New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-05
TILE R1HW4Y POOL

Reasonable men do not make light of the
Importance or of the difficulties of what is
called the railroad problem. Whoever has
eyes may see that the people are not satisfied
with the present relations of Government
to corporations Whether the fault is in their
own understanding, in the intrinsic and ire
medabe difficulties of the case, or in the lack of
desirable legislation, the fact remains that the
people are not satisfied. Men of widely differ
ent grades of intelligence, who do not agree
at all as to the nature of the evils to be
remedied or the remedy to be applied never
theless agree that there is some evil which
needs some remedy. Mr.. Fink, who probably
represents more clearly than anybody else the
opinion of the most capable enlightened and
progressive railroad managers, thinks that
some legislation Is necessary to give binding
force to the arrangements which the
railroads may make to secure harmon-
Gus cooperation. Thousands of stock and
bondhOlders think that something ought to
be done to prevent the needless and ruinous
warfare in which railroads engage whenever
it suits the schemes or the speculations of man
ayers. Shippers feel that something ought to
be done to prevent arbitrary changes of rates
without notice to the public, and to stop dis
ordinations between different shippers. Men
whose dealings with the railroads come under
their local freight tariffs complain that the
local business is taxed too much in order to
cover the loss sustained by carrying through
freight at less than cost. Some of these
opinions are reasonable and others quite nm
reasonable, but men with reason and men
without reason unite in the desire to have
something done.
AS long as the railroads were able to regu-
late {ha.r fF,.r Lx,x Il
"pOOl" secured handsome profits for stock
holders without imposing unreasonable rates
upon the public, there was portion of the
people, considerably numerous but far more
influential, which held it best to let well
enough alone. Persons of this class pointed
to the fact that the railway comb.
nation had not raised, but on the whole
had reduced freight rates, and had maintained
them at point never attained, even in mid
summer until within a few years. They con-
graduated the public, too, that the railroads
had voluntarily agreed not to make changes
without fair notice. Stockholders were de-
lighted with good dividends paid. The public
enjoyed low and comparatively steady rates.
"What more do you want 2" it was asked. and
the question was not an easy one to answer.
But the railway pool has ceased to have anv
restraining power, at least for the present. By
shippers and agents, it is said that there are
no regular rates. Local shippers complain of
the startling discrepancy between through
and local rates, and stockholders ask whether
railway managers cannot be held responsible
at law, if they betray their trust by engaging
in needless wars and Transporting through
freight at less than cost. The complaint is as
loud and as general as ever.
AS is natural with Americans, the perception
OF an evil prompts great many people to
look at once TO Government for q remedy. Few
stop to ask whether greater evils than we now
endure would flow from an attempt to regulate
railroad transportation by the political power.
MIR. Fink himself, a gentleman who has brought
great ability to the patient study of the sub
Ject, appears to overlook this question. He
would have the railroads restrained in one di-
rection. 1t does not seem to occur to him that
the millions Of voters, if ever they begin to