The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-10
The ATTACK On the Railroads.

| 1t is not exactly clear what the object OF
/ those members Of the legislature Is who are
| attacking the railroad combinations of this
state. They say it is 10 save the people from
! the exactions of monopolies, but it has not
yet appeared in anything they have SAID that
the people will be benefited in the least II
they should succeed in breaking up the com
binRtions 1t is true they appear to be act
ing in harmony with that provision OF the
constitution which prohibits such comblna-
tions of railroads as would destroy competi-
tion, but that provision was adopted before
it was understood how completely the traffic
rates of railroads can be regulated by a
railroad com mission.
II is easy to demonstrate that a number
Of railroads under one management can be
orereted at much less cost than the same
roads can be operated under separate man
agements This being the case it follows
that system of railroads can afford to
carry freight and passengers at lower rates
than the roads forming the system could if
operated es separate corporations. What
then is the objection to permitting railroads
to be combined into systemsi 1t may be
said that systems, being freed from COM
petition. have the people at their mercy and
charge whatever rates they please. But
they cannot charge any higher rates
than railroad commission permits.
There is ample evidence to show
that in this state the railroad commission
has complete control of railroad rates.
Nothing has appeared anywhere to show
that the railroads are greater than the COM
mission. On the contrary, it is q fact that
the railroads have never failed to comply
| with the regulations provided by the COM
mission. Some of them have protested
against rates fixed by the commission, but
their protests have awaited them nothing.
If the attack that is being made upon the
railroad combinations of this state should
be successful the result would lie that the
commission would have to raise the rates
TO enable the roads to pay expenses and
meet their fixed charges. 1t is apparent
therefore that the object Of the attack is
not to benefit the people. And it is doubt
full if the section Of the constitution relat-
ing to railroad monopolies would have been
adopted had it been understood how COM
pletely railroads could be controlled and
regulated by a commission.
In the railroad world the movement
toward combinations is almost Irresistible
In letter written last Monday Chief JUS
tice Bleckley, Of this state, speaking Of the
discussion now going on in the legislature
relative to railroad consolidation, said
Development includes the combination of
links into chains, and the consolidation of
chains into systems, for control and man-
agement. The reason why railway service
is better and cheaper after consolidation
than it could be before, is the same reason
which enables the wholesale dealer to sell
superior goods at q lower price than the
ordinary retailer can afford to sell an infe-
rior article"
The foregoing seems to be a sensible view
of the matter. If those who are attacking
the railroad combinations could show that
the people would be benefited if they should
succeed in their purpose they would be en-
titled to encouragement, but that they can
| not do