The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-21

The Railroads aud the Commission.
A question which the legislature should
consider when Il meets again is whether the
railroad commission does not possess too
much power Nearly all the railroads OF
tie state are in an insolvent condition, and
are in the hands Of receivers. Notwith-
standing that traffic on about all OF them
has steadily increased In volume their net
earnings have decreased greatly. The
reason of this is that the railroad commits
1 sion. which IS clothed with power 70 make
traffic rates, has steadily reduced the rates
until the margin Of profit has nearly dis
1 appeared.
There is no doubt that the commission has
been influenced by good motives, but it is
impossible for it TO know what rates are
reasonable and what are not. Rates that
are reasonable on the Pennsylvania and
New York Central roads, for instance, are
not reasonable on railroads in Georgia,
because the volume OF traffic Of either
of the two foregoing roads is
vastly greater than that Of any
Georgia road in proportion TO its mileage.
The greater the volume OF traffic Of a road
the lower the rate at which it can afford
to carry freight and passengers. and Jet the
commission is constantly urged TO make
rates on Georgia roads, which run through
thiuly settled country where there are
only few towns, as low as those on roads
which are operated in thiokly settled COM
munities.
The commission. without doing injustice
to the railroads, naturally wants to
satisfy the people, and, as they are
the servants of the people, they are
disposed to crafty the people to as
great an extent as possible. But il the
commission is to have the making OF the
rates it ought to be directed by law to call
into consultation with IL men who have a
practical knowledge of the railroad BUSH
ness. 1t must be apparent to every one
that it is unjust to the railroads and the
large number Of people who own railroad
securities for few men who have no prac-
ticel knowledge Of the railroad business to
fix the rates at which passengers and freight
shall be carried. The rates they fix must
necessarily be based upon insufficient knowl-
edge Of the earning capacity of the roads.
The Central railroad is row bankrupt, and
thousands Of people, including widows and
orphans, together with benevolent institu-
tions, whose incomes were drawn from it,
are in almost destitute condition. 1t is
true Tint the Centrals insolvency is not
wholly due to the reduction that has been
made in traffic rates by the rail-
road commission. The men who speculated
in its stock and created its enormous float
ing debt helped to make it insolvent, but
the railroad commission is to certain ex4
tent responsible for its inability to inset its
obligations.
1t is certainly not the purpose of the leg
islsture to deal unjustly with any class of
the citizens OF the state. That being the
case, it should inquire into the causes which
have brought about the present deplorabIe
condition Of the railroads. If it finds that
the commission is TO any considerable ex,
tent responsible for it, and there is no doubt
it is, there should be legislation giving the
railroads such relief as they are entitled to.
The commissioners should have the power
to prevent unjust Determinations. but it is
question whether it should have the power
to fix the rates. II it ia to continue to have
that power, however, it should be required
to advise with men who have a practical
knowledge of railroad business, and to be
guided in a great degree by them.