Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-22

fare no worse than now, what is the caase
Of the feeling of injustice if the railroads
do not cut rates: Is it because of the Gus
tom of reducing fares whenever there is Il
special attraction: The maintenance of the
Old rates then, might be an unprecedented
act of policy. but would certainly not be
unprecedented extortion; because, if the
old charges are not extortionate now they
would not be extortionate nextyea IL the
present rates are extortionate for next year
they must he now, because the fare is the
same, the ability to pay is the same, the
service performed is the same. The i'm
mensc amouR of travel, and the consequent
vast heaps of wealth which would be CLEANED
from the public under the full rates. do not
prove extortion. The necessity of the in
dividual who goes to the Worlds Fair is no
greater than the necessity of the individual
who has to 90 to Chicago now. There are
more of them, that is all ;
and the maintenance of the full rate OF
fare would be simply the consistent appli'
cation of that recognized principle of bus
mess in accordance with which a man, firm
or corporation makes larger or smaller
profits, in proportion to the increase or fall
ing off OF patronage. 1t is an axiom OF
the conservative that the law of supply and
demand must ever regulate prices in the
commercial world, and wages in the labor
world if this be just, why should not the
same law regulate fares in the railroad
world? If the law be a just one, it should
be as untiinchngly applied to railroad bus
mess. as to any other kind of service. II
in certain agricultural region there occur,
a sudden and unusually large demand for 8
particular crop--a demand which exceeds
the regular supply. and which necessiiate;
an increase of production for the time being
the price of that commodity, will, under
our present business regulations, certainly
rise not be reduced. The editorial re-
ferred to. admits that the anticipated de
manh for railroad service next year, will sc
far exceed the usual supply of rolling stock
as to necessitate an increase of facilities
10 deDd ID, therefore, that the radrodd'
'edgce their rites Of fore n such time, is
IN marked contrast to the recognized pria-
riples Of business as applied to all othei
branches of industry, however just the de-
mand may be. To hear strong and pop
uar protes; like this--a protest in conflict
with the conservative business principles OF
the ma joritv, proves some deep cause.
MS cause, IL seems 10 me, - W ne louhl
in the fact that all, whether radical or con
sentative, recognize the essential public
character of the railroad service,-tbat the
people are almost helpie ssly dependent upon
railroads. This fact has two results. The
conservative are led into indignant protests
against ''extortionate" acts of railroads
while the more radical and progressive ele-
ment are driven into clear cut demand for
public ownership. The conservative protest
can be only protest: it can make an ap-
peal to the railroads in the name of justice
and of the public, and then the railroads
can do as they please. The demand for
public ownership has behind it an immense
amount of reason. They say 'whenever a
railroad becomes all tangled up in business
affairs, the government is asked to come
to its assistance, and help it out.
The government does as requested,
appoints a receiver and runs the thing un-
ulsit can keep its head above water, when
it is turned over to the owners. If the gov
ernment can rurta poor railroad. don't you
think it could run good onet"
The public ownership of railroads is a
success in Germany and that of the teie-
graph is . success in Great Britain. Meth
err can be called an experiment.
You ask "is this feeling To grow until
it becomes strong enough to control the
legislation of the country and accomplish
its purpose?" How can it be otherwise?
The demand besides being reasonable has
leaders among the most advanced thinkers,
and a large and increasing following of in
teIigent people. Ii is far more than par
tisan plank" No matter what political
party may or may not make an issue of it,
tie purpose must be accomplished, and will
somehow. To try to prevent it would be
like the anxious effort of the good Dame
harrington to stay the rising tide with her
broom.
Before we criticise the railroad manage
ments with making a financial blunder, let
US reflect that they are thoroughly used to
the business, and we are not. They of all
men, are perfectly aware of this great and
growing demand for the public control Of
public business. If, in the face of all this.
they effect combination like that proposed
for next year, is it not a plausible explana-
ton that they, foreseeing the end, are wise
enough TO make hay while the sun shines?"
Augusta. We, Nov. 81, 1892. f..