Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-06
THE BILL WANTED.

.
5 ton, and abolishing the commission
e This bill is drawn with clearness
J and comprehension. 1t defines the
4 duties and obligations of the rail
roads it makes plain what are the
common rights of the shipper, and
: provides for the enforcement 0fthesC
rights by the State.
The bill is both rigid and practical
| It is not the result of attempts TO reg
! ulate all the details ofOur trausporta-
4 ton system, but it lays down certain
l principles which the managers them
selves must follow, and for the viola
ton of which they will be held TO a
, strict accountability,
This bill, without any undue inter-
, ference with the railroads, will secure
to the shipper all the benefits ofcom-
petition and protect him from its
abuses.
Asa practical measure it is ahead
of any railroad legislation we have
had in Kentucky. The extension of
their powers asked for by the Com
missiOners, and to confer which a bill,
has been drawn, was contrary to
sound political or economical princi'
pies. \ comission with such powers
would take the management OF the
railroads from their owners, and
make it necessary to establish a bu-
reau greater in power and patronage
than all the rest of the State Govern
ment.
Such experiments have been tried
elsewhere with unfortunate results.
We have not too little but too much
government. Our institutions were
formed with the expectation that our
Government was and would remain
one of limited power, and they DO moi
stand the strain dreamers and exper-
imentalists would put upon them.
Because we try to do so much we
DO little well. We do not punish
crime, we do not protect life and
property, we do not dispense equal
and exact justice so wisely and so
satisfactorily that we can undertake
TO enter a new field and revolutionize
our system of transportation. As a
business agent the State is confessedly
a failure.
Uyt this does not mean the shipper |
cannot be protected from the rapacity
of corporate capital; on the contrary.
it is the duty of the State to see that
he is so protected.
Competition is the great force that
has resulted in the vast extension OF
our railroad system, and the steady
reduction of transportation charges
We should give it free course, com
petition, guarding at the same time
by general laws against well-known
abuses.
Most of the evils which have arisen
in the past have come from the attepts
of legilation TO force the growth OF
railroads and as an illustration OF
this we need only refer to the perpet-
ual scandals attaching to legislation
regarding land-grant roads.
We should grant only such charters
to capitalists seeking Investments in
the construction of railroads as most
carefully define their privileges
and their obligations. There ha'
been a healthy growth ofpublic sent
iment in this respect, and the hearty
approval of Gov. Buckners vetoes is
evidence of this.
On the other hand, it would be un-
wise to enter on an era of anti-rail-
road legislation. 1t is no time fol
US to begin the enacting of a series OF
laws which result so disastrously in
the Northwest. We want more rail-
roads in Kentucky, for every mile
built strengthens the tendency follow
rates.
There seems indeed to be no neCes
sity fort railroad commission in Ken
, lucky. The Thomas Bill abolishe
. the commission, but provides for th,
y appointment of three assessors, from
whose decision there is to be no ap
peal. This, in our opinion, is bette
q than imposing this duty on the Sink
+ ing Fund Commissioners.
! But the Thomas Bill does NOR
: than this. 1t forbids eXtortion snC
, discrimination ofevery kind, "direct
4 ly or indirectly, by special rate, re
. bate, drawback or other Device" anC
= it defines extorlion and discrimina
). ton.
Z 1t compels the railroad to furnisl
e all reasonable, proper and equal ia
cilities" for all shippers and to al
/. connecting lines, and it impose
heavy penalties for the violation o
the law. Moreover, Section 10 pro
vides that the Commonwealth AT
torney shall in each circuit "institut
10 and prosecute all actions and pro
p ceedings authorized by this act"
10 We believe any fair-minded an
70 unprecedented man familiar with th
II complex problems of transportatio
will say, after careful examinatio
of the Thomas Bill, that it will NOR
elIectually protect the Interests G
every shipper and of every commur
ity than will any commission poi
- -, sessed Of any thing short of omni'
10 cience. 1t ia return to the correC
n. principles Of government, and turn
is the people in search of Justice an