Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-01
MOTTO Be Thought Of
Tin ely Words from the Inter-
State Commission.
RAILWAY TRUSTS SAT DOWN ON.

Some hing Not To De Allowed for Mo-
ment-Effect OF the Law-suggestiops to
the Roads - Recomme ndations - Re-
marks on Reasonable Rates-An Impor-
tant Land Case-The Presidents Future
Programme-A Tour of Europe-whit-
ney's Report.
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 1.-The annual
report of the Interstate commerce commits.
sion places the railroad mileage of the coun-
try on June 80, 1sSS, at 152, ISL, of which
2,3I2 miles had been completed and brought
into operation within the six months proceed
ing that day. The railway construction in
1886 was s, AL miles; in 1887 it was 12,68S
miles. The number OF corporations repre-
sented in tho mileage is 1,25l, but by reason
of leases or other contract arrangements
many corporations hold control of and oper-
ate one or more roads owned by other cor
porations and the whole number making re-
ports of operations at the date named was
G65
Upon the subject Of the operation of the
law the commission says: 40 what extent,
If at all, the administration of the act has
been harmful to the carriers is a subject
upon which the views of railway managers
have from time to time been publicly ex-
pressed-sometimes to the effect that the
damage has been very considerable. The
commission is possessed Of no evidence
showing that the general result has been
otherwise than beneficial. PROFESSIONALLY
the railroad business of the country has suf-
fered many and very severe losses during
the past year. But these have not been due
to the act to regulate commerce.
Discussing railroad trusts the commission
says: Anything equivalent to consolidation
of all the roads of the country under single
bead, or even those of any considerable sec
ton, whether by merger or by the formation
of a confederation which should have pow
ers of legal control, or by what is now tech
nically denominated trust could hardly
be supposed possible even if the parties were
at liberty to form it at pleasure. If the
parties could come into harmony on the sub
ject an arrangement of the sort would be so
overshadowing, so powerful in its control
over the business interests of the country
and so susceptible of being used for mis-
chievous purposes in many ways that public
policy could not for a moment sanction
it. at least unless by statute it were held in
close legal restraints and under effectual
public supervision and control The volun.
tary arrangements of the kind in other lines
of business are already sufficiently threaten.
ing TO the public interest, and the most
ardent advocate of the concentration of rail-
road authority can not reasonably expect
that anything of the sort to control the trans
portation of the country will be provided for
by legislation. Without legislation to favor
it little can be done byond the formation of
consulting and advisory associations, and the
work of these is not only necessarily defect
i've, but it is also limited to circumscribed
territory.
an the absence OF any such concentration
of authority the carriers by rail have it in
their power to do very much toward estab-
fishing better relations with the public at
large, and toward performing better service
for the public, by first establishing better re-
lations among themselves The need of this
is very imperative. The first requisite TO the
establishment of better relations among the
carriers by rail would seem to be a recogni-
ton on their, part Of the fact that they seem
to the public to constitute a class with, to
some extent, at least, common interests, and
likely to be controlled by the same motives :"
The commission sums up its conclusions on
the subject Of uniform classification by say
ing: uniformity in classification, as fast
and as fsr as it can be accomplished without
serious mischie', is desirable. There is graft.
flying progress in the direction of unifieation,
and it has been very marked within the last
year. So long as the carriers appear to be
laboring towards unification with reasonable
diligence and in good faith, it is better that
they should he encouraged ans stimulated to
continue their efforts than that the work
should be taken out Of their hands,
The commission recommends that it be
| auth 7rized to fix the rates for transportation
| of immigrants from Castle Garden to the
| west, and renews it recommendations of last
| year with reference to express companies
/ against the sudden raising OF rates without
/ notice. The commission believes that notice
/ of intention to reduce any rate which any
| carrier subject to the act makes or joins in
/ ought to be published not less than thret
/ DAYS before the reduction should be giver
| effect, as provided in the amendments nov
/ pending, and that the provisions against
| false billing, false weighing, etc, should EN-
brace also the owner of the property OF any
| party acting for the owner or consignor o.
the property who shall be party to any
such unlawful conduct