Omaha daily bee., 1891-03-07

TIE REAL PROBLEM
Tho convention OF state railroad COM
misioucrs held in Washington few days
ago did very little to help to u solution
of the problem they mot to discuss, but
the chairman OF the convention, Judge
Cooley Of the Interstate commerce COM
mission, read a paper which contained
suggestions worthy of consideration.
He said that the railroad problem is not
to be found in the condition in which
the roads may he put by their projectors
or managers, or the manner in which
they are equipped for the purposes of
operation, neither is it presented in the
relations between the corporations and
their employees. 1t Is not to be found
exclusively in the diversities which
exist between the legislation Of the
several states when compared with each
other, or between the state Legislation
when compared with that of the federal
government, nor is it altogether in the
fact that railroad rates are supposed by
the public to be ina great many cases
much too high, or in unlawful discrimi-
nation in the trans portation of frcights
and of passengers. There are elements
in the problem, but they do not consti-
tutc the problem in its entirety.
The main source of difficulty. in the
opinion of Judge Cooley, is in the power
as it exists now to make and unmalto the
rates for passenger and freight transpOr-
tation. So long as 500 bodies Of men in
the country are at liberty To make rate
sheets at pleasure, and TO unmake and
cut and re-cut them in every direction
at their own unlimited discretion or
want Of discretion, and with little re-
stralnt on the part of the law except as
it imposes few days delay in putting
changes in force, the problem will re-
main to trouble us, the moro existence
of the power making losses, disorder
and confusion constantly imminent.
The authority TO reluce excessive rates
is but slight corrective, whilc the
power on the part of the public authori-
ties to compel the railroads to do what
is just to each other in respect to OBJ
serving rates which they have once
made, and to adhere to rate sheets until
there is reasonable ground for changing
them, is so very slight rs to have no
substantial value. But while pointing
out the real problem, which he charac-
terzcd as momentous, Judge Cooley
offered nothing for its solution, nor did
the convention make any suggestion di-
rectly relating TO it. The body simply
| declared that it is competent for con-
gross and the state legislatures to regu-
| late, within their respective spheres,
the rates OF freight and passenger traffic
and travel, that the power to do this
may be delegated to boards OF commits
sioners, and that uniformity of legisla-
tiOn is desirable on the subject of rates,
all of which was largely perfunctory.
1t is plain that Judge Cooley has indi-
Gated the most troublesome phase of the
railroad problem, and while it cannot be
admitted that it is incapable of correc-
tion it obviously presents great Difficult
ties. 1t is question whether it can be
directly reached and remedied by law,
although the evils involved in it mi ght
be somewhat mitigated, and perhaps the
| only practicable means Of solution is in
the hands of the railroad compa nies
them selves. But unfortunately they
have shown that they cannot be de-
pended upon fora solution of the prob
lem. Their arguments made within the
past two years have had particular refer
ence to this chief cause of trouble, but il
still continues, and there is not very fa'
vorable promise of It's early removal.