The Elk Mountain pilot., 1884-12-11
Much Needed Railway Legislation

GU llldI tCO UWCu ttIitC Will I1Ol OS tan
en- ur in electing a United States Sen
ator. There is much needed fegisla.
tion on many of our most important
laws, which are very defective. There
IS no question in our mind, that re-
qulres greater attention than that o1
railroad legislation, regulating. freight.
We should hare railroad commission
by all means, to prevent any discrim.
nation or favorItism to the monopo'
lists and corporations. Nearly all Of
the states have law now for a railroad
commission, whose duty it is to see
that the individual shipper or company
can obtain the same rights as those
corporations that railroad is disposed
to favor. In New York state this sys-
TEN works admirably, and If it were
not for such law manufactures and
various enterprises in certain portions
Of the state would wax and grow fat,
while others who would not be in the
ring would languish and perish.
This railroad commission law works
[effectually in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas
and other states, and there is no state
in the Union that needs it worse than
Colorado, for the development of our
coal fields. Railroads are common
carriers, and must be paid tariff
sufficient to run the road to a profit;
but they have no right to run through
your ranch or farm, and refuse to car
ry your products to market at the same
rate that they carry your neighbor's
products, so that you cannot compete
with him, and yet this is a fair
example OF the coal traffic of this state
to-day. There is nothing that works
to the injury of the state and tends to
retard progressthan the coal monopoly.
1t simply means: to benefit the few to
the discomfort OF the many.
There are men III the East who have
thousands and millions of dollars that
they would invest in the coal fields in
this vicinity if 1t were not for the fact
that after they buy the land they can
not get the coal to market at a freight
rate that they can compete with their
neighbor, who apparently "stands.in"
with the railroad. Too often sales OF
coal lands IN this vicinity have been
defeated for no other reason in the
world than the above.
What we want is an. act passed by
the Legislature, giving the Governor
or Legislature the power to appoint
three railroad commissioners, whose
duty it shall be to see that the railroads
do not discriminate in their freight
rates from any given point in favor OF
one corporation as against another.
If such law could be passed and
carried out in effect, it would have a
tendency to bring capital into our
country TO develop our extensive coal
mines, whereas at present, the monop,
oily is in the hands of the few.
We do not see why railroads should
oppose such measures either, because
it would certainly increase their freight
traffic. This is a kind Of protective
tariff we do not believe in; for it de-
bars capital from entering our state to
the detriment of all alike. Throw
open the gate wide and give all an
equal show and it will revive business,
bring prosperity to all, and develop
the state.
While our anthracite coal is getting
introduced over large territory, al
ready the supply is not equal to the
demand, SO that Pennsylvania is shlpp-
ing thousands of tons of her coal west
of the Missouri river. whereas the
supply should wholly come from this
section of the country. If such a
thing could be brought about, it would
set to work thousands of men, making
an immense increase in traffic to the
railroads, and adding untold wealth to
our commonwealth by the develop
ment of the various mines.
We earnestly hope that some change
may be wrought this winter, which
will be to the benefit of the entire state
and that the legislators will find it in.
cumbent upon them in the discharge