Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-07-05
The Minneapolis Tribune throws OF

The Minneapolis Tribune throws out
some excellent hints to the four new
states now preparing for admission to
the union. Regarding the regulation of
railroads the Tribune says.
The growth Of corporate influence among
the forces that control state has been sig
nificant. 1t las developed into political
force, setting up one man and pulling down
another, as was deemed best for the ill.,
terests of the corporations. It has assumed
powers so extensive in the tolls levied
upon the people that in sheer self-defense
the strong arm of legislative interference
has been invoked of necessity to show
corporation authorities that communities
and individuals had not parted with all
their reserved, rights, when a railroad was
granted q right of way. Regulation of
railroads has become matter of neces-
for their prosperity and development upon
railway communication that the question
presents many delicate features. 1t is a
notable fact that railway properties have
deprecated in value and earning power so
sharply In the last ten years through ad.
verse and oftentimes unwise and injudi-
cious legislation. In attempting to rem
who is invited to invest money in new
railway enterprise musdhavetan assurance
of dividends. Ii after such Investment
has been teased out Of him the people of
the state through which his road runs so
legislate as to deprive him of a rea.
sonable return for his money, he
will withdraw the money already
put in as early as possible. This process
| of Ofinvestment,O of subsequent ADVERSE legis-
latiOn, and of withdrawal of capital, has
been going on so long and so generally
that the road which has not managed at
some ebb of its history to pass into the
hands OF receiver is an exception. No
severer blows have been dealt western in
terests than certain kinds of regulation by
law, enacted by demagOgues, who have
risen to power upon the wrecks of legiti-
mate railway enterprise. Some restrictive
legislation is necessary; but the west needs
railroads to compete and carry her pro-
ducts to market cheaply, and new enter
aged: :.
With all the necessity for many lines. it
is worth consideration whether some
means of restricting certain kinds of rail
way building ought not to be adopted,
The state ought not to permit the building
of new line unless it can be clearly
shown that there is a reasonable necessity
for it.
The building of line of railway par
allel to another line, which is already
receiving from the contributing territory
an amount of business sufficient for but
one, is n0ta blessing but a curse to the
people. Good business policy limits rail
way building to the actual necessities of
the territory to be traversed. It ought to
be true that the promoters Of the new
lines would act upon this principle, but
they do not always do so. The lines are
constructed by nonresident or foreign
capital, and its disbursement is often con-
trOlled by the ambition of some railway
president to break down rival or enhance
his own power as railway director. The
man who has 5000 miles of railroad in his
dominion is of greater consequence than
he who controls but 500. The proper ad-
justment Of rates upon the roads already
built, and areasonable limit placed upon
building corporations will be wise
medium to attain in the new constitutions
The new muniments, while providing fOr
some railway control, SHOULD advance SO
far as to restrain the building Of railroads
beyond the paying point.