
portation OF passengers or freight, the same shall
be deemed guilty OF extortiOn." To see that no
company commits this "lair and reasonable"
crime the law, through the Governor, appoints
three men to watch the companies, and for their
blind guide in debating to the railroad men OF the
State and elsewhere what is "iar and reasonable"
without poaching on guilty" charges, the law
gives its three commissioners the one general in.
structiOn to make the
CHARGES PRO RATA.
Multiply the freight passenger tariff for one
mile by 100 to have 1t right for 100 miles. News
paper men will see the "fair and reasonable" that
this basis by inserting column advertisement one
time for the hundredth part OF the charge for 100
Insertions Railroad men say. as other men can
see as well, that after car is in train and been
hauled one mile the expense OF moving it ninety
nine miles more Is very trining, not at all in pro-
portion to the distance.
But 1t Is to danger directly invited upon the
people by this general platform OF the law that
wish to direct present attention. II only the COM
missioners keep within the pro rata limit they may
FIX the tariffs Of all roads as low or as high even as
they please, and are legally accountable to no one
for their exercise of "OfflCial discretion" When,
then, the Governor Is clothed with power to ap-
point these commissioners, whose action is TO con-
troll the earnings and the dividends Of all the rail-
roads in the State Is he not also clothed with the
unparalleled power to make grand mockery OF the
law and mulct the people in rates Of travel and
rates The law necessarily unItes all the railroad
forces of the State against q common enemy. Left
to shtrk for themselves many OF them quarrelled,
cut under and competed with the natural result Of
low charges. But since
THE LAW HAS CUT OFF ALL COMPETITION
with one another 1t will not be so remarkable as
alarming If results shall show that all the roads
in the State have combined for competition
against official virtue Indeed, despite tie ''Chris
ttan statesmanship' that has always been at least
the surface feature Of the present ''Sucker" Gov
ernor many of those farmers who are disposed to
stand by the law still longer are in sorrow over
his recent appointment of Judge Steele to the
vacancy occasioned in the Board by the death Of
Mr.. Cook in November. Mr.. Steele is regarded as
a sort OF "next friend" to railroads; and, there
FORE when rumor intimates that his appointment
was signed with railroad ink the animation does
not lack for unconditional believers And, not At
tempting to clear or condemn, 1t Is not TOO much
to say that, the oflcal virtue Of the times aver
ages In high places If the occupant OF particular
executive chair can forever say mo" to all the
golden overtures possible to come from the pos
sible concentration against his avarce. Of 5000
ought to be passed around through certain States
as vial OF the purest odlclal condiments, and
then uncorked In Congress for life.
But whether the evil possibilities OF this law have
been practical in this State matters not.
THE OF MAGNIFICENT COkhUPTION,
and but one man to tamper with to secure the ap-
pOintment OF "tools," exist, unless the railroads
have abandoned the motto OF "business before
peasure.o And the law that leaves possibilities
unguarded is dangerously imperfect. know OF no
such combination among the roads Of the State !;
but how easy its accomplishment And am now
aiming merely to point out what overshadOwing
dangers to the people, who think themselves pro-
tected thereby, lie concealed in laws that lean so
confidently on the immaculate integrity OF officials
on high stools. When the Lieutenant Governor Of
state, in his everyday capacity OF life In
Neb, on dead-head "pass," and, in paying
q Widows policy, deducts from 1t s45 for
n ms o fs'ea mac 81 seISa ng
OF unfounded suspicion II modest watch and ward
be set upon his superior. He counted 1t no rob-
six months OF the lie OF this Railroad law-from
July to January-to ride through the State with
made the companies liable to heavy fine for every
such ride they allowed him to enjoy, and although
to have them prosecuted for the unjust dlscrim-
ination" OF allowing some men to ride free while
But to pursue one step farther the line OF
POSSIBLE PUBLIC DANGER OF HIGH BATES
pointed out by this law, If the aggregate railroad
hammer, wishes to, but cannot soften the asperi.
ties OF Governor, they may find more malleable
metal in the commissioners, whose direct ONCE it
already been proposed before the Legsla-
ture just convened In adjourned session to
abolish the Railroad Commission as q useless
and expensive aything The people that have
howled and let loose their dogs or railroad war
are grossly dissatisfied with the doings Of the
commissioners. Only yesterday legislators in
open session charged them with corruption. In
fact, they have done nothing. With six months
for preparation TO fight before the law became
operative, and six months since, they have COM
menced two suits, employed attorneys enough for
twenty, and invested good many thousands in
other contingent expenses" though no commits
sioner's wife is known to have secured landaulet
and gold buckle breeching And they, too, have
been rowing In the same boat with His Excellency
on the Tree pass shame-acceptng gratuitous tran
SIT over railroads. while travelling TO collect evil
dence ON which to base prosecutions against
them-the same they rode with. This Migrant
breach of common decency, this absolute dishonor
done the State by officials set to guard Its honor
has gone far to disgust public sentiment with
these
SERVANTS OF SELF AND PELF;
ana through them the people have received the
law itself with vast amount OF disgust.
were not the past decade 80 pletnOrc with prec-
edents In proof that personal virtue soon becomes
putrid when packed In railroad ''salt,o 1t might
seem Kinder to hold all commissioners upright
until proved downright rascals, and look ior no