Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-12-21
The transportation hat
the National Grange Demands.


The report of the National Grange COM
mittee on Transportation concludes with the
following specific suggestions regarding rules
to regulate railway traffic
We ask for certain specific enactments by
the several states whose principal industry is
here represented, each designed to bring un-
der wise and safe control the corporations
that hitherto have made laws for themselves.
We enumerate the principles upon which
such laws should be founded, as follows:
1st That railways are public-not private
highways, and that their stock represe nta-
ton does not change their public characte in
such way as to divest them of any obi ga
tions that by common law are recognized as
attaching to public or common carriers and
they are, therefore, subject to legislative con-
troll.
I'd. As common carriers they have no
right to discriminate in favor of or against
any person or persons or localities.
Sd. That the charges should be gagged as
nearly as possible by the cost and risk of ser
vice with fair margin for profit.
4th Charges should be as nearly perma-
nent as practicable in order that business may
be conducted free from the fluctuations that
make values unstable, and whenever changes
are made in freight charges they should be
formally announced preparatory to their op-
Grafton, and o sufficient period of time in ad-
vance of their operation to permit full &C.
quaintance with their extent and character.
9TH. Corporations are not voters and they
should therefore be prohibited from any in.
reference with elections from all use of
money or favors to influence elections or leg
islative acts, and violation of this provision
should involve forfeiture of charter.
9th. Stock in railway corporations should
represent cost of construction and equipment
and nothing more. In such cost there should
be included right of way privileges necessary
to successful operation, actual moneys eX-
pended in construction and equipment and
nothing else, whatever pretense of value may
be offered
eth. Corporations that build and equip
roads are entitled to liberal returns for their
investments so made, but they are still ser
wants of the state, and their acts, edicts and
rules subject to supervision by the state, which
must be supreme in authority and whose
right it must be 10 take railway properties,
paying duly therefor, whenever the public ne
cessties indicate the wisdom of such CONVEX
sion.
In recognition of these principles and to
make them effective in the administration of
railway service, we ask that the several states
enact laws:
LIST To subject railway corporations to
rules that govern common carriers, and de-
fine their standing as public servants with no
rights beyond those conferred in their char
tiers.
I'd. To prevent all determinations in ia
vor of or against individuals or localities.
I'd. To make freight and passenger charges
uniform and regular, open and public, sub
ject to no changes except such as the exigen.
cies of business may require, and that they
be regulated as nearly as possible by the cost
and risk of service
4th. That change in rates arbitrarily made,
NAV be promptly annulled, whenever, by du-
ly constituted authority, they do not bear
equitable relations to the business upon which
they are fixed, and that such action is equiv
Rlent to restoration of rates before change.
9th. To impose the penalty of forfeitur
of charter upon railway corporations that in
terfere by profers of money or favors with
the freedom of elections or with the action
of legislatures.
9th. To examine, whenever the public ne
cessities require it, the cost of railways and
their equipments, together with the cost of
management, and to restrict charges for all
service to such limits as will afford Just prof,
1t upon these elements of cost, and to invali-
date all stock issues not based on cost of con-
struction and equipment.
The committee also ask the general govern.
ment to enact laws regulating interstate
transportation, and recommend appropris.
tions for improving and developing the nat.
ural and artificial waterways and adapting
them to the needs of our growing commerce.