New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-12
p1trpo1DS 1vD GOTERNlfENT

RAILROADS. AM bO| EHN III E-'i
Some Of the railroads are in dltficulty some
are not able to manage their affairs peaceably
with their neighboIS Others have been treated
with gross injustice by state Legislatures or
the Interstate Commerce Act or Commission
Therefore cmincntly wise persons suggest, let
the Government take the management ana
responsibility of all railroads. Let Gov
eminent take Up thcig bonds with It's own
at lower rates of interest, which Will save
a considerable part of the cost OF tranSpolta-
ton. Let centralized management by Govern
mcnt insure greater economy IN purchases ana
nut an end to all WaSteful expenditures III
soliciting business or fighting over competitive
traffic. and then the cost of transportation can
be reduced for everybody beyond the dreams
Of any Grange or Farmers Alliance.
1t is sad fact that bright visions OF this
Kind 50 often fade into thin air at the touch
of practical reality. ii there arc bondleSS
benefits to be secured by consolidation, the
railroads themselves can secure those dement's
without the Intervention Of Governments IL
may be said that they are consolidating al
ready and so indeed they are where cIrcum-
stances appear 10 render constellation mutually
| profitable But il has not been observed that
the profitable Pennsylvania and the unproht-
| able Erie have become one railroad nor nave
! the Vanderbilt roads and the Wabash cOnSoH-
| dated The scheme to embrace all the lan-
roads in one property. the many that are worth
nothing with the few that have revenue
| larger than that of the United States Govern
ment. has in it elements of difficulty, not to
| say of untalrneSs
| e 4Io d. MA fhGIr
bonds now on about as good terms as those
Of the United States can he placed. But u
Great many other roads can borrow money only
with difficulty and at high rates. To some the
! Government credit would be OF little adyan-
tage: what would be the propliety OF giving
it 10 others that are in performance or possible
! outcome the least deserving? Why should
| freight be cheapened on these bankrupt roads
through loans Of the public credit III order 10
! take>away traffic from prosperous rOad when
! has been the more wisely located on managed
! Greater economics in buying and Inning labor
! could be effected by Capitalization of manage
| rnent. il is said But that is doubtful.
| The United States pays more than NelI-man-
aged companies for almost every kind OF work
or service or product. from the least or worst
10 the highest or best. 1t cannot get at any
price the services Of men who command the
hest wages from corporations. It is absolutely
incapabc Of selecting without partisan lean
ingS. and forever must be. 50 long as govern
ment by the people is government for the
people
But if all the roads together could buy coal
or rails or labor more chcaply, Government
acting as their agent. what business has GOV
eminent 10 squeeze the wages OF the railroad
hand or railmakcr, or coal-mincr in order 4
increase the profits Of the shipper on trader
If certain millions are 10 be taken from the
! one set. the artisans and Wagc-carncIS, and
| Given 10 another set. the traders aud shippers
how is the country 10 be benefited? No doubt
il would be a good thing for the public to b'
able 10 buy cOUpon-boolls AT a fixed price pen
passenger per mile or per ton per mile, good
over every railroad in the county. or good
within certain zones q distance, or for certain
kinds of transportation. But if the benefit Il
the public is really great and really attain
able why cannot the roads for their own adj
vantage. provide such arrangement? shall We
mil ND the rails Of the great number of rail
roads that would not pay on such basis, 81
opcratc them at the expense OF the rest or a
pnblic expense. for the benefit Of the people
scattered along their lines? If consolidation
for the control and equalization Of rates Woul'
be such a blessed thing, why was II considered
Such a curse when the railroads attempted j
hy DOOing?