Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-08
TIE PENDING STRUGGLE BE
TWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE
RArIRnAn COMPANIES.

railway management that lies at the
foundation of every contest arising be-
tween the companies and the people.
1t is this principle around which
gathered the storm of opposition to the
b. Il o. road in this State, which ex-
plOded in the legislative contest last
winter, as all will remember who are
familiar with the details OF that battle.
1t is this principle, the practical work
ings OF which, have Occasioned the long
investigation and bitter struggle which
has been in progress for sometime IN
New York, between the shippers and
the railway companies.
1t is this rule to which, of all others,
railway companies clingmOst tenacious
", and against which the people protest
most persistently. 1t promises to form
tina basis OF the greatest legislative bat
tie of the century in the next Congress.
To the ordinary observer, the practi-
cal operation of the rule seems so utterly
and essentially wrong, that he has no
tolerance for argument on the otherside
of the case.
For example, We find in table OF
rates of transportation, that to import a
Mound of tea from China to San Fran
cisco costs two cents; TO carry it on to
Salt Lake City five cents; ii it goes 1000
miles further TO Chicago, the whole cost
of transportation from China is three
cents; and ii the tea goes clear through
to New York or Boston, the rate from
It's starting point is but two and half
cents. Or in other words, the longer
thsdistance the tea is carried, the less
will it cost the purchaser.
The same thing holds good on west
bound freight The rate from New York
10 san Francisco is SO much cheaper
than from Chicago that on some articles 1t
PAYS To ship them east to New York and
then west on the through rate. The
rate from New York To the Pacific coast,
5000 miles, is 10 per cent. less than the
rate from Ogden over the last 900 OF
the same road.
On its face, We say, the practical oper-
atoms OF this rule seem so maniiestly
unjust to shippers, that they carry con-
yiction of wrong upon mere state
meut OF the case.
But a railroad company, while admit
ting all the facts rs to the effect OF the
rule, and its apparent injustice to a large
class Of patrons, will contend quite as
earnestly that it is not only Just rule,
but is founded upon business principles
that cannot be abandoned without
bankruptcy To- the company.
Ii is hardly necessary for us to review
the arguments adduced Tor support OF
this position, as they were made very
familiar in the discussions of the subject
last winter. We know also, that this
rule for which railroad companies con-
tend, is founded in principle recognized
and acted upon in every department of
business. 1t is the rule which obtains
between rates or prices in 4 wholesale
and retail business. II is the rule car
ried out by our street ear companies.
They will carry a man over the entire
line fur six cents, but will charge the
passenger who rides two squares the
same iurr. But it is because the way
passenger has paid more than his pro-
portion that the company can afford to
carry the through passenger greater
distance Tor the same sum.
The way passenger has in Tact paid a
part Of the through passengers fare. 1t
is an apparent injustice in single in
stance, but in the course Of time the
short distance passenger rides over the
whole line at somebody else's expense,
honors are thus made easy, the whole
community is accommodated and every
body is satisfied.
Nevertheless, it cannot be made 50
popular rule in railway management
as in the runningot street ears. Aslong
as shippers in one locality find them
selves Disseminated against simply be-
cause Of their locality, they will make
war with the railroad company that does
it. War, in such cases, is inevitable, as
experience proves.
The absorbing problem that railroad
companies are now confronting is, what
shall we do about il? How shall we
abandon the rule and live? Or how
shall we maintain it and have peace?
New lightand enlarged information by
the people does not render the situation
more satisfactory. The people demand
a different policy, but can't suggest it,
nor has the wiseSt craftsmanship been
able To evolve one.
There is a long struggle ahead. The
railroad companies are as anxious Tor a
solution of the difficulties as are the peo-
pie. Thcy.are fast recognizing the fact
that it is their policy to make friends OF
the people \ very little bad legislation
will 20 a long way toward bankrupting
a road, and while legislators may be
bought, the voters OF State cannot.
The admission that comes nearest to
asolution of the difficulties, is that they
are only 10 Ice accomplished through
mutual concessions; by an acceptance of
some live and let live principle, which
recognizes the isht of both railroad cor
porations and their customers. The de-
mand for federal legislation is an admis-
sion that State laws are inadequate, and
it may probably bee ioundi the end that
federal le.islationis insufficient, for it is
a difficulty, as was pretty thoroughly
proved lastwinter, thatcaunot be met 10y
laws. no one body OF Legislators will
ever be wise enough To pass laws suili-
GENTLY flexible on the one hand and
stringent on the other, To secure the