Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-12-22
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LANCASTER, DECEMBER p, 1854.
The Senate Learning.

The Senate Learning.
The Philadelphia Press reports that the
sentiment in the United States Senate is
rapidly growing in favor of regulation by
Congress Of the charges for railroad car
riage. 1t appears to have made such in
quiry among the senator's as warrants it in
saying that number Of them, who have
heretofore been opposedto such legislation,
have changed their views and that others
are in fair way to do so. The Senate
feeling has Jagged much behind public SEN
timent on this question, but the teaching
Of the times is now affecting it. The lower
House of Congress better represents pub
lie opinion, and in this body the majority
shows itself to be decidedly in favor of
freight regulationi by congressional action.
There has been a =" state rights "senti-
ment among many public men, particularly
on the Democratic side, which has made
them hesitate to extend the jurisdiction of
Congress over the railroad highways of the
states; but the Democratic doctrine of
equality in the rights of all citizens has
served to mould Democratic opinion to the
conviction of the necessity ofcongressional of
legislation over matter that can only be
properly controlled by an authority that
runs through all the states. 1t is
obviously vain for any state by itself to
attempt to guarantee to its citizens Just
and equal rates of carriage of their goods.
The prominent and suggestive facts in
thisquestion are that the common law which
has governed this country since its dis
covery, as it governed its parent country
from time immemorial, guarantees to the
people just what Congress is asked to
secure for them; and that they have not
reaped the benefit from the common law
because the carrying companies have been
too powerful for them and their Judges and
state Legislatures.
William Walter Phelps, Republican
member of Congress from New Jersey, who
is prominent in the councils of his party
declared within few days, from his place
in the House, that the railroad companies
would likewise prove prove too strong for
Congress, and that the pending bill to
regulate interstate commerce would be
ineffective if it became law. Mr.
Phelps perhaps is not as wise as he thinks
himself /; but if it be true that the railroad
managers are able to defy law of Con-
gress, and one that hut enforces the doc
trine of the common law, it is well that
we should know it as soon as possible.
We do not consider that there is any
probability of such result. The lessons
of the times are being read intelligently by
railroad men as well as Legislators. They
know that the hour is close at hand when
their charges must be made with reference
to the cost of their work, and when great
prolitss can! no longer be had. Their bust
ness must be made profitable by the multi
plication of small profits instead of by the
aggregation of great ones. Instead of
pools among themselves TO restrict their
carriage and preserve their charges, they
must reduce their charges and extend their
business.
Congress will help them to this result by
putting them all on the same
footing and requiring them to play fair
between themselves. 1t will not allow
them to steal the legitimate business of
each other by offering to carry longer
distance for less .sum. The intelligence
of the railroad officers should teach them
that their prosperity requires that their
business should have that protection from
the law which they have vainly to give
to ii by solemn agreement among
themselves. which are not observed.
Railroad managers know very well that
the interests of the people are theirs, and
that legislation which will make their
charges equal to every one will be bene-
fetal in the end to their roads as well as to
the public. But they are not in condition
10 accept the wholesome medicine grace
fully. They are capitalized beyond their
value and have heavier engagements in in
terest and dividends than they can meet
under fair rate of profit above cost.
They hope for a revival of business which
viii tide them along yet awhile, and are
without the nerve to welcome the only
efficient remedy for their disease, which
demands scaling down of their nomi-
nal assets to their instrinsic value.
When we get railroad values duly
adjusted and railroad charges fixed SO as to
return a fair profit on their business, there
will be such stimulation of industry as to
yield a fair reward to capital and labor in
every field in which it is employed in this
great and growing land.