Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-31

fication in Massachusetts,, and Congress
cannot do better than to study that case.
Massachusetts, ought always to be con-
trasted with the Granger States, for thus
we have the actual outcome of the two
methods the analytical, and the arbitrary.
In the West they undertook to settle the
railroad question out of hand by sheer
strength and masterfulness, and they ac-
complished nothing. In Massachusetts,
they did not attempt to settle anything,
but merely appointed Commission to
observe and report, and they have attained
the best results reached anywhere. 1t
appears to us that the results of these
experiments are conclusive of the methods
to be applied, and that unless Congress
willfully shuts its eyes to the ex-
perience of the past it must choose
the Commission plan. 1t is to be
observed also that the Commission
plan, if properly carried cut, must bring
both parties nearer to d solution OF con-
troverted points than has ever been reached,
and at the same time deprive the railroads
of an argument which they have hitherto
been able to use with great force. One eff
feet of Commission is to educate counsel
for the people in the science of transporta-
ton. When once that is done it is no
longer gossible for corporations to COM
IL IL. -, bn,nr,
by those who do not understand it. They
are then made to realize that the people
are represented by officials who cannot be
imposed upon by sophistical statements,
and who must be met with sound argu-
ments if they are to be met at all. In
Massachusetts it took the railroads some
time to comprehend this, but when at last
they did a great many abuses which
had no defense were quietly aband-
oned, and thenceforth care was taken
to do nothing which could not be justified.
Again, the publicity which an Interstate
Commission would give to the proceedings
of the corporations would tend to restrain
such of them as were disposed to exceed
their legitimate functions, and the mere
exhibition of the firm hand of national au-
thority would convince the less scrupulous
that the public interests could no longer
be trified with to feed some menacing
ambition or to crafty some insatiate appe-
tite for conquest, speculation and intrigue.
And finally, such a Commission would be
constantly accommodating information of the
greatest possible use in leading Congress to
a settlement of the question hereafter, and
in furnishing members and the public with
the means of understanding the subject.
Demagogues and fools commonly make
sentative courses of a purpose to shelter
alleged abuses and to prevent needed re-
forms. The only rejoinder which such
charges need is that which the pages of
history supply. Look back and see how
many of the violent and sweeping meas
ures advocated by pretended friends
of the people have accomplished
their object. Not a single instance of sue
cess can be pointed out. The annals of
legislation are choked with the ruins of eff
fete and discarded laws which were urged
forward amid the acclamations of a de-
luded people, and regarded as the triumph
of popular sovereignty and wisdom until
the first attempt to apply them proved
their utter futility. On the other hand,
what are the measures which have invari-
ably proved successful? They are those
which in the heat and fury of the early
contest were spurned by demagogues, re-
jected by communities, stigmatized as be-
trayals and scoffed at for their moderation.
1t is those much .slandered and despsed
laws which have had after all to be adopted,
and which alone have held their ground.
And so it will be in the present case. The
Reagan bill may perhaps be enacted by
Congress, but it will not answer and it
will have to be repealed and after the
most obstinate and persistent efforts to do
the thing the wrong way, Congress will
reluctantly consent to do it the right way,
and will end where it ought to have begun,
with the Commission method.