The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-06-19
stlckney's Railway Problem.

- HSHNSAsN "a e1V AAVUtCotCutt
writes Mr.. Albert B. Stickney, the late
president of the Chicago, st. Paul &
Kansas City Railway Company, and
whose views upon the transportation
question during the past few years have
attracted wide attention on account Of
their liberality, has published book
of two hundred and fifty pages on the
Railway Problem That the book
will be extensively read and sharply
criticised, is foregone conclusion. In
fact, the critics are already at it with
sharp pointed pencils, especially those
who write from the Wall street stand
point.
The we'll informed and close reader
Of Mr.. Stickney's book, however, will
not find very much that is either new
or especially startling. Strictly speak
ing it is the old, old story by new
story teller, but being now told for the
first time by man who has had twenty
years or more experience in railroading
as railroad attorney, financier, builder,
operator, managing director and presi-
dent, and withal close observer and
clear headed thinker, it is attracting
much attention, and the facts and ar
guments advanced cannot be brushed
away with wave of the hand. The
book goes further into the problem
than fhe famous work upon this subject
by Charles Francis Adams, published
some years since, and in its exposition
of the method Of railroad managers is
certainly the most radical work SO far
issued.
Mr.. Stickney, in asking hearing
for his book, says that for twenty years
his chief occupation has been in con-
nection with railways, and that one.half
of his moderate fortune is still invested
therein. He commences his second
chapter with the history Of railroad
construction and operation in Mime
sofa, and suggests that Minnesota is a
fair sample of the other northwestern
states SO far as railway matters are con
cerned. The author, in commenting
upon the power of construction COM
panies in the early days of railroad
building in the West, says:
The fat of the land was at their dis.
posal. Merchants sent baskets of
champagne to the heads of the traffic
departments and seal skin jackets to
their wives. Special clerks were re-
quired to be wholly employed in issuing
free passes. Judges and juries seemed
to have preceptible bias in their favor.
The brightest attorneys were retained.
The country press was subsidized with
passes for editors, their families and
their friends. They had learned how
to pack caucuses and control local cleo
tions. They had established lobby
termed the s'third house" under their
pay and control, and which for the
time being appeared to be all powerful
in legislation. They had discovered
that the power they possessed of vary.
ing the location OF their lines, their
stations and their work shops was suf.
ficient to extort money. right of way
and lands from individuals, and to
bring to their Senses" as they termed
it, any disgruntled board of supervisors
or legislative members who might have
the temerity to oppose any pet scheme,
aud there was no hesitation in using
this power.
In the third chapter the methods OF
railway management are considered,
and the woods are shelled with much
vigor, the writer appearing to have
special grief with the managers. He
says the managers claimed the right to
charge such rates for transporting both
persons and property as they deemed
for the best interests of their respective
companies regardless of their reason
ableness or equality. They claimed,
says Mr.. Stickney, the right to grant
monopolies in business to favored indi-
viduals and firms, and by the exercise
of their power to discriminate in regard
to rates and accommodations, they were
enabled to enforce these grants of ex-
elusive privileges with certainty never
before pertaining to such grants. Mr..
Stickney shows the effect Oh such dis
examinations in the following SUCCESS
tive language:
The city in whose favor discrimina-
ton is practiced becomes the big fish,
and at once begins the process of swal :
lowing the trade and population of its
unfortunate neighboring cities and the