The Rock Island Argus., 1882-03-18
RAILROAD CONTROL.

The theory that all corporations created
by the state must necessarily:be under con
troll of the state is beyend all cavil the
right one and should be in all instances
adhered to The only point in dispute, so far
as regards transportation questions, is that
Eef expediency; in what manner shall this
power be exercised? Most of the laws
passed to restrain railroads from a danger
Gus exercise of their power have been eth
er SO manifestly unjust to the roads that
the good sense of the people would not
allow them to stand or else have been in
operative because not rightly drawn Our
| present tariff rates are fair example of
this latter class; doing no one any good
and in many instances making harm. There
can be no question that the work of right
| ly and fairly regulating the business of
| railroads is going to be an important one.
and one that needs above all things de-
sire on the part of the people who frame
the laws to deal honestly and justly to all
parties; in addition to this is the equally
important necessity that they shall have
knowledge and experience to fit them for
the work. To devise system of freight
tariffs that win not only work no one any
harm but will also result in universal good,
is d labor calculated to try the
the ability of the smartest man
and should not be gone at hastily or by in
competent men, else viii we be burdened
with a load worse than we carried before.
t. +4I,o of
even outline what would be meritorious
railroad law, but would draw attention to |
the fact that most of the measures that
have been proposed to work out the saliva
ton of shippers and to regulate state com
merce are not only both hasty and illconsi-
dered, but in most instances, instead of |
being the work of men fully alive to the /
Importance of what they are doing and
having a conscientious desire to do it well,
are formulated with al idea of working
out some personal or political end. These
men elect themselves leaders of so called
party that has no cause for
being except that some few men have
desire for Office and in order to accomplish
1t, they profess set of principles that are
taking in sound and appeal to the popular
mind The. primary one is always state
control of railroads and as far as that pro-
lect goes, as above stated, is undoubtedly
right, but as it is necessary to put it into
some shape wild schemes are invented by
hese adventurous men and the passions
md prejudices of mem are
appealed to in support. These measures I
arely receive due consideration and are
generally framed by men who have no ]
proper conception of the necessities of the
.ase. Hence we have generally had poor |
railroad laws, and poor railroad law is t
worse thing than none at all; for under Y
t more injustice is done-the railroads IF
'eing always under the control of capable c
nen who take advantage of every oppor- /
unity. e
The entirety of the matter is that the a
My way in which we can get suitable a
abroad legislation, legislation that will ?
'uard all interests and prevent extortions, l
re NUT have suitable men chosen to form p
late it. Our present Beard of Rail f
road Commissioners is good in A
1eory, but the troubles with it is t
hat it is appointed by the Governor and 0
hen we have one like Cullom we are sure /
f a Board appointed solely for political c
urposes, and in consequence corrupt b
ne.