Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-04
THE REAGAN RAILROAD BILL.


A very sensible speech was made few
days ago by Charles Francis Adams, Jr., be
fore the House committee on commerce.
The matter under consideration was Repre-
sentative Reagan's bill to regulate interstate
commerce on the railroads. He argued that
no legislation for the government of rail-
roads was necessary ga We, perhaps, the ap-
pointment of a commissioner to hear COM
plants of determinations in tariffs, after the
Massachusetts plan, and to arbitrate between
the parties in interest as far as such arbitra-
ton could be of effect, and empowered to
appeal to the courts or legislature in case of
failure of more pacific measures. All other
differences between shippers and common
carriers, he insisted, would be regulated by
the laws of trade and competition. He is
reported to have said on this last point:
The law of competition prevades all business
affecting railroads, steamship lines, telegraph
and telephone com panies, mines, and in fact all
branches of industry where large amounts of
capital can be employed. Wherever compe-
tition is allowed there will this principle of
the survival of the fttest" prevail. No
amount of legislation can avail against this
principle. Congress may as well enact law
that roses shall hereafter grow without thorns.
The only law which will meet the case is
the law of laisser faire. The
speaker said he felt 30 certain Of his position
that he hardly cared to argue the question.
The railroad problem is to-day solving itself
with tremendous rapidity. Our people are I'M
like those of Southern Europe-they will cure
abuses when they appear. The remedy for
-, L.
magnitude, can be cured only by federation
or. to use word very much in disrepute among
a res pectable class, pooling. This view was
not of recent adoption, but WIS embodied
in his book on railroad management written
long before he entered the service of the rail
road. In defense of this system OF pooling, or
federation be preferred to term 1t. he said
it was the parent OF economy. Under it a low
rate forced by competition is bound to regu-
late rates ut all other points.
We question somewhat the conclusion of
Mr.. Adams that pooling is a panacea for all
the evils of railroad traffic. 1t has some
times happened that pooling arrangements
between several roads having joint termini
have resulted in increasing traffics beyond
all reason, and thus imposing upon the bust
ness public onerous and unnecessary bur-
dens. 1t may be that by pursuing such a
course for series of years, and avoiding
competition that is often ruinous to those en-
gagged in it, thus railroads may be enabled
to offer satisfactory rates to shippers, and
by this means the pooling may in the end
be benefit to both the roads and their pa
irons, but this will depend to great extent
upon the disposition of the former to do JUS
tice to the latter. II zthey shall choose to
exercise their power for purposes of extor-
ton, however, such combinations will prove
to be curse to the community instead of a
blessing.
Mr.. Adams conclusion that the railroads
should be permitted to govern themselves is
just and logical one. The Congress of the
United States has too enlarged an idea of its
own powers. 1t attempts too much-to
regulate affairs of corporations and indivi-
duals that regulate themselves. 1t would be
q good idea to cease for time all efforts to
dictate to the people the manner in which
they shall conduct their private affairs, and
see if the country would not be the better for
it. The experiment is worth trying, at any
rate, in view of the results, the reverse Ut
beneficial, that have flowed from the present
policy.