The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-10-02
Railroad Rernlation.

commissioners is q question being
generally discussed by politicians
and in political journals. In the
eastern and middle states, where
sharp competition has reduced
freights and fares to the lowest
point ever reached by any system,
the matter is attracting little or no
attention. In fact its agitation is
confined to the far northwestern,
southwestern and southern sections.
One reason for these OSCILLATIONS of
the issue is to be found in the com
plications of the states, cities and
counties with railroad finances,
through endorsements, loans, etc.
These entanglements have dragged
the railroads into politics, to the
great detriment of roads and their
patrons, and retarded the building
of new lines.
The real question is one of cold
business and should be settled quite
outside of political considerations.
The general business sentiment of
some southern states favors some
kind of. advisory or statistical state
railroad board; the better informed
of our southern citizenship oppose
mandatory state control of the
roads.
Still, the agitation has done some
good while being productive of no
little evil. 1t has set both mana
gers and their patrons thinking and
reading about their relations to
each other. 1t has also laid bare
many abuses, and the exposure has
been sufficient to modify some and
rOmoVe others. The people have
learned that they have rights of re-
dress under the statutes of the
state and at common law, and con-
clude the chief use of a commission
will finally be the enforcement of
obvious legal and equitable rights
of roads and their patrons. From |
a strained state of public hostility |
to railroads a reaction has brought |
about a better understanding be- |
tween them and the public. In a
word, the uproar about railroad |
tyranny" has been a means of edu- |
eating Gearl y every considerable |
shipper in the several sections of |
the country where the noise has
been marked and they now know
that the managers of railroads are
not alone to blame for any friction /
that may exist.
One class of our people take no
stock in the war made and being
made on the roads-the manufac-
5urers. The rapid development of
the iron and cotton industries in
the south had not been possible
but for the generous treatment they
have received by nearly every south
ern line. Were it not for the low
rates of freight on iron and cotton
goods to northern and northwestern
cities, every furnace in the section
would be cold, every spindle idle.
AS matters stand our ironmasters
ship iron to Boston and several 9th
er New England markets, and he ye
about secured q monopoly OF the ,
pig iron supply Of northwestern
mills and nailworks. The
should here give the
southern railroads very big credit
mark.
Southern merchants have learned
hat by com bination they now Sc
cure fair dealing and the prompt
correction in most instances of er-
oneous and unjust rates to given
points.
Local discrimination is about the
My serious abuse now in exis tence
Election. Southern commerce and
he rapid development of the whole
ale trade of the south will soon re- :
move or greatly lessen that.
On the whole, the south is about
eady to conclude that competition
f new lines and watchfulness of its
interests and rights will cure what
yer is durable of the abuses that
hiefy grew up in the cruder period
! ''ii va" HIS'DJry '1DJJry.-Tradesman.