The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-10-31
The Railway Commissions Report.

The commission explains, after an intro
ductory paragraph, that at the date of the
report but twenty months had passed since
the board entered upon its duties, and for
this reason the members determine eau
tiously upon conclusions and radical sugges-
tons of innovations in railroad legislation
and methods" 1t shows how intimately
every citizen of Vermont is concerned in
the railways of the state. They are almost
the only means of carrying surplus products
to market and bringing in the necessaries
or luXuries from other sections or countries
The railroad has become necessity to the
convenience, comfort and prosperity of the
whole. The relations of people and rail
ways are absolutely inter-dependent. In
view of the close reciprocal interest of rail-
road and patron, it seems almost amazing
that acts of injustice and oppression should
ever have found place between them
but the last forty years are replete with con-
troversies and litigation between corpora
ton and patron, and omission of duties and
trespasses upon rights have been found as
frequent in these lines of business as in
many others; and the faults have not been
all on one side. The old principles of JUS
tice have had to be applied to the new order
of things in the railway world by the enact
ment of a railway code. The equitable
features which the law, by reason of its uni
versatility, does not always reach, are still
open, as they will always he, for the deter
mination in each particular case of differ
ences honest or otherwise, that will arise
in the carrying trade of the land
COMPLAINTS.
The board has considered and determined
sixteen cases upon complaints of persons
aggrieved. No complaint where the board
had jurisdiction has been unheard Some
complaints have revealed grievances which
come to railway officials knowledge for the
first time. These have been corrected.
The larger number of complaints have been
adjusted through the board to the satisfac-
ton of complainant and respondent and
without the necessity for "A formal trial
NOT PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.
In the more primitive days of railroading
it was not so fully realized as now that rail-
road companies are not private enterprises,
holding their great privileges and franchises
only for the purpose of corporate gain. 1t
is now recognized that their great privileges
have been conferred largely in consdera-
ton of the duty which they owe to the body
polite. The legislature has parted with
these rights of eminent domain only sub
modO, or in trust, and expects the trust to
be exercised by the corporations in such
manner as to inure to the benefit of the
people of the state, as well as to the reason
able and limited profit of the corporation
The people have right to demand this. 1t
is the only basis on which the legislature
could lawfully confer a charter BY its ac-
ceptance the railroad company has agreed
to provide the pubic with all Such suitable
and reasonable accommodations as can con-
sist with its continued existence
ANNUAL RETURNS.
The law requires that the biennial report
contain statement of receipts and OK
penditures of railroads for the two preceding
years, the source of receipts and for what
expended. A special value attaches TO
report having comparative statements and
tabulated results, summarized from annual
returns of railways, showing cost, capital
stock, debts, expenses, earnings, dividends
amount of business, fares, freight traffic
etc. Much of this has been withheld from
the board for both years, some for only first
year and but few have fully complied with
requirements of the board. The fiscal years
of the companies end varously, but the
board has sought TO employ the power given
il to bring the roads to adopt the 30th of June
the day fixed by the interstate commerce
commission, as the date for the yearly re-
turns to end
GRADE CROSSINGS.
The board considers this subject at some
length. 1t earnestly urges the propriety
and necessity for legislation which shall
gradually abolish such crossings as are now
in existence. This can be accomplished by