The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-04
LOCAL RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
A Letter From Raymond on the
Measure Pending.

A Letter From Raymond on the
Measure Pending.
Fair and impartial criticism of men
and methods is prolific of great good,
and it is to be regretted that such
criticism is not more redundant in
the columns of the public press, especi-
ally at times when measures are afoot
that threaten the public veal.
Right here and now L propose to
lift up my voice in condemnation OF
some things that be, n while [ hew
close to the line showering chips of dis
may among a small coterie Of people
who have been figuring on skilfully
cutting out" a slick thing in advance
ment of individual interests, I shall ad-
vance no claim that is not logical and
tenable to a degree that will defy sue
cessful contradiction.
There is a move on foot to establish
a railway commission for the state of
Utah, and while it is not my purpose
to criticise our chief executive for his
stand on the railway question, nor yet
the mover elf the bill in question, yet
I am constrained to tunnel on the
vein matter underlying and then
drift" both ways i'm order hat we
may know the values % contained in
such hidden proposition.
In the first place, our chief executive
is to be given credit for sitting down
so vigorously upon the pass system.
He is right in assuming that state Of
fcers should not ride around on passes
and then charge up mileage against
the state. That is robbing the railroads
of revenue justly theirs, the while the
state is in no way benefited, and the
chief executive is to be commended for
such owe
1 must contend that Governor Wells
is actuated by what he believes to be
right in the premises, but unfortunate
ly his near advisers on all pertaining
to railroad legislation have been, on
the other hand, actuated by more
sordid motives, and have skfllfully led
the governor along on lines looking, in
the end. to their pecuniary welfare and
self ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
Of all things that Utah does not
want, it is a board of railway commits
%sioners. Utah does not want Iegisla-
ton that will prove hurtful; rather
the new state need legislation of
a type hat will beckon capital to come
in and build railroads. But here the
coterie Of people signally interested-I
say interested, because there is a 49, 900
salary and opens account goes with
it, to say nothing of a firm resolve to
get even with the railroad people
will rise up and say, the railroad PEG
pie will build just the same I say
they won't. [ say hat past history
bears out my assertion. I say that the
great states of Iowa and Texas
are living examples of what hostile
legislation has done for them. I say
that such object lesson holds good and
applies to every other state as we'll.
People Of Utah. don't you know that
when those states some years ago en-
acted a~nti-railroad legislation. it set
those states back. and they haven't re-
covered yet? Don't you know that
though afterwards the people of those
rendered valuable franchises and
substantial aid for the railroads to
build extensions-extensions that would
have been built ON the doublequick IN
der other conditions-the railroad peo-
pie answered with a hoarse guffaw?
Don't you know that the same hoarse
guffaW is given the people of those
states yet by the railroads?
There is another thing that must not
be lost sight Oft is this: Passenger
rates r less per mile in Utah than
they are in the great state of Colorado.
A thousand mile book costs $50 in
Utah; it costs $35 in Colorado and yet
Colorado as q state is pretty good in
itself. And in the matter Of freight
rates we are right in it on as favorable
a basis. Passenger rates across Utah
are less per mile than they are from
Grand Junction east, and is not such
fact in favor? Our legislators and
worthy governor will find the Ethio-
plan ensconsed within the woodpile just
as soon as they turn On their search
light-so they will. Those things are a
of record and I rather think
that Utah people Ire bright and learn
ed enough to profit from observation.
don't want any high-priced chair
man going about with an air of I'll
each-you-railroad-p eople-who-I-am
We don't want such chairman
pointing to the fact that the
sengers at a rate of 2 cents per mile, and
taking steps to compel western roads to
do the same.
When the time comes tina western
roads keep their rails hot with freight
and passenger trains as do the great
eastern trunk lines, then will we want
rates predieated on the same basis, and
western roads can well afford it.
And in that day to come we will find
bands of steel all through our noun
tains. and things will be different from
I would like to ask our worthy COVER
nor a question, i. e.-did it ever occur to
him that it is the members of state and
municipal life, and not the railroads,
who are responsible for the free pass
system2
The question will no doubt CRATE
upon the ears of a great num-
who are in this hour holding the
p~asteboards, but the affiant will
here make compromise with his con-
science as far as to modify the forego-
in any way.
/ am not an apologist for the roads
On the other hand, 1 am of that
that stands ready and willing to
the action of any railroad COM
any when need be. n not alone that,
but the acts of its officers in lines official
why not? ] have pursued that policy
in the past. and will continue it in the