Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-12

ana unrepresentatlVe OF the voice OF the
people.
1t was, in short, bold and shameless,
attempt to invest political bosses and
committees with constitutional powers
than which neither those of the legislative,
the executive nor the judicial departments
are superior-to practically work revolu
ton, and change the form of government.
For if by threat, intimidation, partisan
torture and political inquisition, the Rail
road Commissioners can be hidden what to
do, and what not to do, why should not
the Legislature, the Governor, and the
judges of the Courts be in like manner
converted into the mere puppets of politi-
cal masters ?
The report just fled, with grim sort of
justice, makes history of these things. a
minority report is to be filed. The ma
jority report is defensive of the position of
the Board against the clamor of last year,
and in support of its final Judgments.
Naturally the minority report will repre-
sent the radical view, and defend the pro.
position to make the burdens of railroads
! heavier and the business more difficult of
| conduct than it has pleased the majority
to decree.
This majority, when the fires through
which they have passed are taken into &C.
count, are certainly justified in the use Of
strong language in defending their posi-
ton. Thus, the radical proposition for a
destructive uniform low rate of fares they
declare was Calculated to perpetuate the
very inequalities prohibited by the Consti-
tuition" Instead of equitably adjusting
rates, it absolutely inflicted injury upon
the railroads and the people alike, since it
Disseminated against the weaker most
needing, and in favor of the stronger least
needing low rates, while it required of the
roads equal service for one rate, under
varying conditions and circums tances of
cost and difficulty.
Instead of this the Commission say they
have inaugurated what the judgment of the
majority deems "a safe, steady and for
ward movement, in the confidence and
strength of that intelligent conservatism
which is progress in the right direction.
And in another place, recurring to this
much misunderstood and much abused sub
ject of uniformity of rates, that has been
so largely the capital stock of the dema-
gogic press, the Commission says 1.-The
circumstantial and conditional factors of
transportation are the admitted and neces-
sary criterions of its cost and value, and
are each and all of them inconsistent with
any theory of unconditional uniform rates
of fare and freight" 1t adds, by way of
illustration, that "to impose such rates
upon the Central Pacific Company and the
leased lines under its management, at rent
ais ranging from 500 to s., 1874 per mile,
would be to make some of them bankrupt
pensioners upon others-convert relations
beneficial to all into penalties upon such as
have the least to gain by them-to substi-
tute for reasonable compensation a rule of
rank injustice, subject to which not one of
them could have been constructed and to !
arrest their extension to Districts in squalid |
want of them, upon the mere pretense of
favoring those who have them"
The question of the effect of the reduc. |
tions is discussed, but it will be more
profitable to await the practical results
than now consider the probabilities or
possibilities. The Commissioners say,
however, that in what they have done
they have not attempted to do imposs
bic things, nor to reverse or revise the
Constitution, the irrepressble laws of
trade, or the equally enduring principles
Of transportation, which is the equivalent
IF uttering the truth that radical would.be
-eformers have attempted precisely such
irrational tasks, a fact the history of rail.
Dad regulation in California fully sustains.
Referring to the arbitrary freight rate
'eduction proposed by the minority, the
Commission says "It proceeds upon the
discarded hypothesis that all rates are too
nigh in the same proportion and thus,
yitnout checking or comparing them, rests
ipon proposed reductions in the same ratio.
N short, it proposes blind movement,
without method and without such pre-.
'equisite examinations and equations of
Existing rates, as shall make the proportion
II one schedule subserve the double pur
pose of reduction and regulation"
With regard to the range of the discus
3ions before the Commission, and concern
ng its duties during the rage of 1888 the
Board very incisively aud correctly de-
,lares that it went beyond the legitimate
inc of their consideration, was "unprofit
.ble and uninstructive and irrelevant
md foreign to any duty it had to perform.
For as the Commission says, as a consti.
utional tribunal with well defined official
unctions, to be exercised as provided by
he lsw, and impartially to both shipper
md carrier, it must act in Judicial spirit.
IS do the Courts Of record. Az its decrees
IRE by law declared in advance lust
md reasonable" it follows that to make
hem so in fact "they must, without pref
renee of person or corporation, be based
ipon the varying conditions OF the service,
md be a reasonable recompense therefor.
The Board warmly denies the intimation
hat the political rage and the storm of
buse and threatenings of last year in any
manner affected it or influenced its judg.
nent Yet it is not doing violence to
probability to assume that, however strong.
y intrenched behind their own con-
,ictons, fallible men as they are,
hey may have been affected by the inf
noes referred to, and that, too, at the very
inc when thew deemed themselves least