, 1874-10-30


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RAILWAY EVOLUTION.
In tho Fifsh Annual Report Of tho Board of |
Railroad Commissioners or Massachusetts tho |
attontion Of tho public iB again callod totho
railroad question. Surveying its history from
tho beginning to tho proaont tinlo, tho Commits !
nionors IRE Of opinion tint species OF natural
Inv Of political evolution governing tra,sporta-
ton by rail- ,nay NOW bo formulated. At first,
it is assumed that railroads aro sufficiently i'll
nuoncal by natural laws; aud tho doctrine of
non-intersorcnce by Government In thcir map-
agement obtains. In tho noxt Btage, attempts
aro made to regulate them by Legislative enact-
monta. Finally, 1t conos to DO recognized that
transportation by rail is d function Of Govern
n,cut. In America, wo l,ayo lived in tho first
stage for 4 long time. In Bonlo States tho Beo-
ond stage has boon reached. Opinion and dis
cuHsiou poiut In some quarters to tho THIRD.
Up to tho ptcseut time, this country has been
engaged in t1e work of tho construction Of tue
roa!s. Tie Bystom has boon imperfect. Now
tho building OF roads is nniahod in iss grand
outlines, and the work Of construction is to DO
succeeded by the work Of adjustment 1t IL
found here aB it has boon found III ovoty othor
country. that railroads caunot be governed by
tho economical laws which govern other indus
tries. Tho Inv Of competition, or Of supply and
demand, exercises but little control over thum.
Tho supply Of competing railroads cannot bo
indefinite. An increase iii their number docs
not diminish tho cost Of transportation. II u,~
profitable whore constructed, they cannot be
moved to nnolbcr placo. Whore ell thoso o1e-
nouts aro wanting thoro can bo no competition,
| and where thoro III no competition tho ordinary
economical lawH do not hold. This Beoms
| to lead inevitably to tho conclusion TINT tho
railroads must bo subjected to aome dogroo
of governmental Interference. This has been
felt everywhere. It is felt hore and will continue
to be felt uutil some wise plau Of Legislative
| cont,ol shall havo boen maturod. The maturing
Of such plan is II matter Of no small difficulty.
| Tho sayorte subject Of rai!road legislation for
instance, aro fares and rites of freighss But, as
| tile Massachusetts Commissioners say, the franz
lug Of railroad tariff which will conform to To-
Gil and economical requirements is the most
| perrexiuK taak to which even experienced rail-
road managers can aldresa themselves. They
scout tho idea too preyalont among legislators,
TINT It Ia possible. by the passage Of q simple
law li,nitod to fow sections, to regulnte the
whole subject Of {aros and freighta On wise,
just, cheap, aud permanent basia. Il Ia very
hard, however, to convince mon who have had no
railway experience tlat it is not easy thing to
franc proper railway tarilT. Ons failure will
not satisfy Legislators Of 1t. Two, throe or foul
failures will not dsabuso them Of tho error.
Tl.oy will not give it up until they shall have ax.
hauBcd nil the resources Of thoir ingenuity
Then all that remains ia to advocate the pur.
cnaso Of tho railways by the State. It has al.
most como to this in Massachusetts, whoro the
Commissioners Bay that the disc',ssiost bus
fairly touched it's utmost possible Iiusit in The
| 10 sal G+n&n