Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-04

SuusTtuhtu8 IOO PuuCu.
Attorney General Leese deserves a
great deal of credit for his unswcrving
fidelity TO the interests of the people in
the discharge Of his official duties con-
nected with the raj lway traffic and
boz I'd Of transportation. His refusal to
ratify the compromise by which the
test case involving the powers OF
the commission was to be
withdrawn from the supreme court, and
his vigorous prosecution of that test
case. has placed the board of transporta-
tion in IL position to be Of great service
to the patrons Of the railroads, and es-
pecially to the producers. But the at
torney general may, IN his zeal, over
shoot the mark. The resolutions intro
duced by him at the last meeting OF the
state board of transportation are in some
respects more radical than the present
condition Of railway traffic would war
rant. His resolution to prohibit the
issue Of railroad passes to all
persons except railroad employees
has our unqualified approval. The
railroad pass has for years been source
Of corruption and favoritsm in this
state. 1t has been the entering wedge
in systematic bribery of county officials,
legislatures, and delegates to conven-
tiOns. Thousands OF these cheap bribcs
have been scattered broadcast and dis
tributed by the political emissaries
of the railroads where they thought
they would do the most good. This
vicious system has been materially cur
tailed by the Interstate commerce law,
but the state must take action in con-
junction with congress in order to thor
oughly uproot it.
The attorney generals resolution
ordering the railroads to reduce their
passenger rate to two cents mile all
over the state is, in our opinion, some
what premature. We should like to see
a two-cent passenger rate established in
Nebraska, and the time may not be dis
tant when we shall urge Il two-cent pas
senger law by our legislature. We
very much doubt, however, whether Il
sudden reduction of 33 per cent in the
passenger rate would be reasonable, in
this time the only state in the union
where a two-ceut passenger rate pre-
walls. A reduction at this time
to two and one-haf cents a
mile would be very satisfactory. So
far as the farmers are concerned the
benefits of two-cent mileage rate would
be comparatively insignificant. The
BEE has always occupied advanced
ground on the question of railroad reg
ulation, but we have no disposition to
advocate legislation or regulation that
would make railrOadlng Improbable or
discourage railway extension in Ne
braslta. Right here let Us add word
of caution to the state board of transpo
tiOn. The supreme court has interpreted
the law as empowering the board to tx
transportation rates wherever they may
deem existing tolls unreasonable. We
doubt, however, whether the court
seriously contemplated the revision by
the board of railway freight schedules
and the fixing of an arbi-
trary system of freight rates
on all the lines of railroad
subject to their jurisdiction. The ex.
ercise of such power involves respon.
sibilities that no legislature ever
dreampt of comforting on board of com.
| missioners. All that could be expected
at their hands Is to enforce the fail
treatment of railroad patrons and
localities. In the discharge of this
duty it devolves on the board to stor
fragrant abuses and determinations, by
| declaring what is or is not a reason able
rate. They may with propriety request
Il railroad company to reduce freight
rates all along its line, where, in the
opinion of the board, such rates as q
whole are extortionate. But we dc
not believe it to be the province of the
board to exercise the schedule-maling
power, and thus practically assume the
active management of the railroads. Nc
| anti-monopolist has ever sought to con-
fer such powers upon commission
whether appointed by governor OF
elected by the people.