Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-12-17
nr. Adanls' View,


Charles Francis Adams has given an
opinion upon the railroad situation,
which will attract great attention, be-
oause both of his prominence and the
ncvelty Of his view. He believes that
tho fundamental difficulty In making the
railroad business successful lies In
tho low character of the railroad
managers, who will do anything,
however dishonorable, to compass
what they conceive to be their own ad-
vantage, and In whose good faith no re-
llance can be placed. Mr.. Adams knows
Intimately thecreature of whom he speaks
and his opinion Of him il that Of the gen.
sral public. He does no injustice to the
average railroad manager, though OF
course there are honorable exceptions.
It cannot be disputed that they habit
ually abuse their power and misuse their
customers and their stockholders.
But strange to say, though Mr.. Adams
charges railroad decentralization upon the
rsscality of railroad men, he does not
propose TO correct theevil by Furnishing the
Offenders, In the usual way; but he would
free them even from the restraint that is
placed upon them by the civil service law.
He advocates the repeal Of that law, be-
cause he says 1t tends to permit the evil
it IL designed to suppress namely, the
centralization of railroad power. lie
I argues that the law tends to drive the
railroads into consolidation with each
other, because 1t forbids the railroad
pooling, which has heretofore enabled the
separate roads to combine together. But,
while there is force In the suggestion, 1t
u by no means clear that Is sound de-
duction and if 1t is, 1t does not follow
that proper amendment Of the law will
not perfect it. Mr.. Adams seems to
think that no amendment can he made
which will better 1t, because the trouble
II inherent In the existence OF many In
dependent and competing railroads and
that the only remedy lies In the c0nsoli-
dation OF the roads; which he does not
agree with the general opinion in regard
Ing as great evil.
Mr.. Adams will not soon convert the
public to his belief that the union OF all
our railroads would be public blessing
rather than curse. The creation OF such
apower In our midst is not likely to be
salutary, II the teaching of experience Is
sound. The government control which
could be exercised over such mammoth
corporation would amount to nothing.
The creature would control the creator.
There will be little use in holding elec.
ti0ns when that day comes around. 1t Ii
4 mot very encouraging 10 us to know what
great and often decisive influence is ex.
erted now by money and by corporate
influence over elections; and 1t Il
not wise to propose to increase thu
chance that the popular will may b
buried under such influence. 1t is al
Astonishing thing that Mr.. Adams
after correctly diagnosing the railroad d q
ease, did not find its remedy In the pun
ishment by the law of the offenses agains
morality Of the railroad officers, whicl
are the causes Of the trouble
Why should not the railroad presi
dent, director and superintendent
be promptly sent to Jail for violating tn
law, just as any other man would If tn
Jail II the proper punishment OF the ordi
nary offender and is supposed to suppre.
him, why should it not be useful In SUI
pressing the railroad rascal and rascality
LIST sound law be made; and let props
punishment be visited upon those wh
violate 1t. That Is our practice of 60,
ernment and let 1t be carried out.