Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-01-14

t animation by authority OF tne slau'
, be made annually or semi-annually
: of the bridges and roadbeds of th'
I various railroads of the state, an ex
pert in such matters to be appointed
by the governor, who would make
on foot a thorough examination o
such roads, would be much morc
effective of good than the exanin
alton of dozen railroad commits
sioners made from the windows o
palace cars.
LAWS REGULATING MONOPOLIES
Laws should be passed fixing The
maximum rates to be charged by
the railroad and telegraph compan.
les within the state, and the legisla.
tive bodies of all incorporated cities
should have the power conferred
upon them to fix the rates to be
charged by all monopolies within
corporate limits, such as gas, water,
telephone, and electric light com
panies. Laws should also be passed
preventing by the imposition of
heavy penalties any discrimination
whatever by common carriers, in
either freight or passenger transpor-
tation, orln the charges of telegraph,
telephone or other mOnopolies.
In order to secure reasonable
charges for the towage of vessels
from the open sea into the Colum-
bia river, by which the commerce of
our state would be increased, and
the cost of the transportation of our
exports to foreign markets would be
materially lessened, to the direct
benefit Of the producers of the entire
state, it would be extremely adYis-
able for the state itself to proylde by
law for the building of two steam
tugs, to be operated by the state in
connection with the pilot schooner
now owned by the state, charging
only for the towage of vessels such
rates as would merely pay the inter-
est on the investment, the current
expenditures and the other necessary
outlays for keeping the tugs in good
repair. Let this be done, and let the
Columbia at the cascades and the
dalles and the Willamette at the
falls be opened to free commerce,
and all monopolies upon our trans
portation facilities would be com
pletely disarmed and removed by
open and free competition. Such
methods are much more effective of
reasonable charges than are the rates
fixed either by statute law or rail.
road commissions, and the necessary
outlay for such provisions for the
cheap transportation of our pro-
ducts to fcreign markets, uncontroll-
ed by monOpolies, would be much
more effective in inducing immigra-
ton than twice or thrice the amount
expended in advertising our state in
amy fair to be held beyond its bor-
ders.
The enactment of another statute
in regard 10 corporations engaged in
railroad transportation is emphatic
ally demanded by every Instinct of
American manhood. 1t has become
9 too frequent occurrence, in the
event of a difference between rail-
road corporations and their em-
/ ployes, as to the matter of wages OF
of just treatment, for such corpora.
/ tions to surround themselves with q
hireling soldiery, unknown to the
law, at variance with the law and
defiant of the law. In controversie.
of all kinds between such corpora
tons aud their employees, arbitration
is the fairest mode of settlement, ,anC
; it ought to be provided for by stat
, ute law; but where it is not so pro
e Vided for, where the parties are com
PEELED to settle their difficulties
without legal arbitration, string
ent law should be passed for placing
them both on an equal footing by
preventing the one party from
pointing the rifles of its hired assas
sins at the stO maChs of the otheI
party pendihg the settlement O
such difficulties. Such unfair ad
vantage is liable to secure an unfair
adjustment. The law should inte +.
vene in behalf ofjustice. There can
be no doubt whatever but tn at the
presence of armed forces within the
state, other than the forces recoeuiz-
ed by the laws of the state, would be
an invasion within the meaning of
the constitution which would amply
justify the Governoras commander
in-chief in pursuance of the provis-
ions OF our fundamental law, in
calling out the military force of the
state TO disarm aud deport them; but
il would much better become c ivil
government to provide by the enact
ment of proper statutes for the ar
rest by civil officers aud the punish.
ment by the courts of any wantou
Invasion of u free government by
armed forces in the employment OF
corporations.
/ The full text of the message will
be completed in to-mNrrow's EVEN,
ING JOURNAL, and the entire mes.
sSge, together with complete legis.
lative report), will appear in n {
/ WEEKLY JoURNAL1
ahe Word Enriched.
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