Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-03-04
JUDGE BLACK REPLIES.
He Advances Some Telling Ar
guments.
To the Editor OF the Y. Y. World.

point, is that the abuses and extortion
OF the railway corporations are not as
great as supposed. He may be right
in his assertion that my estimate is too
high, but he does not cOnvice me that
his own is not entirely too low. What
the newspapers made me say | know
not, but what | did say sub.
stantially was that the carrying cor.
porations had right to such reasonable
ireights as would reimburse them the
cost OF the service and make fair profit
besides on the capital by them actually
invested IN constructing the roads. All
they take beyond that is unlawful and
extortionate. How much the aggregate
OF this excess amounts to has never
been computed; could only give some
general reasons for believing it to be
very large. The following are the basis
Of the best calculations | was able TO
make:
First-The through rates are the low
est that are anywhere charged, and
those rates are now from Chicago 10
New York, 35 cents per 100 weight, or
81 per ton.
Second-The evidence OF perfectly re-
liable experts, taken by the Hepburn
Committee, leaves no room TO doubt
that Il cents per 100 weight make them
a profit, though perhaps not large one,
and at 20 cents it is enormous.
Third-But the four great trunk lines
have confederated themselves together
and combined to charge an excess OF 10
cents per 100 weight, or IS per ton above
the highest rate which law or justice
authorizes.
Fourth-If the facts and calculations
OF the Congressional committees are to
be credited, an advance OF only cents
per 100 weight would he equal TO an adj
dtioaal tax OF S715, 100000 on the whole
agricultural crop of $50, and IL cents,
BY simple arithmetic, is s225, 100000.
Fifth believe, though OF course |
cannot be sure, that the transportation
OF the crops does not constitute more
than one third OF the whole business
done on the through railroads; there.
fore we multiply S225, 100000 by three
to find what the whole excess amounts
to. The result is $G75, 100000 sum
simply appalling.
SIXTH have no means OF knowing
how much is the local freight on the
through lines and on the shorter
branches. 1t is probably much less
than the long hauls, but the excesses
are proportlonably 50 much greater
that it seems fair to add at least another
S225 coo, 600 on that account.
Now do not pretend that this csti-
mate is iractionally accurate, but mere
ly that it is made in good faith from the
best materials had. II is awlully large.
| take shame TO myself and to my iel-
low.citizens when ! think that We have
been tame and stupid enough to bear
such burdens in silence. Mr.. Fink will
relieve us greatly by showing that the
railroad mOnOpolies have been more
moderate in their eXaCtlOns than We
supposed. His efforts to that end will
have my best wishes for their success.
The less the abuses the better will be
our chance of reforming them altogeth.
er. Our facts and figures are submitted
10 the scrutiny OF the railroad advocates
in the lull consciousness that they
probably need revision which We our.
selves are not able TO give them.
But Mr. Fink must come up TO this
work squarely and in way consistent
with what YOU call the equity OF his
mind" Whatever "POOr's Manual"
may say, he must not ask us 10 disbe-
lieve the known and acknowledged fact
that railway corporations have abused
their power to make charges extOrtion-
ate, unjust and unequal. Nor will it do
for him to show that one-fourth OF the
railroad property in the country has
gone through bankruptcy in the last five
wears. Doubtless this is true, but those
corporations were nOtlbrought TO insolv-
encv bv their excessive honesty or the
severe moderation OF their charges. Wa
tered stock, the false appropriation OF
mortgage bonds, and sham contracts for
work at three times its value, which the
managers made by themselves, with
themselves and COR themselves, will
sufficiently account lor their condition,
without suppOsins that their irelghts
and fares were too low.
As "PoOl Commissioner" Mr.. Fink
doubtless understands this business
verv well and he can show, il anybody
can, to what extent and at what
cost TO the public the railroad
cOrporauons have abused their
trust, and especially what share OF
the iniquity has gone INTO the pool OF
the confederated monopolies. am
sure he will find no occasion to retract
his admission that many just grounds of
complaint exist, and that there are
many abuses in railroad management
which demand remedy. This being
the acknowledged state OF the case, and
assuming Mr.. Fink to he the kind OF
man YOU describe him, | hope ! may
safely ask him, in the name OF common
Justice and commercial integrity, not to
oppose the popular demand for a law
which will save the industry OF the
country from the fleeing and sklnning
To which il is now exposed. We cannot
expect Pool Commissioner to help
us, but let him show his sense otequlty
by not trying to impede us.
One word with you, Mr.. Editor. You
think there is danger that the people
will throttle the corporate enterprises
and proceed to coniiscate the property
invested in them. II that be the pres.
ent temper. it must have been excited
by extreme and inexcusabe prOvoca-
ton. But | assure you that II has not
come to that Vet. No citizen has pro-
posed anything ike confscation. No
one TO my knowledge ever thought OF
aggressive measures. Al! are perfectly
willing to concede the right OF the cor.
poratIons 10 take liberal compensation
tor every service they DO, but TO that all
riuk that they ought 10 he confined.
The rights Of the corporations not being
in peril, what objection can you have to
a movement whose purpose II is to pro-
tect the people against their wrongs
J. ). BLsCE.
Another Victory for the Consolidated
Companies.
NEw YORK. March 2-Judge Blatch.
IL IL 4. Il - Ln..a...a G1.azL a. i. -.