New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-03
QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL.
VIEWS o. EX-JUDCE BLACK - SIT FORTH IL A
L'rrEr To A COMMITTEE or Tue CHAMBER or
,-.Rs,ft pTr

OF IS ion or GOV ORNAMENT ION lkDiI.
VIEWS o. EX-JUDCE BLACK 81 SIT FORTH IL A
L,rrKr To A COMMITTEE or Tue CHAMBER or
CuMMsRCr.
The special committee Of the Chamber Of
Commerce on rlilroad IRA -poltaLOu L., received a
number OF letters ~ response Go The cHcu ar
sent on by j. aakuc su-gC stiOn- the
subject OF trans 9ortafion. Among sac number Is
ois h5m j. 5. Bac,. which is REGARDED
by The committee az most valuable contribution
toward tue solution OF the raroaf problem Portions
Of Mr.. Blaa As letter are rs follows:
You uonoscd urnoveneut OF some legal regu-
iaiiou wnen Will comp rlIi"y companies 70 perform
abovr au tltugs Oa iIt; ne LEGALLY Y's;c rights OF
lAll%ts , lin # fer con,es wi Inn, lie sc0nc
Of your design But en- ,nis question r"li Dad
Icvr or oret,nf 10 believe taat RAILWAYS
ave he property oil Tine comp aHics authorized TO
rnt which j. "a cardinal error, ana Tie pir n OF aGrh
fllsI argument ruJlc highway cannot BE- private
monty OF the stale purposes of commerce,
pa2e aT ls or ne d TS" TO- srSal
i..cicOurs: and Trade bs making highways oi
end END sic nay mso Ind aud materials, wGcl is
exercise Il TIE power OF emin ut dnmain sue can
agency Of officers, and after IL . built she can
make free 20 all cOmrrs, ~ reimburse the cost oy spe
ci on individuals VINO IaFc Occasion 10 uhf H. one
can delegate tae taking AM th' taxing powers TO cor
porajion natural ponsion and hai Is hat sac Ga
does WAch sac ga l7 'tiiIol cii e. hu ~ e. ~
any he road Oc,on 10 the site ana al ne
/
the necessary regulations and payment oi ho proper t'A
Tie state. having need for Dubnc highway at par
ticul. pace, makes a contract win corporation 10
omen Nd put II condition 10 be used and 10y way Of
rpmbu sing the builders aud operators sue anthorz 3
| 1t. amount OF the TAX, toll or freight III any
| case is not subject or bargain between me
shipper and the corpora ION, hut thng 10 be seted
fxel ana prescribed 10y puOic authority IL the com
Dauy may charge what pelses. heu the road i not
DuDc highway the public has rights IN IL AT all ana
Ine which authorizes Ie taking 0i lana 10 Uiu
il ~ unconstitutional and VOID. Tue railroads Oein@
Inch tlf hI
aud the ianes thdt run them beng public AGENTS,
| IT Is absurd TO say tha the s.ate mas no
Of rher functions by such Laws as VIII prevent par
| taty, plumber and extortOn. ibis Is power OF
when no lrce Gsarn itsrli by any act OF us
iudcal legislative, executive officers. But ar, not
70 1rsnoi,fsos ur1terfv I'M winch the company
vested rigutl :. The privilege ot taking certain
nxrd prcscribcI UNIFORM, reasonable rate toll roih
al persons alike according 10 n use they nHe VI
| any prrsOu natural artificial But no laWfn lfil-
rnis. 10 T. Ike o on pubic highway can eXcred tn Sc
| limits charter tiat goes beyond TINS - vol i:
! I'M reasonabcuoss the freight tolls OF taxes tnat
mly be cnar-cl o. any railway vii depend on me e1-
nrc, OF running and repairing ia ana the cost Of
construction fnc aiter viii % course ne ne Pinepj
lGeu tre calculation. Tor me tolls ousLt 10 DO h-h
enough give tAe corporations tar prom on he capt
| tai they have actually iDvcs'ed. But many Oi theee
corporations have Issued large amounts q, 80
| ana mortgage bonds. for which me holders
| nave paid nothing. or mach ,es, tnan DneiI
nominal value. Another way OF ehihFEhE tbc.I JUL
eut IA nesOns their stock under the pre- tehc
increasing their capital, WINE ~ ltct tle autouai
share. divided among therlSeN's Ml'hou. kutnS =
new dollar tAc business. OF course boOOul lp'h-S
tu tho rca OF the rOad j. 10 re hrasu1cu y! Ho
| nominal amount Of these bonds and shares -.
Most Of Western reads dld not IeiIy cost Lne
4 ~ Ockholdsrs anything ana IN some cases thcs
/ got l4uos worth great drai more ulah al -
| n.uses Of making stocku ~ and running the
| roads The two companies between Omaha aud sdn
Traul-cs raised ia cash Out ~ GOyrrumeDt bonds abus
ana or ,ars of htIF franchises four &C i've times az
much a. they II csssary cxpeud upon the roads Inc
40 odrr- without paying any hing, put tue enormous
surulu. Irro tlcr pockes. These rOads thus but al
the pubic pcn-c and in some case PAID ior ny lne
puDiic se fl,nes over claimed as the private
nroertv Of the companies, The right OF the pubic
t. sc them rs highways II utterly dcned neFerther-s
mink thr cIum Companies 10 take fea-OhaD e
tolls stands upon the foundation as mai OF CON
n nie- wh1se roads built by tnc siOekh iiders
ineu.e We al IN n proper expense. lhf grant n
tue aud inyes ed the grantees with tltIe "hich ev
ini he revoked II Jhr conditions Of II we're performed
n tAey soa or norIgagcd land aud invested tht
or ceed- Ia the cons ructOn OF rHiOhd uh Ter char
Ter from SiAie or General Government wnich author
lzes them 10 take profit tbs shape Oh Ios thes