The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-06

| tory of Civilization tna' tno sio"'
leyislator has always been IN undoing WHAT
soma previous legislator did.
az would be well.' says he, If such con-
alterations were to check the confidence and
snercs the loouacty of those superficial men,
who raised TO temporary power think them
selves bound to guarantee certain institutions
and uphold certain opinions. They onght
clearly TO understand that it does not lie within
their function 10 anticipate the march OF al
fairs and provide for distant contngscies
In trihing matters indeed, this may be done
without danger though as the constant
changes in the law of every country abund-
antly prove it is also done without benefit.
But in reference 10 those large and funda-
mental measures which bear upon the destiny
of a people. such anticipation is worse than
useless-it is highly injurious"
1t is yet an open question if the Interstate
Commerce act does not belong to one Of these
two classes. Has it not proved itself 10 Do
useless. or is it not even highly injurious;
Recently the Chicago Tribune published
series of interviews with various railroad COM
missioners, State officers and prominent Dusi-
ness men in Kansas Nebraska and iowa,
from which il would seem that in those States
and probably all through the West the prac-
| teal working Of the law is most unsatisfactory.
We have reason to believe that 1t falls far
| short of giving satisfaction throughout the
| South. From the testimony of theinterWews
we have referred to as well as from oil the
other testimony that has fallen under our no.
tice. we are led to believe that popular opinion
is consolidating upon the proposition that the
law does not secure either stable, uniform OF
reasonable rates, which was the object had
in view when the law was enacted
In our opinion the difficulty lies in attempt
inc to regulate by law that which in its ma
ture can be regulated only by the demands Of
the particular and varying state Of circum-
stances. Ex-Governor Anthony. Of Kansas,
said in the interviews referred to:
We might take dozen Of the best traffic
men in the United States and set them to
work in twelve different rooms TO mako up a
rate sheet. When their work is done no two
will be found to be in agreement.
If this be so, how impossible IS 1t that q half
dozen politicians. without training IN traffic
matters sitting at Washington. can make
equitable rates to apply TO the whole surface
Of this vast country In every locality
the true rate must depend upon the
conditions under which the service
is rendered. Yet how can these
gentlemen know the local conditions in
volved in one case in ten thousand For IN
stance. oranges are transported during win
ter by railway from Florida to New York
city. On the way they pass through several
changes of temperature with the attendant
risk Of injury. If they arrive in New York
uninjured they are valuable; if they arrive
there frozen they are worthless. tits obvious
that judgment and discretion must be used in
transporting them with the neces-
sary ventilation and regard for tenn
perature How is it possible for the
syndicate of gentlemen in Washington city
to Judge correctly Of what care is necessary
in this case and what peculiar cost is involved
in the transportation Yet that precise thing
the commission has undertaken to do. This
is a subject. of course in which opinions
are as numerous as individuals. Transports
ton IN its relations to the publicis cOnfessedly
one of the complex difficult and perplexing
matters that the political economist has to
deal with. and none but the veriest tyro viii
come to the conclusion that he has mastered it.
Nevertheless, bearing this peril fully IN mind,
we venture on some reflections by way Of sug-
gestion.
1t is the fashion to speak of the railway
problem. Why problem here more than
in connection with other things, the
problems Of which, happily for organized
society, are quietly and perennally solved by
the inexorabe law of supply and demand
! Transportation is commodity. differing in
kind but q commodity nevertheless, Us much
as are cloth, tobacco and grain. Its price de-
ponds upon. and should vary with. the demand
for it and the supply of it, just as the price
of clothing and food does the same. The
axiom that every commodity shall be
CHARGED what it will bear, stated in this bald
! form as 10 rates for transportation. is apt TO
offend; applied to the products Of agriculture.
/ however it is not so shocking. And
yet. applied to any subject. it is sound
and is no more than the statement in an
other form Of the proposition that if the
article in question Is held in high esteem and
not easily obtained, so-called high prices will
/ be paid for it with relative values for each
and every service tributary to it, Hence. for
cheap things. the carrier must charge low
rates, lest none should be given him TO trans
port. for the carrier cannot afford TO be un-
employed.
In the case Of agriculture the farmer ar
CUES. however that when the article Is in
demand the carrier will charge him SO much
FOR the transportation that 10 profit is lett 10
him. We are not dealing with special in
stances. but We are considering the subject
ia a broad way when we insist that this is not
the economic law of the case. The carriers
interest and the farmers interest go hand in
hand. The carrier cannot have commodities
TO transport unless it pays the farmer 10 raise
the commodities 1t is therefore directly 10
the carriers interest that tho farmer shall
make a profit. and the carrier, if left alone,
will find his account in charging the farmer
no more chan enough 10 secure good profit
to himself, but leaving fair profit to the
farmer.
Tho inevitable and indisputable tendency
Of the laws Of transportation is to the reduc-