The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-21

wood, ,GOOi gallons oil, llO,24Ii pouhus
starch. 2,43O, 900; barrels flour, 1900; steam
power employed, 70 engines, Of 1888
horse power.
ApropOs 10 the Present Legislative In.
VestIgatIOn Of the Tariff on the
baltimore d ohio Road.
Mr.. Charles Francis Adams, jr., has
put out valuable work on railroads:
"Their Origin and Problems" Accord
ing to Mr.. Adams the earliest Englishlegis'
lation on the subject OF railroads was
based on the close analogy supposed to
exist between them and the kings high.
way. The essential falseness Of this
analogy was not realized until 1872, after
more than forty years OF laundering legis-
lation. 1t was then seen that "the rail.
road system was thing SUI gelcris-a vast
and intricate formative influence" which
could not be dealt with as simply an over
grown common carrier, in possession, by
some mems, OF the monopoly Of high
way. AS the old analogy, which was sug-
gested by the Duke OF Wellington, still
has a strong hold on the public mind in
this country, brief history OF the English
railroad legislation will not be out Of place
in this connection.
On tho supposition that the proprietor
OF tho road bed and the carrier over 1t
were TO be different persons it was pro-
vided in early English charters that all the
world should have the privilege Of using
the road on certain fixed terms, and it was
thought that by this precaution any mon
opoly ofthe business would be impossible.
Experience soon showed the fallaCy Of
this reasoning; but tho parliamentary
mind still chung tenaciousIy to the analo-
gy drawn from the kings highway, and,
as new charters were granted the old toll
boards Of the turnpikes were enacted
therein ut enormous length. Being based
on an erroneous principle, the English
railway legislation became so chaotic that
about 1910, the whole subject was referred
to a special parliamentary committee, Of
huISu OH ISOboIL l ecl WIS u hIClIiuGl' Lib
committee concluded that the principles
OF free trade afforded all the regulation Of
railroads that was needed. 1t was argued
that "m enlightened view OF their own
interests would always compel managers Of
railroads to have due regard to the general
advantage OF the public" and, following
out this idea, numerous charters were
granted to new lines. This bright dream
vanished after the great railroad mania OF
1914, and it was seen that free trade in
railroads was failure. Another parlia-
mentary committee, Of which Mr.. Glad
stone was the guiding spirit, was appoint
cd to take the whole subject into consider
alton. Meanwhile, Sir Robert Peel, who
was the Prime Minister, had learned that
railway competition, under the guidance
OF "an enlightened self-interest," was an
expensive luxury, and had also concluded
that there might be something in State
management OF railroads. Accordingly
Mr.. Gladstone's committee made series
of reports which resulted in the pass
age Of law looking TO the possible
acquisition Of the railroads by the State at
the expiration Of twenty-one years from
that time. The committee then rested,
but not so the railroad system. The
twenty-one years elapsed in 1865, and dur
ing that time Parliament sat and pondered
the railway problem with most unsatisiaC-
tory results. The companies refused to
compete, and as during these years compe-
tition was working itself out into amalga-
nation, or consolidation, as it is called in
thiscountry, it was clearly seen that some
thing was wrong. So, in the year named,
anew commission was appointed, which,
in the words OF Mr. Adams, dumped
upon the tables OF Parliament an enor-
nous blue book which left the matter
exactly as dark Us it was before" But still
the process Of amalgamation went on, and
all England was being divided up among
some half dozen great railroad corpora
sions.
II was not until 1872 that committee
was appointed, comprising among its
members the Marquis Of Salisbury and
the Earl OF Derby, which succeeded in
advancing the railroad problem far on the
road to its final solution. 1t was first
shown how that, down to 1872, the English
railroad legislation had been absolutely
without results, either OF restriction or
encouragement, and this, although the
laws that had been passed were thirty.
three hundred in number, and filled whole
volumes. 1t was estimated that the cost
to the companies OF this useless mass OF
cnactments had been some 100000
pounds. The conclusions of the commit
tee were, in brief, rs follows: Tho highway
analogy was wisely,dismissed in silence,
and 1t was remarked that tho enlightened
view OF Self.interest" was to be relied on,
as a regulating force, "only 10 limited
extent" Touching the principle Of com.
petition, the committee concluded that
competition between railroads eXistsonly |
TO q limited extent, and cannot DO main |
tanned by legislation The great Glad.
stone act OF 1915, looking to the ultimate
purchase OF tho roads by tho Government,
was frownel upon in decided form. The
committee passed in merciless review the
various panaceas for railroad abuses which
have been brought forward as novelties in
the legislation Of the United States, and
finally concluded In regard 10 the amalga.
nation panic that the process OF combiHa.
ton had mot brought with It the evils that
were anticipated; but that, in any event,
long and varied 9Sb ericncchad fully dem.
onstrated the fact that, while Parliament
might hinder and thwart it could not
prevent II, and It was equally powerless to
lay down any general rules determining
its limits or character."' Equal mileage
rninR and In fact oil thn VnrinuS rlonS ~