The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-16
: Pingree on the War.Path.

II, another space in this issue appears
| an interesting interview with the gov
ernor- r-elect Of Michigan, in which he
| outlines some of the reforms which he
proposes to battle for at Lansing. Many
| of his statements, that at first seem
| revolutionary, simmer down, upon care
| full analysis, to simply bits of common
sense. Take his citation of twO-cent
rate for railroad travel when the trav-
| eler advances to the company $50 for a
| 10OO-mile ticket. II it be possible to
haul such passengers for two cents at
| a profit. why should the poor man pay
three cents a INDEPENDENTLY when
the interstate commerce statistics show
that the average cost of hauling pas
senger one mile is between and
mills? The railroad companies no doubt
have reasons Of their own, but are
those reasons adequate?
Again, take the case of freight charg-
es between points where there Is rail-
way competition and alo between points
where there is none. Shippers of an
thracite who recall the Determinations
practiced before the Coke suit and be-
fore the formation of protective COM
binations among coal shippers will ap-
preciate what Colonel Pingree has to
say on that point and-unless they be
larger holders Of railway shares-will
wish him luck in his battle for the pub
lies rights. And so on through the
list. In almost every particular Pin
gree Is In line with fairness to the mass
es. Especially opportune Is his sug-
gestion of popular vote on franchises.
This plan, as another has well said,
Is practicable and feasible and offers
very effective device for depriving the
boodler of his occupation and for pre-
venting corruptible councilmen from
bartering away the peoples streets
without adequate compensation for the
public"
Tax-dodging by corporations, which
he proposes to stop, il 1t can be stopped,
Is story too long for more than casual
reference. We will not tread on local
corns. but will go to far-off Missouri
for an Illustration. The labor commits
sioner of that state has been comput-
ing the earnings and taxation of street
railway properties, and he finds, ac-
cording to the Times-Herald. that the
street railway corporations have been
guilty of tax lodging on q gigantic
scale. 1t is ascertained, for example,
that the Missouri Street Railroad COM
pany has a market value of S4,440 900,
yet according to the assessors figures
this company's property is only worth
$622,0OO. Such gross undervaluation,"
adds our Chicago contemporary, ''is
all the more reprehensible when the
value of the franchises recklessly do
mated to these corporations is taken
into consideration. 1t is estimated that
the cost of constructing the street rail-
ways of st. Louis was SS,400,0O0, but
the property has a market value of
sSS, 100000, which means that the value
of the franchise voted to the companies
by the servants of the people was $50, =
100000. Upon a 3 per cent. basis the
public should receive from this prop
erty at least 100000 a year. 1t is as
certained that the total sum received
in taxes Is only $4,000
Pingree, to be sure. is a radical sort
of fellow, seemingly, who isn't averse
to getting his name in print; but, after
all, could these evils be cured or even
checked to any appreciable extent.
without radical men and more or less
radical measures? They certainly are
not going to cure themselves; and from
the enthusiasm stirred among the
masses by aggressive men who strike
out along Pingree's line it is pretty
safe to assume that the day of recOil
from the abuse Of corporate privileges
Is nearer than some interests appear to
recognize.