The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-05-20
RAILROAD REFORM,

IL might De an instructive matter 10 consider
the relations of peoples to railroads. The lat
ter are not strict uris public corporations, but
they have great immunities, and are always
at the door of the legislature for some fran
chise, subsidy or exemption; or, perhaps,
with some scheme of independent legislation
having ''money in it''-millions it may be.
They are dependents upon sovereign favor
and hence should be subject or subordinate.
They exercise great power, appropriate our
houses and lands, exert control over vast
field of interests. In the exertion of all their
functions they are essentially public bodies.
Now the question is whether in virtue of their
public relations they are not answerable to
public sentiment and amenable to public cen
troll.
The right of absolute property in a railroad
running through contiguous states, territories
and nations is of itself an extraordinary right
and its possession imposes subordinate re-
lation, just as a servitude is subordinate to
the property or thing to which it attaches. To
be sure such rights are always acquired by
contract, and roads would not be built if they
were not conceded. Yet the constitutional
character of the relations is not changed.
If railroad companies under these relations
were forced to disclose everything they now
keep to themselves, to make public the cost of
their property, everything concerning their
stock, everything concerning debts, in
terest, expenses, rates, earnings and
the amount of business done, every
thing in their management situation,
condition and plans, it would reduce railroad
ing to an ordinary occupation and it would
take its place among the honest industries Of
the country. 1t would be pursued with more
satisfaction by worthier men, entail far greater
benefits, afford more security to life and prop
erty and remove an influence that to-day ex-
erts bad-moral consequences on young minds
ripening into fitness for business enterprise.
There can be no doubt-there is no room
for founding doubt-that such super-inspec-
ton of railroads is an absolute or sovereign
right of government and people. As a general
principle, and sufficient for this case, it may
be said that whatever the universal public has
an interest in doing it has the right to do-a
right which, like others, requires to be exer-
cised with discretion. There are no m olives
to lead the universal public to institute an in
quiry, or to pursue one, but disinterested mo-
tives. 1t is quite certain that railroads would
resist such super-inspection of the people, or
disclosure of their affairs, would carry resist
ance to the farthest extremity, and would COM
bine together to do both.
Their objections to such policy are Of course
vital. 1t would be uncovering all secresy
and seclusion in their operations, through
which they thrive. If such knowledge of their
affairs were kept open to the public it would
totally revolutionize the present system, and
the railroads would 60 into the hands of new
men and come under new management.
What then? If the principles, or rules of ac-
ton, by which the revolution was effected
should produce that result then new manage
ment would be better management, purer,
more Conscientious, more upright manage
ment. Let there be some means found by
which the people may constrain the railroads
to transact all their business openly, take
from them their opportunities from practising
thousand abuses, and then trust TO the oper-
alton Of the principles invoked to bring about
improved conditions.
The railroad man should be conquered to
just this extent. There is no other power of
such demoralizing potency as your railroad
man. lie should be reformed by removing
from him his temptations. When capital
stands in the open light with clean hands, and
fair field for honest operations in railroad
business, it has all just advantages of which
its situation is capable and should make re-
spectacle living. 1t needs no schemes nor
combinations for the transaction of any work
that ought to be transacted. A thousand great
benefits would accrue from such railroad
system as would arise under these conditions.
Now it is in order to hoard gold and let
the deprecated silver dollar, which was the
delight of the nation half dozen years ago,
stand on its legal tender rights. According to
the report OF the comptroller of the treasury
people are locking up the yellow bags at the
rate of about S., ooo, 900 month, which is the
aggregate deficit in visible coin. Such are the
vicissitudes of a monied life when there is no
money but the Auctuating standards. Only
think with what frantic eagerness we pursued