New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-23
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RAILROAD INTERESTS.

nAlLEOdU lN1EhkSIS.
LELAND STANFORD ON RAILROADS.
A PLEA IN BEHALF OF CoEPogArs pIGHTs-cER.
:. TAIN QUERIES ANSWERED.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 22.--Leland Stanford,
president the Central Pacific Railroad publishes
threecoumn letter this morning TO tbs Special Commit
tee on Fares and Freights OF the NswYork Board Of
Trade, answering questions propoundcd by them and
also Judge Blacks opinion The chief points 10 Mr..
stauford's letter are rs follows:
The general scope Of the questions goes CONTROL
to greater or ss extent. OF property which sockhod
own II the question Of the control Of railroads were
be threatened purely from legal standpoint should
sence Of ownership is in control The yane OF properly
consists consists m IT'S use OF the rents and pisnts 70 be
the Of the profits and the were declared to bc
tine subject of legislation Tue principle IN these
ta, the right OF the legislation to control the and
the benefits OF the property Of private individuals IN
determined by the nature OF the business tho number
Of people with whom the bushes, might DO transacted
assumption OF fact IL does not follow that
the warehoussmsn necessariy does onsln-ss with q
to the utmost the capacity Of the warehouse, and In
ua may uss the property and appopr ave tbs services
OF one or more persons there s no Init to which the
power may be exercised over all knfs Of business Then,
when the harmony between decision Of tne courts
sustaining this doctrine and the fundamental principles
OF our Government to which ansi, IN bias before ben
made These decisions sustain Judge Blacks assertion,
but there eau oe denying that they most ta2rant
arc entirely In harmony with theory Of gOvernment
which rests it's foundation on might and asserts the d.
vine right OF kings. 1t was never intended that this
to assume that form. when it IS claimed that il should
x the term OF contracts between Independent parties by
attempts at regulating the rates shippers shal pay and
carriers shall receive tor their servcesi
Mr.. Stanford adds Bat proceed TO treat the SUBJ
ec IN its political economic aspects In your fist u-
erroglory you seem to beg the Whole question ana
conmon carriers and derive their franchise and
rxsieDce IRON the public do not think the ASSUMPTION
10 proper Corporations are formed, believe, trodgjOut
al the states OF our Union under general Incorporation
laws they formed the individual corporators
Tue properly OF the incorporation Is contributed by the
Stockholders and the State moro the corpora
ton or It's property than II creates Joint partnership
individuals tie partnership property. The
corporation obtains noihing which cannot be had oy
any set VI lndiyidual5 wh1 choose to associate them
selves to either as corporation for the same purpose
Your second que stlon Is: Railroad managers justify
tef ref them 10 others on the ' ground Of
development Of business in certain localities;
citizens allow railroad manager, to decide what per-
and places shall bo thus developed shall not
us end communities but content myself this head
By Simply stating that such has never been practced by
they concerned, they practice the Same business
principles that govern and regulate individuals in the
ton with the railroad managers under the observance
Of tie goaen rule is their treasury With this idea IN
freight ut less rates for longer than for a
shorter distance anu they accept the less rate because
they do better, and because small profit bet
tuan DOne Tuner the substantially unilnitsd con-
troll OF thoir own affairs winch rai!rDed companies have
enjoyed, rates OF transportation nave steadily been re-
daced unr AZ present their general rates are far below
what even your committee would ten Yeas ago have
deemed possible.
There principle OF business exercised by tho
railroad companies In their niauayement that Is not
deemed honorable and winch is instant practice
by the merchant the nanufacIarer TIE lawyer The doc
tor and the farmer
As 70 the iGea suggested by question five that court
he established 10 determine upon iu inquiry The ques-
II Jus OF justice between the carrier paron that
IL
o! commissioners 10 exercise control over the propef
o. others IS concerned that another matter and which
cannot be expected to approve.
AS 20 question SIX. informed that competition
iieve that this pooling oniy through bust
of roads out the GovernDelt i TO qitaby
pooled OF the roads consolidated.
To the ulp question. TO limiting earnings
Mr. Stanford that thefe Justice In limiting
what be earned by the exercise OF sagacy aud In
companies, lie says that Is Of the
themselves, and iotmafes t Is nobo1y elses pusi.
OF the practice Of tue railroad companies or
IA lroad managers in contributing large sums
puIc ii ,mpalei !uu is e. Mr. Stanford answera: at
nIhk OF dial as $40 OF individuals dong the thing.
other | know. however, that tue railroad companies
Go these iimgs. IL is Invariably when they are COM
cnrd c"nrscGioh OF Their properly under TIE Flea OF
regulation"
power CT large corporations anJ b IL jsequent
vi1AiiOuS OF pubic rights rs deyc0.ett tie lac rail.
au,agoni'm OF capital aud iAoor in ihis c9unsryp
l. ave the railroad iDdus ~ uncrlppeO; leave the con-
trl r'iroad property as yoa leave that o, other
property, and you will never have 70 ask
sucI u Ques,0a. 10 10 that
mun.sm CO.'S froa tile people who seek
10 control only tleir own properly, Dut rather from
those who WISH only 10 control and reGuJte prop
crties III T.. creation Uf wnlch thcy had 20 part or
ownership, bit also The labor OF others III tner
management. WHAT ycu propose II fegarU - rur0ad
property 20 NY mind par with tue principles
commended for by the Communist, aVd sac aaiia;oI
Kearncy advocated dOSt lie rc.url 10 property
airocous than tie principles em1olicd IN The
Il anger cdses,' aud the laws Which chcy sustaip
Mr.. Stanford goes at length ino The question
Of legislative cOntI0l OF rdo ,Gs, showing
tue d niculIies wh.ca stand in the way. II the
people want control over tie road,
They they have said u the corporation 1t
do when tho State exercises TIE Right or ennenr
domain that pay 10 Iue IN vIdual owntrs the full
value whatever taken for pubic use, ana to tais ie
must come at Inst II tie control Is 10 DO
tax. II fro.a tic stockholders without coGi ,caaun
Referring 10 Judge BlacXs starmeue about verb,
me 1T aId PacIo rd;irOIds Hf. SaIlDrd saws: 80
far from the aid OF the Gvcr.nt ben spii lent 10
bald MIRA Pacific Hliroad, ctn SAL. because
whereof sp AK that every oiar derived from
OF tna Government credit went tno t'e con-
sir,icoR OF tue ROAD, together with a mIch lager
rUunt derived from the other resUarceG VI tue CONF