The National tribune., 1895-04-18

ownership of highways, canals, naviga-
BILE streams, and the harbors and waters
of its coasts; that the tens of millions of
dollars it spends every year under the
River and Harbor Bill is constant as
sertion of this; that the progress of in
vention making railroads the chief high
ways cannot rob it of this attribute of
sovereignty, or estop its exercise in the
least. In response to the last objection
given above, it is pointed out how eff
Gent the postal system is, and that from
carrying letters, papers, books, and par
GELS, it is but a step to carrying passen-
gers and merchandise.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE's view lies
midway between the two extremes. 1t be-
lieves that the Government in the exer-
else of its prerogative has the right to
take possession of the Misunderstanding
the owners a fair return for their actual
investment-but it does not think it ex-
pedient to exercise this power of eminent
domain. The better way, it seems to US,
is system of rigid and comprehensive
control. The time has come, we think,
to stop piecemeal Legislation, and begin
the earnest consideration Of radically
new system, which will put every rail-
road in the country under Government
1t should have and exercise
the power of fixing the rates at which a
passenger or ton of goods shall be car
ried. The railroads are public servants,
and every citizen of the United States
has the right to their service on the best
terms granted any other citizen. The
railroads are common carriers, and every
form of Government has always exer-
cised the right of controlling and regu-
lating common carriers. Municipal
regulate the fares of street
railroads and omnibuses, prescribe how
often the cars shall run, their rate of
speed, the transfer of passengers from
one line to another without extra charge,
etc. State Governments regulate bridge,
ferry, canal, and turnpike tolls, and
make some attempt at those of railroads.
The subject of railroads is entirely too
large for the States, however, and prop
erly belongs to the General Govern
ment.
In place of the Interstate Commerce
we should have Depart
ment of Transportation" of equal rank
with the State, Treasury, War, Navy
and other Departments, and its head a
of the Cabinet. This should
have charge of the enforcement of all
laws and regulations made by Congress
for the Government of railroads, ships,
boats, canals, rivers and harbors. In
this way we should get all the benefits
to be derived from Government owner
ship, unaccompanied by any of the
dangers of such ownership. We
should retain all the advantages follow
ing from individual enterprise.
All that the people hope to gain by
ownership are rates for
freight and passenger transportation,
which will be as low as fair return for
the service will admit, and which will
be uniform for all who use the roads.
This can be readily attained by legis-
Iative regulation of rates, stringent pun
shment for violations of the same, and
BY giving local courts power to infict
these, put the remedy in easy reach of
every aggrieved man. A law prescrib-
ing rates for every species of service in
every part of the country need not be
nearly so great or so complicated a work
IS a tariff bill. Such law should
,ternly disregard all watered stock and |
Ill fictitious values, and make rates such |
Is would afford reasonable profit upon |
| road built honestly and skillfully, and |
.un en- strictly business principles. This
would in itself be as great boon to the |
country as the abolition of slavery. 1t |
would at once reform the whole rotten
abroad system, eliminate speculation
md stockjobbing, and make railroads |
ound and safe investments for the saw
ngs of the common people.
DROITTH SIFEERERS