The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1886-11-20
The Mississippi Railroad Commission.
ViswS Of kr clArks. Of The ilhnsiS Central
On the sakisst

Mr.. ]. G. Clarke, of the Illinois
Central Railroad, has in a small
pamphlet given his views of the
operations of the railroad supervi-
sion law in Mississippi, as follows
|. There was no necessity in Mis-.
sissippi for such a law. The peo
pie of all sections of the State
wanted more railroads to promote
and develop their interests, instead
of stopping the building of rail
roads. See the nnmber of char.
ters asked for and granted in 1882,
and 1884 aud 1886, and how few OF
these have been put to practical
use to the present time.
2. The existing law prevents
the development of the State in
this way: Capitalists will not lu-
vest their money in the building
of railroads to be controlled and
supervised by politicians, because
they have had no experience in
the management of such property,
and have no interest in making
the Investment remunerative.
8. The strict enforcement of the
law will tend to the discourage
ment of manufactures in the State
4. The surplus products of the
State, both agricultural aud man
ufacturing, must find markets be
yond the limits Of the State, ant
the laws of Mississippi are power
less to affect or regulate interstat,
traffic. The laws OF Mississippi
are only operative within the lin
its of the State on the small vol
ume of domestic traffic.
8. Railroads must be permitted
to earn money enough to maintain
tho property and keep it in thu
best physical condition to serve
the pubic, and TO do this the,
must be allowed such rates as viii
enable them to pay the interest OF
their capital, after providing TO
operation expenses. fAt
9. The reduction of charges d
the volume of domestic tratf
transported from point to poin
along the railroads within th
State will necessarily force an IN
crease in the charges on the larg
volume of traffic coming from All,
going to points beyond tho limit
of the State. ha .H ssnI
Z. II Is a fact that not one raj
road in the State of Mississippi
has ever paid per centum pc
annum in dividends TO the stock
holders whose money and tim
have been given TO the construt
tion of the railroads now in th
State. sl.si.
8. 1t is q fact that nearly ever
railroad in the State has becom
bankrupt, and many Of them hav
gone through the courts int
bankruptcy and been sold. Tn
reason for this is that their carr
ing capacity has not been sufiicien
to produce money enough to pa
current expenses and provide 70
the interest charges on their bono
ed debt. This is principally OWN
to the limited volume of traffic
and the sparsely settled countr
they run through and If it wer
not for the through traffic the.
control, destined for points be
yond the limits of the State, ther
is not q single railroad in the Stat
of Mississippi that could earn it
operating expenses, to say moth
ing Of providing for the interes
on its bonded debt. a3fI lHa
6. II is q well known fact tha
the people in different parts o
the State have voted taxes upol
themselves as subsidies TO ge
railroads built for the convenience
and development of the State, an,
in order to enhance the value o
their property; and we claim that
when intelligent people tax them
selves voluntarily for this pun
pose, it is the strongest evidence
that they do not believe that rail
roads are inimieal to their inter
ests, and that they are willing the.
shall be paid reasonable rates 70
services performed. ta
10. We claim that self interes
alone on the part Of railroads,
no other motive actuated thei
management, would lead them t
foster and develop the resources
of the State, in order to give thei
roads increased business. TIL,
charge made that railroad man
ayers seek TO destroy one plac,
to build up another is not worth,
of attention or respect from an,
well.informed man in the commu
nifty. Commercial centres bav,
their geographical advantages, AM
no manipulation can alter o
change these natural positions.