The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-03-22
Friday. March ~, 1889.
Government Control Of Railroads.

An important conference of special inter-
est TO railroad men and shippers was held
on March 9th in the rooms of the interstate
commerce commission at Washington, d
G. By circular sent out Jany. 81 last the
State railroad commissions were invited TO
conference on that day for the purpose OF
considering the questions ofthe establish
ment of uniform system of reporting rail-
way statistics, the simpli6cation and unifica-
ton Of the classification of freight, whether
or not railway construction should be regu-
lated by law, the matter of how to obtain
harmony in railway legislation, and such
other topics affecting commerce as might be
brought forward. Commissioners were
present representing Alabama, California,
Connecticut, Florida. Iowa, Kentucky,
Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mime
sofa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire.
New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Car
olina, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Judge Cooley, chairman of the interstate
commerce commission, opened the confer
ence with an address. He showed how in
tlmately the work of all the State commits
sions was connected with that of the inter-
state commerce commission; how impossible
it was to take up the railroad system Of any
single state and regulate it by itself. and
how inevitably the regulations of any one
State affected other States.
He then proceeded to show that the value
of railroad statistics consisted in their all
being collected upon the same basis and the
use of terms that should represent in each
case similar meaning. He said it was
well known that this was not the case at
present and that for that reason the statistics
gathered by public authorities were unre-
liable and to large extent misleading.
This meeting Of the government commits
sion ard state commissioners Of railroads is
but another indication pointing to govern
ment supervision and control of the railroads
of the whole country. All that is worth
considering of value liz railroads belongs
absolutely to the people. the public. The
passengers that ride in the cars, end the
freight which is transported, in short the
people and their proE erty constitute all that
give value to railroad property, and should
be under the supervision and control of an
agent. The whole people can have only
one impartial and wholly competent agent
which is their government, the government
of the United States. This agent has power
10 look after their interests in the remotest
corners of the empire and if necessary fol
low them abroad into other lands. No
State government can possibly be invested
with such control. Hence the very necessity
ofthe case is steadily pushing us towards
National government control of railroads.
Why should siyty millions of people, soon
to be a hundred millions, be placed nnder
the control Of corporations, when they, the
people, are the creator of these corporations
through their government? Shall the
creatures continue to be greater than their
creators?
The Western States have been and are
still making efforts to curb and control the
grasping rspacity Of these corporations.
which if their efforts do not cure the evils
complained Of, impede the railroad COM
panies plans and subject them to annoy
ances while the Interstate Commission show
disposition to subject the roads to Federal
government control in keeping with the
spirit and intent Of the law.
To retain the millions of watered stock as
legitimateiy expended capital. and force the
pnblicto pay dividends on the whole is the
problem which most sorely vexes the roads,
while the public as it gathers more light
and information on the crookedness which
darkens the history of railroad transactions,
is daily moving toward the determination to
confscaie all of this fraudulent stock, esti-
mate the true cost Of the roads. pare down
the obligations to this amount and pay a
decent profit on the actual capital invested
That simple justice demands this, every i'm
partial judge will be compelled to admit.
Henry Clews in discussing the railroad
problem, is forced to the conclusion "lhat
the only remedy for this evil seems to be in
Congressional legislation" "a higher
power than state legislation furnishes, is re
quired to deal with the great railroad prob
lem," be says The same writer argues that
reforms are greatly needed in the matter Of
railroad reports. Here indeed is where the
mischief is hidden Were railroad reports
honestly made the extortion and fraud prac-
ticed on the public by their managers
would be made impossible. In order to
secure such reports and make it too danger
GUS to attempt fraud experts, educated to
the business Of railroad book keeping would
have 70 be salaried officers Of the governs