The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-18
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS AND RAIL
ROADS,


CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS AND RAIL
ROADS.
Theoretically NJ least, the California re-
publicans have correctly defined the rela-
tons of the railroads with the people, and
the right and duty Of the legislature as the
protector and super visor Of both. They
make no war on associated capital. seek not
to disregard its rights, and have no sympa-
thy with the spirit which induces such war
fare, yet they are not regardless of the fact
that communities and industrial pursuits
may be, often are, at the mercy Of mono
poles that railroad and other companies
are too apt to seek their own agrandize-
ment at the expense of the people who
created them, and to the injury of the bust
ness interests that support them. While
conceling the importance of railroads in
developing the country, and building up
new communities, yet they recognize the
fact that, when left uncontrolled, they may
and do seek their own interests exclusively,
and, by DETERMINATIONS in rates of freight
and the times and manner of the running
of trains, seriously cripple other business
interests and retard the growth of one To-
cality, that other localities, in which the
managers and directors of railroads may
have personal or pecuniary interest, may
be unduly stimulated and benefited, or that
the Golfers of the corporation may be filled
by extortionatc exactIons from the pro-
Queer.
In order to meet these evils, it is declared
that the right to collect tolls for the carry
ing of passengers or freight, is an "essen-
tal franchise" of railroad corporation,
and that the regulation of these tolls is SIM
ply regulation of the franchise, which
every state possesses unless they have ex-
pressly parted with the power. We retain
that power in Vermont, by providing, in
our railroad charters, that future legisla-
lures may alter, amend or repeal the same
as the public good may require, and if we
are right in these propositions, then it fol-
lows as the California republicans declare
{" That the right TO regulate fares and
/" freights, wherever it exists, Is a condi-
I" ton annexed to the franchise, and is
necessarily vested in the government by
which the franchise has been granted.
Claiming this right, they propose to exer-
else it to remedy existing evils, not by an
indiscriminate war against railroads, moi
by placing them all under the same ban
and compelling an uniform rate, throughout
the state, for the carrying OF passengers
and freight, as was the case in Wisconsin,
nor yet by leaving them to exact such ex'
tortionate rates as they please, as has been
the case elsewhere, but by so regulating
tolls as to abolish unfair determinations
and to equalize rates between different To-
calities ''having due regard to grades and
curves" so that the public may be accom-
modated and the railroads may receive fair
incomes on the cost of construction, beside
allowing for maintaining and operating the
roads and being enabled to meet their just
obligations.
This is substantially the ground upon
which we urged the railroad question up.
on the attention of the legislature last sum.
mer and fall. AS we look upon it, the
general control Of all corporations is vested
IN the state, and the legislature can exer.
else such control and supervision over them
as the necessities of the case may require
unless the legislature has expressly parted
with such right to control and supervise
This right existed, and the necessity for i,s
exercise, IN the case of one corporation al
least, seemed also to exist. In fact, if VIC
remember correctly, the right was con
ceded and only the necessity for its exer
else contested. A necessity, we may bt
permitted to say, which has since been yir
tually conceded by the action of the very
corporation whose rates were objected, to il
reducing the tolls almost, If not quite, tC
the extent claimed. In that discussion
those who advocated legislative regula
ton of the rates of freight, were somewhat
divided in opinion as TO whether actor
should be had by general or special laws
There were weighty arguments in favor o.
either course, and, if we were called upor
to explain the cause of the failure to Obtain
legislative redress, We should ascribe it tc
this want OF harmony supplemented, OF
course, by the active hostility and pretend
ed friendship of railroad managers them
selves.
1t was urged, on the one hand, that con
ceding the power of the legislature and the
necessity OF action, it would be unfair and
unrepublican to single out one railroad
corporation and make it the object of spe.
cial legislation that the true course wa,
to provide by general laws applicable to all
the railroads in the state for the whole
matter. There was, 1t must be confessed
show of reason in the argument, but il
was met, II not overthrown, by the claim