The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-05
RAILROAD RATES.
A Vigorous Plea for their Regu'
lation. R

AS the Legislature is elected by
the people for them and in their
stead to enact such laws as will best
subserve the public interest, take
the liberty of suggesting legisla-
tive measure that, I think, would be
of signal benefit to the people Of the
Territory, and that by its passage
the lawmakers would earn their
salaries, and receive the thanks and
appreciation of the community If
not another thing was done during
the session. l suggest the enact
ment OF law regulating passenger
and freight rates on railroads. The
exorbitant rates demanded by
those who control the lines of rail-
road in Utah are among the most
grievOuS burdens that the people
have to bear. 1t is is on the ground
that railroads are. public institu-
tions, and for thepublic benefit, that
they are given the right of way I'M
der the law Of eminent domain.
Then why in the name of
honesty and ordinary intelligence
does not the power which
seiZes land for them so direct
them by salutary rules and
wholesome restraint that they will
be what they ought to-agents for
the public veal and development,
instead of Unsuitable vampires, that
leave the country on which they
fasten just sufficient vitality TO
make more blood for them to suck.
Railroads ought to make fair, hon
est profit on the money necessarily
invested i'll their construction and
stock, but ought not to be allowed to
crowd out mule and bull teams
solely on account of speed. Men
will haul passengers and freight in
this territory to-day with teams
cheaper than the railroads do. Five
and seven cents per mile for passen-
gers is as much again as the fare
ought to be. The u. p, G. p, u. C.
and .. n. railroads ought to be linn
tied to three cents per mile, and
freight rates reduced in the same
proportion, passenger rates on the
others be made to range between
three and six cents per mile, accord
ing to amount of business done.
Such law would reduce the price
of coal One-half; it would also
make a material reduction in the
price of the heavier kinds of mer-
chandise, such as hardware, etc., and
would be many dollars in the
pockets Of every family in the Ter
ritOry every year, and hundreds of
thousands to the Territory; it would
enable more industries to spring up,
and give a general impetus to bust
ness. and while it would be vast
benefit to the public it would not be
a material loss, if any AZ all, to the
said companies. Their grasping.
repressive policy changed, business
and travel would expand, and by its
increase tend to a great extent, if
not entirely, and even more than
make up for the reduced rates. I'm
quantities of low grade ore
would be worked and shipped that |
now is useless dirt. Such a law as
the one | speak of is common to the |
eastern states. The roads are CLASH |
fed according to amount of business
done. In Iowa the general passen-
ger fare IS three cents per mile,
while one or two unfinished roads |
running through a sparsely settled |
agricultural district are allowed to |
charge four cents; but these roads
do about as little business, if nOt.I
quite, as the poorest road in Utah, |
except it be one or two of the short |
wildcat canyon roads, which were
built for transporting ores from some
Of Colonel Sellers bonanzas, which |
from some cause failed to be discov- |
cred, or if discovered, did not con-
tain the right ingredients. | do not
know what the terms of the y. p, |
and G. P. charters are, but presume
there is nothing in them to prohibit |
the legislature from regulating the |
divisions within the Territory. The |
Utah railroad incorporation act of |
SO expressly retains the power
to regulate the tolls on rail- |
roads. There is no question
but that such regulation would |
De great good to the public, and if |
t were put to the people to vote on
hey would poll the largest vote
ever known in the Territory, and |
FOR once in the history of the Terri
5ory. Mormon, Jew and Gentle
would vote unanimously, who were /
not financially Interested in the
'oads, or under their golden infu-
ence Members Of the Legislature,
apprehend, failing to vote for such |
law, would lay themselves liable
% the charge of being swayed by
such interest or influence, and as |
,or them they ought to be relegated
sack to the bosOms of their families,
Is there they would be better appre-
dated than in the Legislative halls.
Let SUCH law be passed, and it
will be referred to as one of the
most beneficial ones to be found |
lmong the statutes of Utah.