New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-17
RAILknAn REGULATTON.

RAILROAD hEO OLdILVN'
The farmers and merchants Of the West who
expected great benefits from the regulation Of
railroads by State and National authority APP
pear TO be at least as much dissatisfied as they
were before the era of regulation began. 1t is
curious now to read their passionate denuncia-
tons and complaints, and to note that the pre-
else changes with which they find most fault
are those which were predicted by competent
railroad men, before the Interstate Act was
passed, as unavoidable results of that act. Side
by side with their complaints in many Western
journals may be found the declarations OF rail-
road presidents who have formed tho Interstate
Association for the avowed purpose of assisting
in the strict and impartial enforcement Of the
law. In most cases these railroad men do not
give expression to any hostile feeling regarding
the law or the interpretations OF the commits
sion. Those who seem TO be least friendly to
the policy Of the act advocate its strict enforce
ment on the ground that needed notifications
can in that way be most surely reached. But
many more Of them appear to consider the law
a good thing for the railroads, though less help
full to the public than its advocates expected.
The Western farmers have learned by sad
experience that the act does not secure them
any higher price for their products. Rates
from most points to the seaboard are lower than
they were before the act was passed, but not
single cent of the benefit goes to the farmers.
Whether SPECTATORS get IL all, or millers, or
consumers here or in Europe, this at least Is
certain, that the farmer 'gets none of it. But
the most distant Of them find that special rates
which were formerly mado for their encourage
ment have gone, never to come back. and other
farmers who are more conveniently located with
reference to lines Of transportation and mar
kets are able TO undersell them more than be-
fore. A relative benefit TO these, as respects
TRANSPORTATION TO common markets, is in turn
moro than balanced by still greater advantages
which accrue 20 other farmers yet nearer the
seaboard. In brief, the tendency Of the old
plan of unlimited competition was to annihiiate
distance and to afford TO all access TO markets
at rates more nearly the same than the rail-
roads are now permitted to make. Tho greater
number of farmers find that they have lost
benefits which under free competition they en-
joyed.
The course Of trade has been revolutionized
all over the West. Nearly every distributing
town, from the greatest to the least, has lost
some appreciable share OF the traffic il used to
have. and its merchants feel the loss keenly.
They can no longer get the special rates, be-
cause doing business at points Of competition,
through which they were formerly enabled to
undersell the dealers in smaller towns, and so
a much larger proportion Of the trade than be-
| fore is done BY local dealers direct with East
ern manufacturers or wholesalers But this Is
only one of countless complicated changes
| which the law seems TO have caused in the rela-
tive position of merchants in different towns.
Some have suffered far more than others, and
while losses in certain branches Of trade are at
| times more than balanced by gains in others,
perhaps it may be broadly recognized as rule
| that the most energetic and enterprising towns
and business men, who were able under the
old method to get the greatest advantages, now
suffer most by their withdrawal. Whether the
public gets cheaper goods on the whole may
| be doubted.
Western opinion is not yet prepared to admit
| that tho evil and loss are necessary conse-
quences of the law. On the contrary, there
| is general belief that the railroads could some
how make things infinitely pleasanter il they
would obey the law in a different way. The
same spirit is seen regarding tho unwelcomo
consequences of State legislation and OF rates
established by State commissions. The rail-
reads cut down their service, run fewer trains,
| employ fewer hands, and make less effort ia
secure traffic which has been made relatively
Improbable. The great Inconvenience which
follow are attributed, not to State laws or COM
missions or to their errors, but to supposed
| disposition of the railroads to make the worst
OF things. 1t is scarcely necessary to say that
thus far the policy of regulation by State OF
National authority has hardly realized the hopes
1 of its advocates.