Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-03-24
A Wise Measure.

In the early stages of the legislative
discussion on the subject of railroad
freights and fares, the HERALD sug-
gested as means of settling all con-
troversies between the people and
railroad companies, the passage Of a
bill authorizing the Governor to ap-
point three Commissioners who should
act as Board of Examiners and after
hearing the complaints of the people
confer with the owners oft railroads
and secure correction of the wrongs
complained of. The O'CoNNER Com
missioner bill passed by the Senate on
Wednesday is an embodiment of the
idea then advanced. If this bill pass
es the House, as we have no doubt it
will, it will be approved by the Cover
nor and step will be taken which
we are confident will lead to the re-
moval of all causes of complaint
against railroads on the part of the
people and effect an understanding be-
tween the shipper and the carrier SO
complete and perfect that in future
there will be no antagonism between
railroad corporations and the commu-
mites they serve. Massachusetts
adopted this method some years
ago and though possessing no manda-
tory powers, so faithfully have the
Commissioners performed the task al
lotted to them that to-day in no State
of the Union does more friendly and
amicable feeling exist between the
people and railroad companies than in
Massachusetts. On this subject
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, one of the
Commissioners from the first, in
speech delivered in Wisconsin in Sep
tember of last year used the following
languages:
''Six years ago in the height of the railroad
discussion, Board of Commissioners was es-
tabished in Massachusetts and l became a
member of it. The principle upon which the
Board was established / at the time thought
wholly unsatisfactory; have since conclud-
tive guess. The Board had no power, or next
10 none. 1t was simply an agency through
which publicity could be secured il was to be
a lens through which he scattered, dverg-
ing. individually powerless rays of public
opinion could be concentrated into "a locus
and brought TO bear on any given point Of
railroad management. In those days l had
not the faith in public opinion which have
now, and IL seemed 10 me that the law which
organized our Board and then placed us face
to face with those great corporations power
less to do more than investigate and discuss,
it seemed to me that this law framed in TO-
tai misapprehension of the necessities OF the
case; that 1t lett us in position which chal-
lenged contempt. The fact is, like most Off
ciais 1 yearned for more power. / wished 10
be able to compel as well AS to recommend
/ wanted alitile force bill of my own. This,
am now rsjolced to say, the Legislature of
Massachusetts was too wise, perhaps too
wisely distrustful to give me. The law was
badly, cumsily framed, but it was based on
a very simple idea Board of Arbitration
was To be created with supervisory powers.
1t then became the duty Of its members t. in
vestigate every complaint brought against
any railroad corporation, and this, too, with
out cost to the party bringing it. II necessa-
ry they were to give public hearings, and, AS
the result thereof, they were to address such
Communications to the railroad com mpanies
as In their Judgment circumstances might re-
quire. Finally, once each year, The recon-
mendations thus made, with the action Of
the corporations thereon, were to be reported
TO the Legislature, which in this way re-
served the power OF dealing with The obdur-
ate or unreasonable exclusively in its own
hands. Thus the Commissioners were
thrown back to a reliance ON publicity and
the support OF public opinion, with the legs-
latlve power very much In the reserve.
After six years. trial in many ways, am
now prepared to say that such reliance is
far better than any force bill. It has brought
about in Massachusetts a condition of good
nature, which is the first essential TO success,
The Railroad Commissioners with us are not
mere prosecuting offieers-the recognized EN-.
emies of the corporation ; they are, on the