Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-10-01
Railroad Freights.

When the ablest men In the land
understand but little about railroads,
1t Is not surprising that the masses
should entertain erron eous opinions
on the subject. The science of rail
transportation is but in its infancy,
and being ignorant of the laws and
principles which govern 1t the law
makers can enact no restrictions that
will enure to the benefit Of the entire
community. Empty headed dema-
gogues may rail against the extortions
Of railroad companies, and representa-
tives from "back wood' counties as
sumo to interfere in matter of which
they are wholly ignorant, but the alb
lest thinkers Of the day who have con-
sidered the railroad question testify
that the interests of the railroad and
the people are 80 identical that it Is
against all reason to expect that any
intelligent directory would for any
length of time attempt to oppress the
people, but that even If such a case
should happen the abuse would soon
correct itself. In other words among
the best informed it is a recognized
principle that legislative interference
with railroads is likely to prove detri-
mental to both the shipper and the
carrier. A railroad once constructed
becomes part Of the country through
which it passes. 1t grows with the
country, increases it's wealth as the
people along its route prosper, and de-
Gays with the poverty Of its patrons.
This is the case whether the line is
monopoly or whether it has numerous
competitors. In the latter case very
low rates may prevail for time, but
all the routes must ultimately return
to paying basis. In fact, it is not to
the interest of any people to have the
railroad companies bankrupted by the
cheap freights and fares. Residents
along railroad know nothing of the
. science of transportation, and make
out apparently satisfactory charges Of
extortion and oppression. JONES who
lives ten miles from market thinks
his goods should be transported for
exactly one tenth as much as those of
SMITH who resides ninety miles fur
ther, forgetting that the cost of load
ing and unloading are the same in both
cases, and is perhaps the largest ele-
ment in the cost of moving the freight.
II the charge for loading and discharg-
ing lumber for example, be one dollar
per thousand and the freight six cents
per mile, in the foregoing case JONES
pays total of $500 or 26 cents per
mile and SMITH $500 or cents per
mile, yet the company has acted inn
partially. 1t may be also that SMITH
10 the only shipper to his station at
the time while ten of JONES neighbors
get goods the same day. The cost of
stopping freight train and dropping
q box car would be the same in both
cases. In the matter Of discrimina-
tlon against particular kinds offreight
Investigation generally proves that
the railroad managers are acting on
sound principles. or course every
merchant and every farmer can see
special reasons why his particular line
Of goods or produce should have the
benefit of minimum rates. The self
ishness Of human nature dictates the
majority of the charges of this species
DISCRIMINATION. These remarks were
elected by perusal Of an interview
between Governor STANFORD and a
reporter of the San Francisco Chroni-
Gle. The interviewer went fully
charged with complaints against the
Central Pacific railroad, but President
STANFORD, at least as itappears to our
minds, satisfactorily refuted all the
charges brought forward. The ad-
vance Of ftranscontinentalfre freights since
the consolidation of the railroad and
the Panama steamship line was natu-
raj enough since before that time the
rates were below paying figure; but
at present the charges from New York
to San Francisco are below what they
formerly were between Chicago and
the Pacific. The competition of the
sailing vessels around Cape Horn
checks any extortion on the part of
the railroad, ever ifit were desired.