Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-20

Legitimate competition %pr0ducssit. There
fore, whenever it will not pay railroads t
take any kiad Of freight d; ratss thst wste
wsys Can afford to take it, then the waite
ways should take it if the Shipper prefer
it. Railroads are now being built alcDI
the Chief water courses, because it has beef
demonstrated that they can do the bushes
cheaper than il team be done BY water. Com
merce should be left to follow its nstura
channels, aud the railroads and water way
should be left to compete without discrim
i~nation, In framing
A GENERAL LAW
for the benefit of the whole people Of thi
country to regulate its vast carrying inter
ests, is it not better to make the rule uni
form and of general application, in which
the interests of the vast body Of the whole
people are to be affected, rather than t
make exceptions that apply only to isolated
cases, and which exceptions may affect &C
materially the purposes of the bill?
10 order to get at the exceptions it be
comes necessary to delegate TO the com
mission appointed under the provisions Of
the bill a dangerous discretion which viz
tually places in their hands the essence Of
the whole question Of determinations in,
tended to be remedied by the bill. 1t will
also impair the usefulness and high reputa,
ton which the commission ought to pos.
sess for disinterested fairness, aud subject
it to suspicious aud imputstions; for every
exception the commission may make must
be in the interests OF the railroads, and it
will subject it to embarrassing criticisms
from which it ought to be exempt.
Mr.. President, | wish it understood that
| have no war 10 make upon railroads or
corporations within the proper limit of
their usefulness. l only aim at fair aud
Just regulations, such as will correct the
unWisdom OF their vi acts and produce
approximate stability aud fairness in rates
TO their patrons. | know there are in many
communities men whose hobby it is to de-
nounce railroads, men who are neither la,
borers, producers, or shippers themselves,
and who never aided with encouragement
or contributed by their means 10 the EN-,
ployment of labor, the building of railroads,
or the development Of any other useful
public enterprise; men who do not create
employment or make tEo blades of grass
grow where only one grew before"
II the development Of the country in
which they live had depended upon their
exertions we would have had little inter
state commerce to regulate; and We and
our children perhaps for generations TO
come would have found our way from our
forest homes by means familiar TO the
pioneers. Ia the eyes of such men, the
man who invests his means or gives his
energies to public enterprises is the sub
isct Of suspicion, denuncistion, AID abuse
Mr.. President, have no sympathy with
this class of ~agitstors. Tney sgitate, not
because they have ever felt or known the
effects of determinations OF the oppression
of corporations 8, but agitate and denounce
because it is
THEIR POLITICAL STOCK IN TRADE,
q capital that costs nothing, an invest.
ment which il it pays is all clear gain to
them aud leaves the development and
thrift Of the country TO take care Of itself
or be taken care OF by those who are will
ing TO labor for it md he advertised Rs
enemies 10 the public good.
Our railroads have been of untold bene
fit. They have been the means Of opening
up and developing this country as no other
country has ever been developed in the
same space of time before. They are the
arteries through which flows the life'blcod
Of the worlds commerce. They are the
mears Of civilization and Of progress in all
the material aims and purposes Of lite.
They have become so necessary to the de
velopnent of every section of country that
emigration and capital will not go beyond
the lineg OF transportation, and in the very
nature of things oil enterprises OF msgni
tude, whether OF railroad, mining. or mar
ufacturing interests, must be built up and
operated by the aggregation OF capital In
the form Of corporations.
This capital, except in rare instances,
cannot be obtained ia the communities to
be benefited most by their construction.
Ii is therefore not only unwise but unjust
TO foster the impression that auch corpora
tons are public enemies to be denounced
and l~egislated sgainst as such.
This country has more
CAPITAL INVESTED IN RAILROADS
than the aggregate Of all other invest.
ments, and thess securities ore owned
throughout the country Unfortunately,
ard they have precisely as much right to
protection and no more than any other
class of property that exists.
There is no community without the la
c%ili,ies Of railroad transportation that does
not hail with satisfaction the prospect OF
obtsiLing it. with all tia accompanying nd,
yantages and c]onveniences. Without
TRANSPORTATION manufacturing can not e K
list, mines can not be operated, forests can
not be turned TO value, labor il without
demand and forced to seek employment
where thrift and enterprise follow IN the
wake Of transportation and commerce We
feel this in the Stats which ! have the hon
or in part to represent, q Sale which
lacks only railroad facilities to penetrate
and develop it's miues Of hidden wealth and
carry off it's forests Ct valuable timber to
make il one OF the foremost States OF The
Union in wealth, prosperity, and increasing
pooulstion. For these reasons would
ask no unjust or oppressive legislation to
r,tard developments or imperiI the capital
already invested. | would treat all such
CORPORATIONS with the same fairness | would
treat individuals, but | would require IRON
them eousl fairness 10 thei! pstFona ,
would invite cap tai and enterprise and
labor with the hospitality Of friendship 10
come and make their homes With "a, and
would assure them fair and generous pro-
lection instead Of Frcclaimipg them enemies
seeking to intrude uubidden and unWe!oome
toto our territory. Aud, Mr.. President
whatever may be said or done by the few
who may be prompted by motives OF their
own, political or otherwise, | am sure thai
in the statement ct this spirit OF broad
minded and liberal fairness represent the
general seutimen, oh this subject which
chsracterizes the great body OF the good
people of my own State aud OF the country
at large. 1890. -,
This spirit is i1st to all-it is this spirit
which has marked and made the progress
Of msrkiud. 1t will Continue TO promote
z.i.1r,ort cf tho pnunt-p at largo