The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-05
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
How it il Viewed in Michigan.

How it is Viewed in Michigan.
The following extracts from the re.
port of the Railroad Commissioners of
Michigan, which has just been issued,
will be found of especial interest in this
locality: .>
The prohibition Of what are usually
termed unjust determinations on the
part of railroad companies, and the re-
striction and regulation of their rates
bv statute cnactments, have been so
thoroughly discussed that it would
seem that little more remains to be said
upon these subjects. 1t is we'll known
that in some four or five Of the North
western States laws of this restrictive
and rcgulati,e character have been en-
acted by their several legislatures. The
attempts made by State offic ais and
others to enforce them have met with
protest and resistance from the
road managers, who claim that
the laws are in d.
rect violation of the terms oftheir char.
tiers, and also that their earn
ing of the companies under the rates
fixed by the State officers, as author
lied by law, would, in some cases, be
insufficient to pay their operating ex'
penses, with the interest on their debts,
and in others would not meet the ope-
rating expenses alone. The attempted
enforcement of these laws by the States
and the resistance made thereto by Of
ticials of the roads, have engendered a
feeling Of mutual hostility which, con-
sidering the identity Of interests be-
tween the people and the corporations.
it would seem ought not to exist, AMI
which, lift is continuous, must ulti-
mately prove detrimental to both par
ties. The interests of the railroad com.
pcnies are identical with those OF the
people, and can in no way be separated
from them.
FEW DIVIDENDS.
But three of our companies haze
paid Dividends during the gear, and in
no case has the amount paid exceeded
four per cent on the common stock, and
the whole amount thus paid is equal to
but two and half per cent upon the
aggregated capital stock of all the
roads.
NEW BURDENS SHOULD NOT BE ADDED.
These facts and figures would seem
to suggest the propriety Of the utmost
caution on our part lest eimpose upon
our companies any unnecessary bur-
dens or unreasonable restrictions. In
view of the fact that tho action taken
Cko< N,rlo
to, can only be regarded
at this time in the light Of an expert
ment on their part-an experiment, too,
which although frequently attempted
by other governments, both domestic
and foreign, has not generally accom-
plished the result desired-and in view
of the no less important fact that the
universal tendency of rates in our State
has been and continues to be down.
vel! afford to await the results Of their
action and avail ourselves Of their ex.
perienoe ere we, too, make an attempt
which has proved futile elsewhere.
DISCRIMINATION.
The wrong most frequently COM
planned of in this State, and for which
u remedy by legislative enactment has
been sought in several States, is not SO
much that Of excessive rates on through
traffic, or that Of rates fixed. for COM
peting points. as it is the discrimination
made between competing and non-com-
pc ting points in the matter Of charges.
This discrimination is, in many cases,
great, and apparently unjust. The Leg
islatures of several States have sought
to remedy the injustice by the passage
Of laws fixing a maximum rate per
mile for each ton of freight
carried; establishing rates on a
pro rata basis; classifying roads &C.
cordilg to the amount Of earnings per
mile, and determining rates accordingly;
compelling companies to fix reasonable
rates-to carry at reasonable rates per
mile, etc., etc; bat as compliance with
these laws on the part of many Of the
companies would compel them to sus-
pend operations on their roads, at
tempts in that direction are seldom
made, and it is in but few, if any instan-
ces, that such enactments arc strictly
carried out.
LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES.
The means commonly resortcd to for
the cure Of these evils were aptly de-
scribed in the following language, by
Charles Francis Adams, Jr.. chairman
Of the Massachusetts Board of Railroad
Commissioners, in speech made in be-
half of that Board before the joint
standing legislative committee on rail-
ways last February. Mr.. Adams said !:
The passage OF statute law is the natural
remedy t, which every American has re-
course in presence Of any matter calling for
reform. It is a species of popular pc j i,al
.pill-a panacea, good for ali social disorders
AS general rule, the remedy is found to