The herald., 1895-01-13
THE MATHEWS BILL.

The editor of our esteemed evening
contemporary evidently nuppocss he is
learned and experienced on the subjsct
OF the construction and operation Of
railroads, and the principlcs which gov
srn traffic.
In leagthy editorial in that paper
day befUre yesterday he brought mia
learning end experience to bear in oppo-
sition to the bill 60 be introduced in
the legislature by SenssoS Mathswa of
thie city. TUE HERALD has published
this bill ia full, 80 that our readers are
familiar with lite provisions. Senator
| MathewB prepared ths bill for introduc-
ton IN response to the popular demand
Tor the adoption Of some means OF re-
ducing frsigh.s ard fsres on railroada.
1t il Measure suggestive OF plan for
carrying into effect ths proposition TO
connect Los Angeles by rail with Fresno
and other citisn in tho great San Joaquin
valley, and to enable the puope sny-
where in the state to construct ana con"
troll any railroad that they may deem
essential to their welfare. It will be
observed that if enacted it viii not be
compulsory, but psrmissive, authorizing
tbs people to do as they please with their
osn credit BY consent OF two-thi.ds OF
the votera OF the county.
The capacity to object ia much greater
than to device or suggest, and tho editor
has shown that he possesses tina. ability
to marked exsent. Objections are OF
three clssses-valid, frivoloua and ab.
surd. The objections Of our contempo-
Fasy to the Mathews bill are embraced
in the two latter classes.
Its objections are 40 jnssrwovsn that
it ia not esay 20 take them up ia numsr-
ical order, but we will do the beat We
can.
Objection number one ansarts that
"a railroad that has not tsansconti-
mental cunneciions wilt be Of vary little
use IN lowering irsight rstas or reducing
railroad fares"
The auswer to that is that traneGonti-
mental connection would have nothing
TO do with rates from Fresno 20 thi city
gers destined eastward or coming west
ward would not be diecrmina.sd against
by the Santa Fe or Southern Pacific on
any principle of business, and could not
bs By law. the unconstitutional lines
would take the business as matter OF
intsreat, and ahould they refuae, the
interstate commerce law ateps in and gavs
they shall do SO. Ii any aucn road should
refuse auch business or chsrsa higher
rates than on business originating at the
point of delivery, or in any manner dis
criminals against il. the officials would
! bs liable to hns and imprison nsus. 4
COMMON carrier has no right, undar the
law of any civilized community, TO
refuse business or to discriminate
asainst eny class of nusines7. On THE
point it will be necessary for the editor
TO 90 to school another day in order to
! complete hia education.
! Objection number two in substance
coasenda that sh3rs lines amount to
nothing, and that line, say 10 Fresno.
would have no competition except by
sea, aud the inference ID that il would
| navs no effect in reducing -a:ed. This 10
our Language aud contraction, A rail-
road to Fresno from shia city would
have competitor in the Southern
Pacific for what ii ID worth. The
country has had experience enough to
know that con ps.ision haa very little
effect in reducing charges, and such
effect "a it has is sporadic and i'm .nes
diasely dieapps 4ra through combna-
tions and traffic arrangements. Ths
shortest aAd most chaaplv operated
line ia permitted to make the rates and
Gil e0mpasisors adopt tnsn. The con-
trolling line nev5r makes rates below
what will yield it C aasi sfGctoYy profit.
All szilting lines, especially west Of tho
Mississinpi river, are exc3asvely bonded
aud stocked, and no rUsd will reaias AL
arrsNscmeng thns 10 necessary TO It's
earaing liberal income on oil lila noni.
mai capital. Al we have said psfoss. tho
! canses ci Oppressive rates ara our cspi-.
taiizlGioa sud excsssiYa s4laries OF
! aiEcinls. Ths Ma.hswa bill is not sses-
/ ing to create CON petition s0mueh as 10 Sc
cnring the CONSTRUCTION ald operation Of
9 road at ahs lowest possioa cost" This
aad thia only will assure jRst and yea
! sonable ratea. This measure is not like
4 those in Kansas and othsr states where
bonds have been voted 10 corporations
ana t.ys people have no Voice in ths
operation and construction. A rosd
( CONTRACTED under tho MAlhewa bill
! would BE- tho propsriY OF tho people
ana suhiact TO their management.
0ajse5ion numAsr three amounts TO
siia stsismens tNes read cpnslructed
Under tbs Ma,ha ~ billwonid cs nasbis
70 RACERS c5mpeiens pefaons to bald
.ahi Operate il. Experience ia bai!aius
snd oneratiagia valuable. lous il cannot
4 be ;Gp9oseu tAas ang quo ~ ignorant vi
the Eaeb that tho counsry - fun OF nsn
e-perencsd in every branch o. reilroad
Z hl@, aua wsso sre idle and aeeSing EN-
/ VI lymsas el9 they ara bsinS educated
o99atentiv raoss whom corporation
T. rs9rpsdl aasm 'neis yailaass ars anca
IF afa in1ss caf1 aefs9s to Rsr tbs most
aages sns eeppis Inass nevsf has nsen
wans % e5mavssat 'nali IL sha
. cswrtfe 81 iiil any piaes, .sa3lic or pri-
vtel and snns- VINO lsiax talent IL
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