The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-24
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
state Regulation OF Raiiways-Legisiation
Suggested.


state Regulation OF Raiiways-Legis
Suggested.
The annual meeting of the American
Board of Transportation and Commerce
has just been held I'M Chicago. There
was large delegation present, eighteen
States and Canada being represented. A
number of interesting papers were read,
embracing multitude of suggestions
for the solution of the great problem of
cheap transportation. The Committee
on Railroads submitted a lengthy re-
port, which closes with the following
suggestions regarding the subject of
State Legislation for the regulation of
railways:
State regulation Of railways by making laws
detail, stating what rptes they shall charge
and how they shall transact their business il,
as whole, impracticable. II you attempt to
regulate the details OF railway management by
specific enactments before you have carefully
studied the subject, that moment you fill the
statute books with mass Of laws which benefit
only members of the legal profession, and , on
largely increase the amount OF official corrup-
ton; for what is applicable to one road is not
applicable to another, and it il a matter of such
delicacy and detail that it is almost an impossi-
bility to equitably regulate the details of rail-
way management.
There are, however, certain general laws
which are practicable, and which every State
should enact Tor the regulation OF railroads
which are exclusively within it's borders.
Under this head we may enumerate the fol-
lowing:
/. law providing Board of Railway Com
missioners, with power to prescribe uniform
system of keeping railway accounts, and with
other powers and duties similar to those pos
aasaa6 Inv the Railway Cnuamiaai0nara If Mas
sachusetts While these powers are quite linn
tied, yet they are sufficient to focalize public
opinion, ard this power, when intelligently
directed toward the minor defects in the man.
agement Of railways, will rarely fail to secure
reforms. This il most important matter, and
the public can afford to pay salaries which will
command talent of high order for this pur-
pose. If men are secured whose characters
command respect the Railway Commissioners
Of State become efficient arbitrstors in all
matters where the interest Of the public and
those OF transportation conflict.
2. law to prevent stock mutations similar to
the one now in operation in Massachusetts.
The evils OF this practice have been described
at length elsewhere III this report, and we will
dismiss it with the remark that the provisions
OF the law referred to are, substantially, that
no stock shall be issued except for specific
purpose, and when issued shall be sold at pub
lie auction. In short, that road, If it wants
additional capital, shall 90 into the market and
borrow it, instead OF making the public pay for
it in the shape of exorbitant transportation
charges, commonly termed "surplus earn
ings," for which, in other States, stock is fire.
quently issued, and the people are made to pay
dividends upon the very capital they have
themselves paid IN.
3. A law prohibiting officers or directors OF
railways from either directly or indirectly own
ing or becoming interested in any non-co-oper-
alive fast freight line car company, or bridge
i,,ta FOL
ner in the furnishing OF supplies to any COM
pany with which they may have official connec-
ton.
4. A law prohibiting railway companies from
acquiring or holding more real estate than IL
necessary for the operation OF their roads and
prohibiting railway companies, or officers of
companies, from engaging in mining or any
business other than that OF transportation.
This provision is taken from the new Constitu-
ton Of the State of Pennsylvania, and il de-
signed TO prevent in the future such monopolies
AS exist in that State by which the general pub
lie is Disseminated against, or ruled out alto
gether in certain kinds of business.
g. A law providing that all common carriers
shall receipt for quantity, whether it be of grain
or other commodities. and to deliver the same
at its destination. This is designed particular
ly to secure proper responsibility Tor gram
carried in bulk by rail; a responsibility which
heretofore la been declined by railways, al
tnOupn recOSnlLeu Dy III OtueI CouinOu Cdi-
riers.
6. A law making it penal offense for any
public official to accept or use the free pass OF
any railway company, and prohibiting railway
companies from granting such passes to any
but regular employees of such railways.
The propriety OF such law is obvious when
we reflect that such favors are granted to pub
lie officers solely to place them under obliga-
ton to these great corporations, who are con-
stantly in our legislative halls asking for legs-
lation antagonstic to the public interests.
free pass is an entering wedge in many schemes
of legislative corruption, and the influence of
honest legislators is frequently secured in favor
of seemingly innocent measures by the little at
tention of free pass. II further reasons are
necessary to show the necessity of such law,
we may state that those who pay have to bear
the additional burden Of those who do not; and
also, il Legislators had to pay for their trav-
cling we would probably see closer attention
paid to legislative duties and more hours Of
work in legislative session than we now do,
when State capitals are deserted on Friday by
legislators, who do not return until the follow
ing Tuesday.
Z. A law prohibiting representatives OF the
people who belong to the legal profession from
being retained on either side, i'll cases where
the public interest is involved.