Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-02-27
NUMBE4l

vice law could not be used as political
machine and the incentive to strikes
would be forever done away with. As
coming from man of large experience
and great executive ability Mr.. Porter's
words are deserving of careful atten-
tion and respectful consideration. He
cannot be accused of having any utter
ior object in view and his conclusions
make very interesting reading. From
the article in review we quote:
The writer believes that the follow
ing conclusions have been made clesr:
l. The plan of national consolida-
ton is in accordance with law and the
constitution of the United States. This
mas been shown by many decisions CT
the supreme court of the United States.
Many more could be added IL neces-
sary.
2. 1t is entirely feasible and practical.
We have seen that Mr. C. P huntington.
one of the most able and experienced
railroad men in the country, advocates
the formation of one corporation to
own and control all railways.
3. 1t recognizes that consolidation in
some form is certain and inevitable.
and seeks to turn this irresistible ten
dency into right channels. 1t shows
how consolidation may create great
public corporation, which shall be a
minister of good to all the people In
stead of vast monopoly depressing
all
4. 1t is just to all interests, presery-
ing and maintaining all real rights OF
private investors as well as those Of the
public, which are just as real, though
not so well understood nor so readily
conceded
3. 1t will remove all the dangerous
conflicts and all the elements Of irrita-
tion and enmity between the railways
and their employees and the public,
which now constitutes a most protein
tous peril to our national security and
| good order.
b. 1t will do away with the greatest
source of waste and loss under our pre-
sent system and reduce the cost or
| transportation to the lowest figure,
thus satisfying the necessary and In
evitable demand for the reduction OF
rates.
Z. 1t will remove the unjust inequali-
ties and the unrighteous discriJnins-
tions now prevailing.
3. 1t will entirely and forever destroy
all rate wars with ther- vast waste
and disturbance of,values and of busi-
ness, and will make rates steady, uni
form and low.
8. 1t will do away with all strikes
and dangerous riots on the railroads.
because it will remove their UNDER
| lying and exciting causes.
TO- 1t will bind the different sections
of the nation together by the strong
tie of common ownership and control
of the united railway system. AS the
different localities of the country in
crease in power and wealth the forces
tending to disrupt and break Tp the
national organization will necessarily
become more and more powerful. The
problem will be to find some centripetal
force to conteract this tendency with
out involving a perilous increase of the
| political power of the federal govern
ment.
IL. A great railway corporation, unit
| ing all the railways of the land and
owned and controlled by the people.
! as proposed under the plan of national
consolidation, would constitute a force
for cohesion and union with almost in
conceivable power.
IL. 1t will furnish a safe foundation
for all the great banking and financial
institutions of the country in The stock
of the consolidated company; will pro-
tect investors in railway securities by
making their investments as solid and
permanent as government bonds now
are, and will make perpetual end u
gambling in railroad securities, with
its unrighteous practices and evil re-
suits.
13 1t will take railways wholly out
of politics and remove the corruption
now so common and so dangerous.
IA 1t will dignity all railroad duties
and elevate every class of employees to
a higher plane of manhood as free, un-
| fettered American citizens, for the
! great advancement Of our social and
| economic condition.