The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-01-14

: comparatively new. The roads of to-day
| are not those of yesterday, and the posi-
bilities of the future are far beyond the
| reach of present estimate. The mobiles
| intellects of modern times, as yet, have
| failed to accomplish such complete re
suits as to arrest the tireless spirit of pro
gress or forbid the probability of more
wondrOus achievements in time to come
Apparently the railways now constructed
are but the main lines of complicated
system of artificial highways, ultimately
| to enrich and utilize the remotest territory
inhabited by man. The six-feet gauge
has disappeared The advantages OF
sreed now contest the merits of weight
and strength. To-day the great and COM
pick question apparently uppermOst IN
the minds of engineers, is how to multi
ply the number and length Of lines by re-
ducing weight, speed and cost. Narrower
gaude, less expensive grades, llghter
equipment, and more miles of road are
the promised fruit of present inquiry and
experiment, the final results OF which we
can only hopefully await
Railway legislation, like railway con-
struction. must progress toward perfection
by slow degrees. The almost perfect law
for common carriers was the product OF
ages But in controlling railroads by law
we are confronted by new conditions and
are advancing upon comparatively new
and untried ground. Our progress, though
unhesitating, should nevertheless be duly
guarded and restrained Our people have
declared that they will not endure mis-
management or eXtOrtiOn. But in demand
ing justice for ourselves, let us be doubly
sure that we do no injustice to others.
The power Of redress hereafter remains
continuously and forever within our
reach. The very existence of that power
is a permanent safeguard against persis-
tent encroachment and abuse.
THE POTTER AUTHORIZATIONS
In the discharge of the specific duties
OF the Executive Department the past
year, have not regarded the particular
provisions of the law Of last winter as in
issue. 1t is not my opinion that this law
expressed the best judgm ent Of the Leg
isiature which enacted it. While the gen
eral principles upon which it is founded
commanded our unqualified appreciation,
and can never be surrendered, it must be
conceded that the law is defective in some
of its details. The great object sought to
be accomplished by our people, is notthe
management of railroad property by
themselves, but to prevent its mismanage-
ment by others. Such should be the pur-
pose and the limit of legislative action.
In so far as the law accomplshes this end
and is means OF public protection, it's
provisions should be sacredly preserved
But in so far as it exceeds this purpose, it
is necessarily supert1uoas and inexpedient
In my first annual message, | submitted
to the Legislature a series of propositions,
embodying my views as to the general
principles and purposes of legislation
upon this engrossing topic. Further ex-
perience and reflection have confirmed
the views then expressed. One of these
propositions declares that "classifcations
of freight and rates of fare and freight,
within the state, should be subject to re-
vision and modification by state authori-
ty" | am still of this opinion. But [ am
not of the opinion that clasSitications Of
freight and rates Of fare and freight, can
be expediently established by an iron
bound and intleXible rule of law, with no
power of revision and modification re-
served. The best features Of our law in
respect to this branch of the subject, are
eXemplided In the establishment Of maxi
mum rates of fare, and its worst features
in the unyielding character of it's limita-
ton upon rates of freight. In this last
respect | recommend such notifications
of the law as shall remove obvious imper-
fections without divesting the state, as
represented by its Board of Commission
ers, of power of revision and modifica-
ton on formal investigation and com
plant, or on such other conditions as a
due regard for public interests may seem
to require. Further and more judicious
leg islatiOn for the security of corporate
debt, for the protection of shippers from
unjust determinations, for restraining
speculative expenditures, for preventing
the creation of fictitious capital, for en-
surfing a more equitable division of earn
ings, for enforcing more efficient police
regulations, for the encouragement of con-
tinuOus and judicious investment in cor
pOrate enterprises, and for requiring more
satisfactory reports from the officers and
directors of companies, has been the sub
ject of careful and patient consideration
by the railroad commissioners Of this and
other states the past year, and is earnest
ly commended to Your attention.
In any endeavor to improve upon exist
ing legislation, [ also invoke your consid-
Grafton of the claims of new and incom-
plete roads to exemption from any clearly
needless embarrassment. Few or none of
these roads vet earn a sufficiency for Oper-
ating expenses and interest upon borrowed
capital. No public interest requires the
imposition of restrictions upon them, of
such nature as to impair their credit
or their ability to complete their pro-
Jected lines and perfect their legitimate
connections The magnitude of these
undertakings is excelled only by the
extent of the public and private interests
at stake upon their rapid and successful
progress. The companies embraced by
the present law, in the second and third
classes, represent nearly one thousand
miles of road, the full completion of
which promises to open the markets OF
the world to productive territory of vast
proportions, and of almost ineXhaustible
resources.
Facts like these largely involve the des-
tiny of the State and the fortunes of its
people They admOniSh us of the grave
responsibilities imposed upon us in the en-
enactment and ministration of law They
should remind us. of the frivolity of polit-
ical partisanship and the criminality OF
a personal and selfish ambition They
especially commend to us the virtues of
prudence, forbearance, and mutual con
tidence.
COED FAITH OF THE STATE.
Interested parties have charged, whiting
ly or unwittingly, that Wisconsin is in
favor of repudiating the faith of the State
and of confscating the property of rail
road companies This charge it becomes
me to Indignantly repel. 1t is libel
upon our people. 1t is cajumny, gross
as it is groundless. No portion of oul
nonulati0n are the enemies of capital