The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-05-21
Publicity of Rates.

Publicity of Rates.
Extract from Second Annual Report Florida Railroad
Commissioners.
The law makes it The duty of the Commission
ers " when any schedule shall have been made
or revised, to cause publication thereof to be
made for four successive weeks in one public
newspaper in The town of jacksonville in this
Stale" II also makes it the duly OF The railroad
companies after the same shall be so published,
to post at all their respective stations IN a con-
spicuOus place, copy OF such schedule Tor the
protection OF the people
This moi only requires the Commission to pub
lish their official action in this respect, but COM
mands The railroad companies to give additional
publicity in conspicuous" manner, for IL
common purpose, Tor the protection Of the
people.
Ii is evident that in order to secure the best
results under the law, the fullest information rs
to rates and rules should be accessible to all. OF
what value is official regulation it 1t be not pub
lie? How is the public benefited, II revision,
reduction or other notifications OF rates be not
known ut all? II is believed that where sched-
ule of charges, which is official, is known, both
20 the shipper and carrier, TO the conductor aud
passenger, much of the cause for the dissatlsfac
ton and friction which heretofore existed, is re-
moved.
1t is desirable that between railroad and its
patrons none hut pleasant relations should exist
This cannot be the case where mutual rights
not ascerlained and recognized, and to this end
publicity of rates seems TO be necessity.
Indeed, publicity of rates Of charges which is
reasonable and necessary, suggests the prOprlety
OF The publicity of all matters connected with
railroad management That it has been the
policy of railroads often to conceal rates, and Sc
cre,y maintain unequal rates, give rebates, prac-
tice Determinations, which were often very un
Just to conceal their financial condition from
the public, from connecting rosds, and even
sometimes from the stockholders themselves,
there is no reason 10 doubt
This was unwise; secrecy begets disirust, and
disrust rapidly grows INFO general want of
confidence. Thousands of persons have been In
duced 10 invest money in railroad enterprises
many OF them being investors OF small means,
who did not know, and had no means OF asccr-
tanning The intrinsic value Of The securities they
were buying. Surely control OF railroads by
law ought TO look, not to The benei OF one class
alone, of ihose interested in them, bu. such con
troll ought 10 look to- and our law does not con-
template, that jlst aud reasonable control, which
shall have regard alike t. the shipper and carrier
The corporations and the people.
1t has come to he quite generally conceded,
however, that The evils, the unjust discrimina-
tons the exiorlions ana the frauds upon the in
noccnt and over confident Investors, which could
only exist under cover OF secrecy, and which are
doubtless largely incident to il, are giving away
before The wiser policy of publicity.
In many OF The States where the Commits
eoners powers with respect to rate making
much more limited Than ours, they nevertheless
are invested with authority To require from the
railroads, detailed statistical information on all
matters connected with railroad organization
construction, equipment, capitalization, financial
management and operation, and these are pub
lished
The railroads obtained their franchises from
the people, are dependent on their patronage tor
revenue. On the other hand The people are de-
pendent on the railroads for facilities for carry
ing on commerce. They therefore equally
and mutually interested in The general prosperi-
~ of The State In order TO the wisest egisla-
ton, the most intelligent administration and
the most harmonious relations throughout,
80 that every resource and energy may contri-
bue 10 the general advancement Of all interests,
We favor lull publicity in detail, Of rates. regu-
laiiOns, capitalization, earnings and expenses.
In the State of NJ lssachussetts, the Railroad
Commission. which is frequently cited by rail
road managers as the model OF all Stale Com
missions, lay great stress on publicity. Mr.
Charles Francis Adams, Chairman Of The Buard
OF Commissioners in that STATE, in tesiitying be-
fore Senator columns Committee on Intersa g
Commerce. said, with Us, publicity is carried to
its utmost limits"