Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-13
ESTABLISHED 1880.
Southern RailrOad LEGISLATION.

SOuSn nSeus more railroads, more
Western States is one of the msrvsis ~ bis eI'
tory, and vet the same strange story of mo.
serial development may be repeated in tn,
south II we act wisely and invite, instead NJ
repel, the introduction of men ana money
The West secured immigration first hv II:
cheap land, and next by its free instiin-
tions. The immigrant, American or foreion
coming from New Eaglsnd, or from Ire
land and Germany, avoided the South, be.
cause there slavery existed, and the dignity
OF labor was not recognized. They went
west, and the railroads followed them and
went before them and surrounded Shem
me work done by the railroad companies
In the West cannot be estimated. Witbou,
the roads the fertile soil of those States and
the application and industry of the Il hsb'-
tants would have availed little. Grea' grain
crops would have served only for fuel,
Delng beyond the reach OF consumers. But
the rail- annihilated distance. Within the
past Few years the wheat crop of the coun-
try mas increased nearly 100 per cent and
1t nnos an open market abroad, bringing
money 70 the farmer, multiplying his com
Iorts' increasing the value of his lands, aud
making MIN an independent man I'm the
midst OF the blessings of civilization. which
otherwise could have been obtained only
within a days journey OF New York or
Boston.
This improvement may be repeated 10 the
South, but not II by unwise legislation or
by unnecessary restrictions we depreciate the
value OF railway properties; not If we try
to take the management of these companies
from the hands OF their owners and give It
over to politicians ard ambitious dema-
gogues. We should not create any feeling
OF uncerteinty concerning the value of the
title to railroads 10 the South. We are Just
beginning to feel the benaficept II llances
OF the extension of our railroad systems.
Agricultural lands are becoming more
valuable, timber lands are brought within
the range of commerce; mineral lands,
winch have been OF no value, are attracting
the attention of capitalists, and adding
LARGELY to the wealth of the community
This good work we wish to 90 on ever in
creasiDg In force and volume. We need
more railroads, not fewer; we wish them to
90 more business, TO carry more passengers,
to increase and leugthen their freight trains.
In other words, we want free trade TO rail-
roads as far as this is consistent with the
we'll being of society.
Over one hundred thousand miles Of road
are In ope' alton in this country. This growth
ls due to the let alone policy" allowing
men 70 manage their own property. It's
magnitude is Of itself an argument against
SOAbAOls IL 10 uOb W Db u6Atru
tnat there are evils connected with this
wonderful growth, some of which might be
diminished, and ought to be, by general
laws. There are many pernicious practices
which should be punished, many stock Job
bing enterprises which should be made
penal otfenses, but It is idle to suppose that
the operation Of roads, the regulation of
rates and the limitation OF competition can
be undertaken by Legislatures without caus-
fnn great fn1Uru m nj ~
By such efforts two serious dangers are in
CURED; first, such ensctments enlarge gov
erDmental powers, Increase the personal and
political influence of Legislatures, Governors,
etc, centraliZe power about the State CAPT.
tolls, eliminate the restraining power Of
competition and give to commissions an
" f11eDce over commerce, over individual
6 fairs, over private as well as corporate
property, which will change the character
of our government, lead to deepotic acts,
and ultimately to the most serious discon-
tent. The second danger lies IN the thor
ough disorganizatiOn of the railroad system.
As soon as It is definitely understood that
Legislatures will no longer respect the
rights OF property when connected with
the extension of the lines will
{ ease, capital will go elsewhere, new por-
ttons Of the country will ask its aid in vain,
and the State, In order to supply the
required couveniences, will resort to
taxation. Not only will the evil be felt
here; it will be manifest In the decay of
the existing lines, in the lessening of
facilities for the transaction OF business, in
very general dissatiafsc ion with rates which
will be fixed, not by any regard to natural
advantages or the requirements of the law
OF competition, but by political irhuence.
Special favors will be given In exchange for
votes, or for instructions from primaries. or
for political support of every character. The
tendency toward corruption, greatly &C
by the war and che multiplication
or offices which It entailed, is now a source
OF alarm to all thinking men. "Bossism,"
the most obnoxious form Of tyranny, has by
Its eXcesses aroused the people to q serious
revolt, but "bossism," controlling not only
the post offices and the revenue offices, but
also the telegraph, the railroads and the
saving bank, will magnify its power teufold,
and nothing short Of political convulsion
will destroy It.
These are the evils which will affect the
business interest and the body polite, the
evils which always follow over-legislation,
and yet in this direction are most of the
Southern States turned. Illinois, with her
railroad system completed, with one or two
lines to each village, can afford for her ex-
periments to discourage any further build
Ing, but the Southern States cannot. Much
Vi the IeSl5laGOn WHICH mas Deen eDac' ed
during the past few years Is very objection
able; all of It is exceedingly crude. The
men who have been loudest In their COM
plants, who have been most vigorous in
their denuuc'ation of railroad abuses, are
the ones who have displayed the utmost
Ignorance concerning them, and have been
blind to the most serious evils which It IS
within the power of the State to remedy.
The attempt to regulate rates from point
TO point, to limit competition, to make new
either by commission or by he
Legislature, will inevitably prove disss rO1s
The first qualification usually demanded of
4 railroad commissioner is that he have no
practical knowledge Of railroads or Of the
problems connected with their manage
nent. II we applied the same principles to
our courts, we would elect men Judges who
had no knowledge of law, and on the legis-
ative committees we would place men who
Knew least about the subjects with which
hey are especially entrusted. Onr commits
lions should be made up IN a different way;
hey should not be chosen from politictans:
he positions should not be conferred as a
'ewsrd for party services, but the members
lhould understand they are more Judges
han legislators or politicians, and they
would approach their duties In a different
Ipirit altogether.
In Texas snti-rsilroad legislation is working
Ierious injury to che State. In Alabama and
l.