The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-10

Al11EI = -4et-A Ne-N NeN'fNStsNSS.
railway bonds were SS,sti.0oO,OOO. about
seven timea greater. Legitimate and
so-caIled WateVed railway stocks were
EOundly 5000. COX, 900 more. at par. The
annual Interest on the national debt is
ahoat Slq,OO0.O 900 and about Ss52,oCO,OO0
on the railway bonds,
President Mckinley told congress,
March IS. 1891. that the goVernments
gross receipts for Its fiscal years lSSi-5-6
were $l.01l 900. and that they were
SiSS, OO0, 900 less than Its expenses. The
railway receipts In the same period
were SSlOS, 90, 900, over three times as
The interstate Commerce Commits
Rinn'a report for 1895 stated that $780,
OK. loo Of railway bonds were IN default
OF interest. hing $i3,OOO,OoO more than
the outstanding national pollds- These
defaults Increased In 1885. II the inter-
eat payable thereon averaged per cent
aud Il was three years In default, such
deflTiIfS would aggregate &i35, 90, 900, or
about the same as the government de-
GcltS IN the same period. DURING the
same three years railway dividends de-
creased 900 more.
The President specially convened an
association OF the States, called Con-
Eress, 90 tell them that business com.
denee and the public required Increased
Import tariffs. The house coacurred in
his opinion by 81 majority. Almost
simultaneously the Supreme Court de-
clased, by one majority, that AN aSso-
citation 81 railways, which had reduced
Transportation tariffs. should not agree
even 10 that end or to aid their credits,
or to secure the uniformity OF charges
which the government maintains in It's
import, postage. internal tax. Land and
consular tariffs, and which Is required
IN the collection OF all national, state
and municipal taxes.
should this decision cause serious de-
pletions OF railway earnings. interest
and dividends, 1t would involve greater
actual loss than TO pass the interest on
government bonds, and a. much. or
more. impair the national credit be-
cause prosperity cannot return to the
ration while Increased disasters 0ssatl
it8 largest material and financial inter
est. The reductions OF American rall-
way values In the markets OF the world
prove this, despite reaSsurinE nation
II election. The prevention or correc"
lion Of that galway condition Hes as
fully within the power and duty OF Con-
lreSs as to restore general business
confidence BY increased Import rates,
and when rightly understood Il viii Sc
cure public approval. because the rail-
WAYS desire legislative aid only TO the
end that their impartial published tar
lis, which are the lowest OF the "o6Iu'
may be observed.
M the supreme Court opinion was
rolndlY based upon the laws those
laws must have been enacted through
public ullsappEehsns!ons which II seems
Essential to remove. and such amend
men9 OF law shToulo oe I'AIs ti I..IaI
a. will secure reasonable Impartial
public and stable transportation
charges by the means FOUND wise anu
necessary TO determine coIleet' apPE y.
tim and dlSourse the GoEeFhuleH ,. : u. W
comes which, being SMALLER NouSi As"-
e. people.
How ths GovSrnmens Acts
Vrha r,nvernmant nays a uniform rail-
-,,., 80 ~, AZ, .aryiave
way oOdHIei's--a''" t"' $50
OF mails, and slpulateu prices 'oF e"H
transportatlon of Iis troops and sup
niles. and does not plead thai "compe-
fItion" Is Iesseued. trade restrained"
or rs expenses are increased because It
does moi receive concealed rebates from
fhose charges. II governmental officers
accented them they would be dismissed
Nor do its officers say that as the rates
fhev ASK for are for the government
they will exercise Its power TO compel
Mn divert thelr large business II rail-
TraYs do not coacede for the State some
Of an OF the irregular things done under
pTiVato guIses called Competition" As
me Euyernmert Is the largest patron OF
SbS 1aIIprays. its legal aid should be
Given 10 put and keep all other patrons
nnon The same honorable plane on
which Il conducts Its own business with
the same carriers.
n ~ United States purchased the
S,aIIuTvs they would continue 10 so act
A 10 their own trafilc, and would fix
and enforce against all others the
transportation charges found re1sonA-
Die and made public. Conference among
parallel governmental lines would also
Sc rs essential then as now. to decide
and announce their Intricate rates ana
the changes in them required by law,
by new and controlling trade conditions
and By legitimate competitive forces
Railway competition as now Inlsuh-
deTstood, would then cease ps'M "s,a-
government custom-houses, ana. uUer
the railway receipts haa goAe llt0on S
national purse they would De aSsls '.'S
70 the proper Departmental Le.eh l',,.
These 0nAlogie9 represent not Only
present railway conferences or gssocia-
tiOns. but also the equality anu nrtnneSa
OF rates intended to be secured Oy poor
ing.
The legal. unIiying an9 poIice PoSs,9
OF the government Nouiu tleh pys'P,'.,
ly remove an oostaSles u.llo ,,'i
charges over us lines as IN rs P ossal
manaGenenf ono L1 49, DI a. '4, ra,i,r5ys
dImens NnS!, 80 S,,crSs -. insisSJ
~ dtynlnish. because due power to regu-
late them is being lessened and With
held. , ,,,. ,ho