The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-20


uons against New York Remember. tho amount Of
our trade entities 10 better terms than other Cities
terms Tor the who ships car load as compared
with him VINO ships barrel and the railways insist
business lnde pendent oil competition) entitled 10
lower charges Tor goods carried TO New York than
wuAr RKxKoiKs ARE rmEREY
First, as between the railway managers and the
sicckhoiders. There should DO greater facility OF
calling stockholders together Tho English law pro-
vides for semi-anbuai meetings II specifically pro-
vides what the reports shall contain and the manner
IN which they shall DO made nj such meetings. IL
protects the meeting from It's orxanizasion and pro-
tects tho stockholders legally MS 10 4sery step 10 DO
taken at such msoiing for the purpose Of securing
thorough investigation and examination Of the affairs
OF tho railroad, and gives 10 small stockholders pro-
each share up 10 ten, ono vote on each i've shares
thereafter up TO l00 and one vote Tor each
len shares Tor blocks in Of loo Not only are
greater facilities stock meeting Tor the pur
pose OF consultation Afforded by the English law,
but ~ inc organization o. inc new c0mmss,o Olca
his grievances Will be considered, aua well founded
redrcssed. The English system Tor tho purpose o.
having continuity IN direction adopts the method o.
class ihcat0n OF directors which. however, oehcve
be better arrived al by the adoption OF system
OF minority OF representation IN boarus vi difectiou.
To illustrate my meaning: At present those VINO %.
tain majority OF votes Al any corporate election get
Ihe exclusive management ot the railroad IN their
hands This gives 10 The managers OF railways an az.
vantage SO great US 10 amount TO an abuse Hence Inc
management becomes close corporation wituin .
corporation, scarcely moved controlled by the TACT
that u IS elective, because the election machinery
agemeut ut a single time. The whole OF the M nority
unrepresenled and IL Is therefore disregardcd as oy
application OF tho principle OF minority representa-
lion in The election oi railway corporations Is much
more readily accomplished than rs adoption IN The
political machinery Of the country.
AND JUST KATEa
Second as TO the pubiic.
countries having trained Bureaucracy, with thor
oughiy honest set OF officials, the remedy Is easily
found. II would DO other purchased by the Stale Vi
the railways ~ their cost or an absolute control
through a department OF government. Here, until
our cIvl service has boon improved, such radical
remedies are inconsistent with our methods OF gov
cruinent. What VIC Can secure, however, ~ through
u standing aud perpetual tribunal such the RAIL
way Commission o England and Massachusetts, tne
forcement Of uniformity IN accounts publicity Of cou-
ing, and III rates which, though framed by the
railways, shall be advertised ia ADVANCE ana shall be
The sano 10 every psrson Standing upon the Same
plane.
The railways may mako II they please car load
unit OF freight charges and thus draw tho line be-
urthsr d,sIncton based upon tho unit oil train ship
menI But every shipper who ships NY the Car load u
ships by the tram load ships but pound should be
placed upon precisely footing as every other
shipper whv ships train iuli, car iuli " pound
permitted 10 Uuild up QUO individual anu pull down
another, or build up one town and pull down au-
other and there should bs strict limitation of the
rates OF pront based upon actual and nominal cost
OF road which should be permitted IN the way Of tolls
upon public highway.
RAILWAY COMMISSION PROPOSED.
Tho bill which drew NJ the request ot the Board OF
Trade and Transportation, and which Tor Tour years
has been before tho Committees OF our Legislature,
und is now there, provides for the organiZaton Of
"a conf MISSION oil three officers, 10 whom the reports
heretofore mAae to State Engineers Department
shall hereafter bc made. aud VINO, Instead OF being
PEELED 10 publish whatever reports these CON-
paniss send eau ascertain truln OF them by per-
sopuI investigator eau compel the cling all
tracts with rairoad companies. with directors and III.
o The part OF the railways from their meeting the
expectation OF the public, Keep them within ,he
bounds Of their chartered rglts ny actions at law.
ahn In m
vcsgatiou, with suggestions oil such remedial mcas-
they may deem proper IN the premises
against almost vii iw Ills. IL not very satisiac
tory very quick remedy, but It Is one which In.
wolves 10 It's adoption the least danger.
GovkRxMkSrAL suPEKvIsoS ADVOCATED.
The suggestion made III opposition to our scheme OF
s,n "a Ina, wn,ie we NAV nus control our o. rail-
way, what control may 20 exercised over the Penn-
syivania Central, over the Baltimore ana Quo. over
the Grand Trunk, &C., by means OF commission In
StaIeY ms brings up the larger question: which
would rather suggest than attempt 20 solve. Per-
haps IS not possible IA THIS state on the one hand,
citncr bring masters To terms, or, having
brought them 10 terms nnc comfort therein, because
other great railway CORPORATIONS arc permitted to
escape control W our sister states neglccnc 10 do
Tue success which has attended the action OF tho
United states Senate dealing with the great Pacific
railways points out the way To remedy this dicuty.
What senate OF siagle state could have wltnsIood
the power vi tue Union and Central Pacific Railway US
tho senate OF tho United States wthstood these two
railwaysY
The history OF legislation Of every State through
which great corporation passes makes answer to
that query. some lew OF the United States Senators
may venul ana approachaOie by mooey, anu \ lew
others along the line oil the rou,es, and Its animated
lines. may nave been tempted ny expectations oil fu-
favors TO espousc the cause vi those
bat there were many senators coming IRON dts
tr.ts where tue railways could exercise no influence
that they were independent III their course anu 10
DO swerved from Their line OF duty.
II the Transporting monopoly oil this country has
become LOO powerful Tor the control OF single Stale
holds each oac Ia bondage, our only remedy Iay
III. TO raiways 10 wipe out State lines, to enlarge
by Implication the mcaaing AMI scope oil the worus
regulation oil commerce" IN the constitution OF the
United States. and 20 OBTAIN control Of great
ways through national legislation Tho cry mat this
IL Capitalization GOES not lrighten me, because
whether Capitalization objectionable u.pends upon
whether It Is good or bad and whether II supersedes
better or a worse System. Lou2 ago let that the
railway aud telegraph had this country ma
ton, tuaI Statc lines werc many INSTANCES
uucn a hindranco as they are u promotion OF true
iucrty. Is IL quite as easy, not much easier.
Tor n legislator At Washington to DC informed as 10
the condition OF affairs IN any remote part oi TINS
country IL was halt century ago Tor sator at
Albany 10 DO informed as ~ The condition oi affairs IN
.hc cty oil New YurK
Tho follow preamble aud resolutions were adopted
by the mceiins:-
wherras the relations existing between railroads
public have reeevsa but little attention durirs the last
% ana the aud dc.
seopment OF our transportation systcm legislation has
controlnng lines; whereas esstan
detects and abuses have crept into tho management Of
and commercial interests Of our city aud state;
ihste'ors. j., !, ,.,,.. ~ ,.,.,. !, :. ,..,.,
that a. SHOULD taorou ghly
ui this state H. the ED that tho
Relation rNistp1 tue pubc and
aud ,ont IT. hiAhw ysiOuj he equt ably adjusted,
end lie ,lature g. pass tho joint
resolutions now pending in that body Tor this purpose.
Ess.lvsd. that c,szens oi New York ask nothing
from railroad, hut justice itmay appear AFTER
cation ~ the facts bat that these highways
VIII received their franchises aud privileges from the
public nj, 4 daGcs wnien they are bound
keso,, nat the thanss OF New York msrci
due the munci al euth.rtes for their rec n cosal Co
extcnd.ng ain'nsl terminal T..
raroa.s that the granting u tnese an earnest Of
desire OF the New York Afford all
factes thor railroads. that in return the
these should grant TO this city all
privileges to which by their they
eu.ilied.
Resolved. That Committee OF fifteen persons be APP
poin.i by the Chair, with MI vacancies and 10
their with the OF
principal lines with improving facilities
snd utiirins our advantages to the utmost
The following committee appointed In Accord
with tho soovc:-F. Is. ThurDcr, George W. Lane,
Charles ;. smith, Ambrose Snow, William a. Cole.
X To~nscnd, Jonn Clailin. A. H. Miller. 4. Van Vol
kenburgL, W. n. Wiley, G. O. Dodge, W. I. Booth, L.
:. Jafray, James NJ. Brown ami Darwin X. James
THOSE ERIE COUPONS.
To rux EDITOR op TIM HERALD