The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-06-23
the RAILROAD QUESTION

Reviewed frons the Peoples stand
point Edward AskinsOn's Sophts-
tries shown Up-lmpOrtamt Facts.
Legal and Political, 20 show that
thc Railroads Are Public and MOI
Private Property.
In the first number or the Journal Of he
american Agricultural Association is an arti-
Gle by Edward Atkinson, Esq. Of Boston, en-
titled THE Railroad and the Farmer.
The main purpose Of this essay seems to be
to show that the great prosperity Of our coun-
try at the present time il due to the railroads
He claims that the consolidation Of these roads
has promoted the public good, and declares
that Government supervision and control Of
the roads will be unjust to the stockholders
and detrimental to the business Of the roads.
He attributes the increase in public wealth
since 1869 to two causes, and terms them free
las.or and r. Q railroads. The term free labor
defines itself. He does not explain what he
means by free railroads !" 1t Is fair infer
ence that he means free from oil control except
such as they appoint for that purpose.
He analyzes and tabulates the business of the
roads. to present in an obvious manner their
business operations, and the changes which are
taking place in quantities carried aud charges
for carrying.
4 part OF the cost Of the article. A reduction
III this item Of cost il gain to the producer or
to the consumer, and perhaps to both. His Ia
bies show that this reduction since 1869,
amounts to a, 1OO.O 100000. He passes this
sum to the credit Of the roads, and says that
they have contributed 80 much to the public
wealth. He points to these figures ~ conclu-
os@-o hat he s,.,t,1 have NO for
complaint. and hardly pretext for attempting
any supervision or management Of the vast and
complicated business OF these roads.
Assuming as fact that the roads have no
duced their charges to that extent, Il does not
follow that this reduction Of charges has added
an equivalent sum to the aggregate national
wealth. Reducing charges for carrying things
does not produce new things nor add to the
former value Of existing things. It may di-
minish the final cost at the market where the
sale and consumption take place. II given
quantity is carried at one time for given sum
say slOO, and precisely the same quantity Is
carried the next year for so, It would be evil
dent that the country had not gained so By
the operation.
If. in 1869, it cost the farmer IS cents to pro-
duce bushel OF wheat, and 80 cents to get it
to Europe, and it sold there for $1.50, while in
1879 it cost the farmer the same sum to produce
his bushel and only cost him Is cents to get it
W AuOpVs NACAC AC pOlu ~ ~ VAszOs uC Hi0uC
no GAIN aud the carrier made no gain. fany-
body gained that difference OF Is cents it WAS
somebody in Europe who purchased for 4l.26
what he bought before for eltO.
II it be admitted that this reduction OF fl,-
10a,0OO.O00 in railroad charges caused by its d.
rect effect All increase to that amount in the
manufactures aud productions Of the country
the roads might claim to be one Of the factors,
and to have assisted In causing this increase.
But they could not claim to be the sole cause.
Various causes have co-operated during the past
decade--increase Of population and Of the cap
ital invested in production, employment of con-
stantly-improying labor-saving machinery, a
growing inter State commerce, short crops in
Europe. Our country has been prosperous and
the roads have contributed to this prosperity.
But there have been other causes OF much
greater efficiency. 1t is as absurd to give tho
whole credit to the transportation companies
Is i would be to deny them any credit what
ever.
II we should admit that the railroad reduce
ton in charges had added q, 100, 600 900 to the
national wealth within the last ten wears. il
would not establish the proposition which Mr..
Atkinson seems to advocate. II would not
show that the roads are the private property Of
the corporations, and that they have the Same
propecy rights in the track and appurtenances
which The farmer has in his farm and the
manufacturer in his factory and goods.
Highways are public necessity-one Of the
first wants Of society. public highway, as it's
name expresses, is for public use. 1t is made
for the people and belongs to the people, No
one has any private property in it, and every
one has the same property in it. Dives and
Lazarus are equal there. Every nation since
the days Of Noah have made their highways
common property. One OF the first works BY
the Romans, after they had added . new prov
ince to their empire, was to make q costly and
indestructible highway, free to all. England
adopted this plan AZ q means of establishing
Law and order in the upper part Of Scotland.
The first common labor Of the colonists in our
country WAS road-making, and the road Was
public property. Roads, like the other con-
trlyances for the use Of society, have had the
benefit Of various changes and improvements
The dirt road, the turnpike, the plank road, the
tram road, and the steam railroad. show the
progress and development OF our system OF
highways. The purpose was the same and the
means were changed to accomplish this pur-
pose in some better manner
When the public found il burdensome to
build roads in certain places by common labor,
charters were granted to companies, authoriz-
ing them to luild the road, and have tolls for
the nse Of it. But in all these charters the
road was declared to be- public highway, and
the public reserved the right Of taking it, and
throwing It open to public use, upon certain
terms named In the charters. Every one might
put his own vehicle on these roads and use them
e public highways, paying certain tolls fixed
The outcome Of child OF the turnpike va the
railroad. 1t vas tho next step in the system
Of highways. i was originated as the tram
road Or horse railroad and grew into tho steam
railroad. The first charters were almost literal
copies OF the charters for turnpike roads. They
were declared to be public highways, built for
public use, and the companies were authorized
10 collect certain tolls % their compensation
ING aVUrNo In
was provided in express terms that the public
might use their own rolling-stock on such road,
paying certain tolls for such use. It was also
declared in these charters that the public re-
served the right Of taking these roads from the
corporations, upon certain terms specified in the
BY granting and accepting these special
charters, agreed that these roads were
public highways, built for public use,
and that the corporation held the
property in trust aud subject to surrender
OF II when the actual outlay and 10 per cent
interest ner annum was repaid to It Laws
were made from time to time recognizing THU
trust - An existing duty, and requiring the
Legislature to see that the charges by these
roads were regulated and when necessary re
duced, so that the annual income should no
exceed 10 per cent upon the actual money fur
nlshed BY the corporation to build and operat,
the road. II il to be noticed that this 10 pc
lied property, but upon the funds furnished b,
the stockholders, their advances or contribu.
tions, aud not . contribution or the profit
earned by the road.
The railroad has superseded the former kind
OF highways, and ID the principal highway Of
our country. II is indispensable. We hav.
nearly l00, 900 miles Of these highways and ar,
adding some 10, 600 miles to these lines at til,
present time. As the population expands ant
business increases, these highways viii becom.
more and more indispensable.
The railroad il the modern highway. Shal
II be public highway Who shall own it 7 VIII,
shall manage it2
These are the questions which Mr.. Atknso,
discusses, and he claims that the public hav
no more rights or governmental power owe
this railroad property than over the privat
property Of any farmer or other business MAJ
in the c0untry-that The railroads own thei
property - absolutely o. the farmer owns hi
farm or the merchant his goods.
The farmer i not corporation, and did no
take his farm BY force of . franchise whcl
gave him power to compel its former owner i
sell 1t at an appraisement. He did not take hi
farm under proclamation and promise that h
took It for public use, and could therefore in
woke the power Of the public to compel th
n al II xrr1,L l.