The record-union., 1895-03-08
Weather FORECAST.
FAILING INTO LINE.

1t says: "The Constitution lays down
broad lines for the control of railroad cor
porations."
Now what lines for the control of rail-
road corporations are laid down by the
Constitution? One would think that
the Call writer was unfamiliar entirely
with the Constitution of the State 1t is
known to every citizen of this State. ex-
cept the writer of the Call, that the Con-
stitution placed the power of regulation
in the hands of a commission, and that
the repeal Of the clause creating the COM
mission and defining its duties by way of
amendment would leave the power of
regulation in the Legislature.
The present commission came into ex-
istence by way of appeal from legislative
regulation of freights and fares. The
people of this State have had experience
with that method. The railroads op-
posed the creation of commission. In
truth they had less reason to fear unwar-
ranted interference by the commission
than what they had supposed. The Call
declares: 'It may be conceived that
commission composed of honest men,
thoroughly acquainted in railroad mat
ters, and endowed with acquired powers,
might be able to regulate transportation
in way that would be just to the rail-
roads and beneficial to the public" 1t
then proceeds to say that such commits
sion We have never procured, and there
is no probability that we ever will under
present methods.
The existing commission has been in
power but few days. Is it composed of
honest men? Is it willing to exercise the
powers vested in it by the Constitution in
manner that will be just to the rail-
roads and beneficial to the public? Time
alone can determine this question. The
Call is not entitled to characterize the ex-
listing commission as dishonest. 1t does
not know whether the membership of
the commission is honest or otherwise.
1t, however, in effect declares that the
~
est; that they are not going to regulate
transportation in way that will be just
to the railroads and beneficial to the pub
lie. In making this statement the Cal
manifests the character of an irresponsi-
bic villifier. We deny its right to under
take to say what commission will do.
1t has not been fairly tried. 1t is mere
bumptiousness to charge dishonesty
upon commission that has as yet had no
opportunity to show what it will do.
In the meantime it is noticeable that as
soon as paper devoted to the building Of
competing lines of railroad is established
in San Francisco it falls into the groove of
opposing all instrumentalities of regula-
ton. San Francisco has suddenly be-
come railroad builder, whereupon the
suggestion arises in that city of the use of
Goat Island for railroad terminal pur-
poses. And now comes the organ of the
San Joaquin Valley-Salt Lake Railroad
to declare in favor of the abolition of the
Railroad Commission. It has been the
contention of existing railroad systems OF
California that the present Railroad Com
mission has no legal existence; that the
powers conferred upon it are unconstitu-
tional. Whenever the railroads of Cali
iornia have conceded any regulative
they have filed a written and formal
protest declaring that, while the rate sug-
gested by the commission is conceded,
the railroad companies protest that the
commission has no power to enforce
them. From railroad standpoint, then,
the commission has no constitutional ex-
istence, no existence in law, and possesses
no power of regulation.
The Call says: "We are now entering
upon an era of railroad building and
competition by the people and for the
people"
The railroads in existence are just as
much railroads by the people and for the
people as will ever be constructed. Cap
ital is invested in railroads for the reward
LASII opeEdLlOu Will DrlHR. a railroad as
an eleemosynary institution is simply an
ldiotic, iridescent dream. A railroad
constructed on any other than business
basis-that is, the operation for profit
will have no permanency. It would be
just as senseless and foolish to talk about
production for the benefit of railroad as
to talk of constructing railroad for the
benefit of production. There is no phi
lanthropy on either side of this question.
All business is carried on with reference
to profit, and the projected San Joaquin
Valley road is based on this idea, or it
will have no existence. A statement that
railroad is about to be constructed with
paramount idea of serving the shipper
scarcely rises to the dignity of mature
thought. Nothing is ever established
until it is financially successful. It is its
self-sustaining power that gives it per-
manency. Philanthropy is the irregu-
lar, spasmodic, ephemerous action of the
human mind. Enlightened selfishness
and wise reciprocity are the true basis
of all business transaction.
When, therefore, the projectors of a
new railroad announce that railroad is
now about to be constructed by the peo-
pie and for the people, they are in6ulg-