Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-15
SOME CONSIDERATION OF TRANS
PoRTATI0N QUESTIONS.

To those who have paid attention to the
testimony lately given before legislative
committees it must be evident that revela-
tons are being made to those who have
sincerely believed that there should be no
discrimination whatever in the matter of
freight transportation by common carriers.
Thus, il has been shown, not by direct tcs-
timony Of any one person, perhaps, 50
much as by the evolution Of fact and ne
cossity, in the attrition of varying views,
that the application of an absolute rule for
uniformity of treatment Of freights, and an
absolute rate per quantity per mile for all
distances and classes, would be ruinous to
a country.
We take it that this fact is row I'M
pressed to conviction upon the minds Of
even the most radical reformers Thus it
Is to be taken as proven beyond dispute
that the wise policy Is that which fosters
the feeble and formative sections, with the
ultimate Of their prosperity and develop
ment in view, that they may become con-
trihutors to State commerce and State
strength and ascendency; that the
staples Of no country can he trans-
ported at absolutely uniform rates
per ton per mile; that to apply such a
rule would inhibit the movement of pro
ducts which must be carried at the lowest
possible minimum to the end that they
may lie grown at all.
50, too, the fact that one section of the
country demands that it alone shall be adj
vantaged by low through or competitive
rate, and that all others shall pay high
way rate, to the end that the latter shall
he driven to pay tribute to the former,
: established the truth that uniformity
would te Is bitterly opposed as is
unjust discrimination. We have had the
spectacle Of one representative Of the pro
dgging class Of Acknowledged experience,
and whose interests are broad, under oath
declaring that the recognition Of certain
shipping points in the interior g Compel
tive or terminal i, not injurious to the
commercial metropolis Of the State, and is
directly in the intcrc-. Of the consumer.
Yet commercial representative of the
metropolis follows him with the declare
ton that his city alone should enjoy the
advantage OF discrimination.
One representative farmer tells the COM
mittee there should he no discrimination
IN rates while another, of equal breadth
of Judgment and experience, emphatically
declares: q do rot think there should be
uniform tariff Of rates to cover all kinds
OF freight 4 farmer from the north
says: We must have rate, ON staple pro
ducts that viii enable u, to market them
or we must abandon the Development of
that section" But another Is equally posi-
tive in the opinion that the men of the
north should not be favored one whit, since
il Is their misfortune, or the result of bad
Judgment 20 be located dis;antly from p
market, and that the rate per ton per mile
should be uniform, whether the market i
near or remote" While one witness he
tieves justice demands tina, freight should
be shipped in the order in which received,
irrespective Of It's character Except rs to
perishabIe goods, another testifes that
such a rule would block the business Of the
country, and while not greatly iniuring
railroads, would seriously harm producers
OF all classes. A small shipper insists that
20 prevent discrimination in his favor is
really TO discriminate in favor Of the large
shipper, who can drive the !eseag Compel
itor out Of business
These comparisons might be greatly OK
tended, but sufficient has been said To
show that it IS dawning upon the loeisia-
tive mind, that this matter Of regulating
commercial carriage Is not the mere mat
Ter Of the passage Of bill There are Ger
tain iaviolablo laws Of trade which cannot
be invaded They nay be ass,ailed by IN
wise and iil-considored legislation, bot not
with any measure Of success Commercial
Laws are beyond legislative control they
govern, but are never the product Of formal
legislation they are the result OF causes
beyond the reach Of Legislatures they ur-
derlie all human conditions, and can no
more he controlled than can Tie factors Of
the seasons. They may be checked, in
Vaded, diverted, bu. never more than