The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-01-19

lions as the servant of its proprietor in nro-
| motlng his personal interests. there il moth.
ing In It's course either surprising or worthy
oil serious criticizm. Its position and its
necessities are understood, and what ii has
70 say oeing interpreted by the light of this
But Mr. Gould's personal organ is fond Of
Paradlng itself as political power. and
claims 10 represent the sentiment of a great
party, and when il attempts to dragoon the
party into the service of it's master il alto
gefher transcends the functions that belong
to it,
When Judge Blacks letter was published
maintaining the right of the State to exer-
else control over the railroads. and make
them subServient to the public Interest Mr.
pould newspaper treated it as an attempt
TO get upa new issue for the Democratic
party. In speaking of Mr. Reagan's bill for
the regulation Of Interstate commerce. and
the Farions substitutes which are supposed
to be waiting for chance to be submitted
In congress, 1t assumes that whatever is to be
done must be the result of agreement in a
Democratic caucus. In short. il undertakes
10 represent the entire question
as party issue, and to make it appear that
the Democrats are in favor of legislation for
subIecting the railroads TO State and Nation
"A control, and the Republicans opposed to
IL. lhat this is complete Justification no
intelligent person needs to be told. The
claim that the entire agitation springs from
demagoSism and appeals to the spirit of
Communism is absurd. The United States is
the only great commercial country in which
railroads are left free from Government con-
troll. In Germany the movement is strong
ly toward State ownership and that
country can hardly be accused of
pandering to the spirit of Communism
or yielding Overmuch to the demands
of demagogues. In France. too. the Govern
ment has been rapidly acquiring not only
control, but possession of the railroad lines.
The motive has been largely to strengthen
the power and influence of the Government
and Is opposed at once TO Communistic de-
signs, and, as We are forced to believe. TO
permanent public interest MULTIPLICATION
OF the functions of Government in the actual
management of commercial undertakings is
not consistent with the widest prevalence of
liberal principles. In Great Britain. the
Government exercises the right of supervis-
ion and regulation, with the best results.
No one thinks of regarding il as a conces-
sion TO the COmmunistic spirit 1t is. in
fact. based upon a conservative regard for
the interests of the public.
The demand in this country which is
characterized as Communistic and demagog-
ical, have come mainly from conservative
commercial bodies like the New York Cham
Der of Commerce and the National Board of
Trade and Transportation. It's cause has
been an outrageous abuse of chartered priv
ileges in the part, whereby public interests
and the rights OF individuals have been sac
riiced to the greed of corporate managers.
The exlstences of abuses which ought not to
be permitted Is fact too well established TO
be denied. That the authority and the duty
to prevent them belong to the State is adj
mitted by all except the railroad magnates
and their paid attorneys and subsidized or
gans. The only real question relates to the
limit and method of judicious regulation
This is made matter of peculiar difficulty
in this country by the composite character
of our Government. and this it is that has
delayed action so long, and made il so inef-
fectual when attempted in particular
States. If anything corresponding to
our present system of transportation
had been in existence when the Union
was founded, or if its development
could have been fOreseen, there can be little
doubt that its complete regulation would
have been made a matter of National iuris-
diction. As it is, the National Government
has complete power for the regulation of
commerce between thes States. But the
railroads began their growth within the
States, and as rule derive their charters
from State legislation. Any complete and
effective regulation can only result from a
harmonious combination of National and
State action, and to secure this is matter
of great difficulty. The question is
not whether the thing is desirable.
That is generally admitted. But it
relates to the means by which it
is TO be accomplished. 1t is not a party
question. and it will be unfortunate, both
for the railroads and for the people, if it is
neglected until it is forced into a political
issue between parties. 1t needs to be dealt
with in the spirit of craftsmanship of the
highest order For many reasons it is de-
sira BILE that National authority should take
initiative action, because Its jurisdiction
covers the whole field and includes the
States within its limits; and if it can devise
judiciOus system of regulation, the States
would be likely to make theirs supplement
airy and in harmony with it.