The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-27

| There is a disposition In Florlda to com
plain OF the railroad commission Of that
state. The charge is made that in fixing
the transportation rates it IS guided by the
| Interests OF tie railroads rather thaI by
those Of the people.
1t is probable that this charge is unjust.
| 1t has not boon 'ry long Since the railroads
| were complaining Of the commission. H.
decd, when TIE commission was first ap-
pointed the railroads insisted that it was
| controlled by a spirit Of hostility to them.
| II is probable that the railroads still think
the commissions rates are unfair to them.
The commission, OF course, expects to be
| attaokeltby 10th tho railroads and the peO-
pie. 1t Gould not satisfy either, however
| great an effort it might make 10 do so. The
| people will always insist that the rates,
| whatever they may be, are too high, and
! the railroads viii always insist that they
| are too low The commission can please
neither party, and it ought not to attempt
to do SO.
| The duty of the commission is plain. 1t
ought to make itself thoroughly acquainted
with the business # each railroad under its
!
that each road would make a fair profit
upon the money invested in it. Nobody
ought to expect a railroad to be operated at
loss, neither ought it TO be permitted to
make eso NOUS profits.
A railroad running through thiuly
populated country cannot carry freight and
pa sengers rs cheaply as one running
through thickly populated and productive
country. Its rates, therefore, cannot be
compared with any degree Of fairness with
those Of the more prosperous road.
Before complaints Of rates are made to
railroad mmissi1n il ought to be deter
mined whether such rates are unreasonable
by that is meant whether they yield more
than fair and legitimate profit If they
do, then it is proper TO appeal to the com
mission for redress.
The fact cannot be ignored that it is bet
ter to pa high rates than not to have a
railroad, because without the railroad lands
which are productive and profitable would
be virtually worthless 1t would be useless
TO cultivate them If what they produced
could not be sent to market.
The Florida commission appears TO be
composed Of level headed and fair-minded
men. They seem to be disposed TO do what
IS right. In trying 70 do what is right,
however, they have 70 be careful not to
be oppressive or 70 injure any interest.
The sudden death Of Congressman Burns,
Of Missouri may have some bearing on the
question whether or not there will be an
extra session Of congress. Mr. Burns was
membcr-eloct OF the next congress, and his
death calls the attention Of the republicans
10 their slim majority, and to the fact that
II two or three republican members should
die before congress convened, and the
vacauci should be filed by democrats, the
House would be democratic. Mr. Burns
was IL democrat, and he no douot viii be
succeeded by democrat
The Boston Herald asserted the other day
that Senator Ransom, Of North Carolina,
was the handsomest man in the Senate IL
has been stated frequently that senator
Butler, OF South Carolina, was the hand
soonest. Now il is stated thst Ssnators-elect
Wolcott, Of COLORADO, and Mcmillan, Of
Michigan, possess manly beauty which will
rival either that Of Senator Ransom or Sen
stor Butler. When Messrs. Wolcott and
Mcmillan present their credentials this
question Of beauty ought to DO settled