The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-02
A RAILROAD ATTORNEYS REPORT,

The report of Richard z. Morgan is re-
markable chiefly for the avoidance OF we'll
known facts. 1t enters into an elaborate
argument to show that the charges of the
Southern Pacific Company are as low as the
necessary cost of the service viii warrant
but fails to explain why IL costs more to
slip goods from San Francisco to Los
Angeles than from Chicago to the same
point. The distance from Chicago to Los
Angeles is 2265 miles. while the distance
from San Francisco to Les Angeles is bnt
4S3 miles, Mr.. Morgan shows that the
average grade over the Southern Pacific
roads is little In excess of the average Of
the Pennsylvania Central, but he does not
make it clear that the cost Of hauling goods
between this city and Los Angeles is greater
than the cost between Chicago and Los
Angeles. a little explanation of the causes
why the railroad rates should be so heavy
between points in California would be wei
come reading to the public. But the Rail-
road Commissions expert prefers TO deal
with other topics. He gives the people no
information that they wanted, hut several
conclusions they DO not want unless facts
are given which warrant them. Compare
tive charges are really all the public has to
go by. Certain conditions are more favor
able in this State than elsewhere, and GER
tam other conditions may be more favorable
elsewhere. The public sum up these con-
dItions, and find that On the whole con-
dlt:ons are more favorable with u.s. At
this point railroad attorney comes along
In his character as an expert and tries 10
convince US that we ought to pay three or
four times as much for transportation as
other people pay.
Viewed as a railroad attorneys argument
the opinion Of Dir. Morgan is not of much
value. Ii lawyer Is defending a client
from charge OF murder he does not ignore
circumstances that seem to imply the guilt
OF his client. On the contrary, he explains
them away. He shows the Jury how the
circumstances may be true and the con-
eiusions of guilt erroneous. During the
last year THE CALL has presented multi.
tude of facts going 10 show that railroad
charges are much higher in this State than
elsewhere and that the Southern Pacific
Company discriminates against the State.
The railroad attorney answers that the
grade over the Southern Pacific system
averages few feet higher 10 the mile than
in States where railroad charges are much
less than in this State. The circumstances
under which Mr. Morgan was EN- ployed by
the Railroad Commission created an i'm
furnish the commission with an excuse for
not interfering with the Southern Pacific
Company in the regulation OF fares and
freights. Why should the Commissioners
Interfere if the Southern Pacific was doing
the work as cheaply as il could be done !?
The commission have obtained the showing
they wanted at cost. if bills are paid, Of
$4,000 to the State.
The underlying fact Of the controversy is
that the Southern Pacific is paying interest
on a sum greatly in excess of the cost of its
property. The money 10 pay interest on
this excess Of bonds IS obtained from the
people. To get 1t charges are necessarily
high. The owners have also considered it
Within The liue OF their duty to draw sum
not far from $3.50. 100000 from system of
roads that the railroad attorney says are
run as cheapIy as the nature of the service
will permit Ii the opinion of the railroad
attorney is true that charges cannot be
materially reduced without bringing rev.
enne too close to necessary expenditure.
the fact remains that The fixed charges are
much greater than they should be. The
people should not be expected to pay in
terest on three times The cost of the road.