St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-29
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.

The popular impression that all rail-
roads whose lines are entirely within
the limit of a single state or territory
are completely independent of the oper-
atiens of the Interstate commerce law
has been dissipated by the interstate
commerce commission, who, in their
late annual report, say that it is
doubtful If, with the exception of the
municipal street and elevated railroads,
and such roads as are purely adjuncts
of mines or other local interests, there
is one which does not come under the
Jurisdiction of the interstate commits
sion. This claim is based upon the fact
that they all to some extent engage in
interstate traffic. All of them have
traffic arrangements of some sort, under
which they issue passenger tickets over
other roads. or honor those which other
carriers issue, Oh issue or accept through
bills of lading, or in some other way
participate in interstate business. Thus
the commission has held that all roads
doing an interstate business, even
though their lines are entirely within
the limits of a single state OF territory.
must conform their management to the
principles which the interstate act pre-
ScribeS.
It would be well for our state legls-
lature to keep this fact in mind while
engaged in framing new railroad legis-
lation, particularly with reference to
the proposed reduction of passenger
rates to cents mile. Whatever legis-
Iation is done should be in strict accord
with federal legislation on the same sub
ject. With the exception of the short
lines and the street railways. there are
possibly no railroads in this state which
do not come under the operations of the
interstate law. The legislature should
make it point to avoid all conflict be-
tween the state and the federal laws in
the matter of railway regulation. More
than that, we are convinced that the
railroad business of the Northwest, and
particularly here in Minnesota. cannot
stand the reduction that is now pro-
posed by our state legislature. The
GLOBE has ever been, and always will
be, the consistent advocate of regula-
ting the railway management by APP
propriate legislation and through the
Intervention of railway commission.
We believe, and always will believe,
that both freight and passenger rates
should be kept down to limit consist
ent with the public interests. But in
order to attain this end we do not be-
Iieve it to be necessary to do an actual
injustice to The railroad companies, as
would be done in case this particular
bill becomes law. "Live and let live"
is an excellent motto to adopt in rail
road legislation, as in everything else.
| The rates should be kept down to a
point that would be justice to the pub
lie, yet they should always be high
enough to be just to the railroads. There
have been flush times in the railroad
business of the Northwest when it prob
ably could have stood the proposed re-
auctions. But those times have passed,
and the railroads are now having a
hard pull of it to keep their expenses
within the limit OF their receipts. In
view of these facts we urge that the leg
islature take reasonable view of the
situation, and shape its railway legisla-
ton accordingly.