Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-12-20

! eratloh SIlQ tenQencles OF LEG new NO5truul
are equ,ilg misrepresented. The only case
which presents any close analogy to our
own is tas of England. There the rail.
way probsm has been suffered to work it.
self ou; Fith comparatively little inter-
| ference rom the Government. There, too,
we find that when left to itself and the
natural op operation of commercial laws, the
transportation question tends always to
improvement. T. was thought at one time
that competition was the most indispensa.
bic prerequisite of satisfactory railway
service. But experience proved that COM
petition often created more difficulties than
it removed that it led to reckless and ru-
inous warfare that in the end the public
had to ray the cost of all such contests
When Consolidation first began in the En-.
giish saassys, much apprehension was ex-
perienced let the result should be series
of great menopolies which could not be
controlled and which would oppress the
people. PGliament was therefore urged
to prohibit Consolidation, and Royal Com.
misaion was appointed to investigate the
question. The result of that inquiry was
very surprising to the public, for it showed
that the dreaded consolidation, wherever
it had been effected, had improved and
cheapeued the service, raised the RESPONSE.
bilisy of the managers, and benefited the
country generally.
| There was therefore no legislative prohi.
bition attempted, but only general super.
vision. Consolidation has since then been
proceeding steadily, and ir every instance
it has. had good and not evil consequences.
That bugbsar has been removed altogether
in England, md unless some ill.considered
measures are adopted in this country, it
cannot be doubted that in course of time
the same tendencies will produce the same
resGlts here. Nor is there any ground for
alarm in the premises. The fierce railway
wars which have for years been swallowing
up the proib of transportation on many
American lines, must lead to combinations
in the end, and when once the competition
which produces these struggles is elm
mated, commercial laws will compel the
roads to increase the efficiency and econ
omy of their service. This, and not gov.
ernmental ownership, is the natural and
safe ontcome TO be loakcd for ard to be en-
couraged. Asregards the doctrine of state
ownership, it must be admitted that it has
never yet had trial under conditions at
all resembling those which exist in this
country, and that even in despotically gov.
rned countries it has by 10 means proved
q brilliant success. Before such system
could bssQplied here with any hope of i'm.
provemsnt, .Sl1r method OF administering
the Government gould have to be entirely
reorganized. So long gNas the spoils system
obtains it woul Id be mere mids~@mer mad
ness to put the railways into the hands oi
the Government.
Such step under the existing methods
would beyond doubt Z Fate the most ap.
palling and hopeless chaoS and sink of cor
ruptiop ever feen in the world. We should
have politicians stumping the country for
railrosd dire actors. I'VE should have the
myriad ofiSes which would be thus
created filed with yhenchmen of Senators
and congreskmen. once let such system
be intrpduded, moreover, and all hope Of
kvses y 81, y
For the party which OBJ.
the Offices then would
its hold upon power by
up the patronage, nor
keSty be found virtuous
step, whatever it
imp ign. But even if
were established prior
the railways by the
such scheme would
it is a notorious fact
secure the utmost
the conduct of
Yho conduct
rfor:n
curt of the United States
settled the question of the
assessment business by deciding
the statute under which General
Ddrtis was convicted in New York is per.
fectly constitutional. CuHis collected
political assessments from employees of the
Custom house at New York ,in defiance of
the statute which prohibit,f such action.
He claimed in defense that the statute was
Unconstitutional, inasmuch is it interfered
W h the liberty of the citizen. Chief
JuAtice Waite has now d Alared, as the
opinion o. the Supreme t)burt, that the
statute is perfectly constitutional, and
moyeoNer in the interest q good govern.
ment. eHe points out alsu, that there is
nothing 70 prevent persons il the employ of
the Government giving me sey for political
purposesl to persona who sre not Govern
ment officers. OF coure constructive
4 y