The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-05-18
JUDGE REAGAN AND THE RAIL-
ROADS.

yUD6E kkA6AN AND Thk KALI.
ROADS.
For months. says the Chicago Sentinel
of April s, the hired attorneys Of the
railroads have been before the Con-
gressional Commerce Committee trying
70 talk the Reagan bin to death. Last
week the author Of the bill, Judge Rea-
gan, closed the debate in two days
speech. Our space permits US. however,
10 publish only synopsis Of 1t, but
enough IL published to show that it was
. powerful argument and that the advo-
cacy Of the measure has fallen into good
hands.
A Washington dispatch says that it
was . strong arraignmeut Of the grasp
ing character of the railroad corpora-
tons, their abuses Of their power, and
unjust determinations In favor of certain
glasses Of shippers and against certain
other classes, A. well - . forcible pre-
sentation of the merits Of the measure
by which he proposes to remedy these
abuses, - wsn ~ its constitutiOnality.
He devoted some of his time to crit
icism Of the .arknments by the rnilroad
attorneys, In which, - had been expect
Cd. no was very severe. His scathing
denunciation at one time almost pro-
voked an ugly wrangle between himself
and Ex-Governor Brown. the represent
ative Of the Southern railway system,
who was the only railroad representative
present. ~.
In opening his remarks. Judge Reagan
said he spoke not 30 much for the pur-
pose of replying to the arguments that
had been made by the railroad attor-
neys as to show their want Of relevancy
10 the principle and purposes Of the
Reagan bill, and that it was the design
Of t6oss who made them to mislead, be-
fog and deceive the committee into nom
sction on the question before them. He
did not know, he said. Of any single
matter Of greater importance to the
country now before . legislative body.
Alluding 10 the growth Of the railroad
business, he said: {" There h q power
growing up I'm the country which, If not
controlled by law, viii soon establish
. condition of things as much to be
feared AZ the feudalism and aristocratic
features Of the governments Of Europe
In former generations"
BY this he meant the aggregation Of
capital, power and influence and privi-
leges in the great railroad corporations
of this country. There were now in
operation, he said, 100, GOO miles of rail-
roads, representing in cost Of construc-
ton and equipment about five billions
of dollars, an, average of about $50, 600
per mile. This vast system of railroads
was operated by about $50, 900 men, not
including the thousands Of stockholders.
The history Of these railroads, he con-
tinued, shows that in the anxiety of the
people TO secure railroad facilities, the
railroad men have been able to secure
extraordinary, and inconceivable adj
vatages over the general public; that in
many instances they have used money
unjustlv extracted from the public to
influence elections, legislatures and
courts, and 10 aid them in imposing un-
Just burdens on the people who granted
them the charters under which they ex-
ist. He continued: ssThe claim is that
railroads are private property held un-
der contracts, and that they cannot be
controlled or regulated by law-and
some Of the most prominent railroad
managers claim their right to charge for
freight whatever the COMMODITY win
bear-that Is, that they may, Il they
choose. charge enough TO cover all the
profit, and leave only enough to the
producer to keep him at work for their
benefit" x q sea L.a r.z..a. is rr
One vast power, he proceeded to say,
carrying not less than $50. 600, ,0OO. !. 900
worth Of commerce, besides the pas
senger and other business for millions Of
people, presents to the world the
spectacle of being able 10 charge what
ever rates inclination, interestor ayarice
may dictate on the commerce between
States without any statutory legis-
lation to control them Coming to
the arguments made by the attorneys
for the railroads. and their attempt to
make the comhittee believe that the
best thing for them to do was to d.
nothing, and leave the management q
the railroad problem to the corporations
he said; They treat ~ impertinent
any attempt ON the part of Congress tc
control or check their masters capaci
ty." He continued: 2 "Nowhere in his
tory has such vast power been seen un-
controlled BY legislation. For severa
years these corporations havs had powel
and influence enough to defeat all tn,
efforts made in Congress TO regulat'
their monopoly powers; but, II Congress
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