The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-30
rhe Readine RaiIwav Combin

The Reading Railway Combine.
Judging from the results of the
primaries, last night, We believe no
candidates will appear before the
people, this election, whose person
ality in any way brings the so-called
coal combine bill into the campaign
as an issue. The indications are that
in every district those candidates,
whose candidacy might have involved
the Democratic party in needless con-
troversy, have withdrawn from the
field. In this course, these men have
shown themselves true democrats.
The party owes them a debt, and
presently, when a complicated ques-
ton is better understood than it is for
the moment, they will be remem
bered.
Meantime, it is possible the Repub-
lican speakers, for want of anything
better to say, will keep on talking
about the Reading combine and the
increase in the price of coal, just as if
the Democratic party were in some
way responsible for either; just as if
the Democratic party had not done
everything 1t could to prevent the
latter development; just as if the
Reading combine were not a distinct
ly Republican institution; just as if
Mcleod of Philadelphia and all it's
managers were not Al Republicans.
and just as if John Kean, Jr., as one
of the largest holders of New Jersey
Central stock, was not one of the
largest beneiciaries of the deal, one
of the men into whose pockets the in
creased price of coal is to put big divi-
dends.
OF course there is nothing economi-
cally wrong in the Reading deal. If
greed did not overmaster it's pro-
j~eetors, it is jim itself rather a good
than a bad thing. The reasons have
often been stated. The economy of
expenses of control and operation,
the substitution of harmonious man
agement for an eternal system OF
futile wasteful conflict, the massing
of capital which renders possible new
enterprise, general progress, and a
toning up of the system to the level
of the age-these are the elements
which consolidation brought to the
three great coaI roads, and their net
result to the public should, on alb
stract principles, be cheaper not
dearer coal, unless coal was pre-
viously being sold at a ruinous loss.
Neither was the consolidation in
itself in contravention of the general
policy of this State. 1t has always
been the very wise course of New Jer-
sey Legislatures to help build up
strong railway systems for the advan-
tage of the public and the profit of
the companies themselves. The
building up of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western lines and the
creation of the Erie, which gridirons
the whole of the northern section of
the State, are notable examples of
this policy. The consolidation of the
West Shore with the New York Cen
trail was Iegalized by our Legi slatu re,
and many less conspicuous examples
might be cited to establish the gen
eral truth. 1t is further to be re-
membered that in this policy, party
lines have never been drawn. Both
Republicans and Democrats have
Joined in helping the railways to
strengthen themselves by joining
forces, and working together under
united management.
There is, besides, one monumental
instance of the consolidation idea,
wit h which the Republican party is
peculiarly identified. This, of course,