The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-28
resi- so-wts. On tie member.

psnss VITA rss3p-ssg 70 rasgFo4a lsgisiA-
tIoa thts - Eno@S sxEfn~ntIY fTHe fefe1-
speesal sttenfsor 70 railroad matters are
snftted e grappse ofT-ssan1 ~isA pfySs.etssss
which have sor Tssrs stassssea - nsa.. ~,
vors ., -. Coy T.a~rsf-ss. 81 fa~a. which
he has jssst s~ns ne Or. IaFra1e> ~ss
10 small part % tie u9TenF1A u -
-lgax ra5trosd stsSa@ss b~lssxe we snsH
do wesI 10 lissen 70 rs wise and saga~
csous counsel. -,
road LEGISLATION II F0wa.' AFTER frafirg
TIE EFFORTS ~ re legislature % thai state
70 correct long standing aDss*s iaFe
the enactment ~ r1a wfyysgfsn rate laws. -
tells Ia fnzt fhe general assembly % TIE
greater Eunofeg - TIRE raefaasFes rFsestY
REALIZED shas re failure g tne - re
BRING tie expected fels@f vas n0s cue a.
naueh 70 TIE snnperfeesigsss - tae isw -
to the as<eaee o. = power 20 enforce u
s~Na xrf.er wfsA Others was cor
wircs5 that a strong sHf cousrisntic1fs
comm sssan woul1 he much more n0fenf
agercg 70 secure rraso1stie rztes for re
shipper thar IS maximum tariT iew VIII
oct proper provisions fsf Sc fTtcleut en-
fercemenf. they. RI short prefeFred
c1nanlission without 80 eH ,e a.
fr law wtfhcmF rcrfrierie Tae gffs-
ton became TIE sUhfsrf ~ merF arimat-
20 debates In both house, - ERE general
assembly. bat he comm isslqner system
a. last prevailed The act estahiisHirg q
board % railroad comm sslauers ard de-
firing their duties Wss approves on the
f6 Of NarcA. ls5S and went tito force a
few days later The act empowered the
commission 10 exercise q general Eaper-
vision over Ell railroads operated IA fhe
state. 70 iuqfllss ifto arr asEieet aF vso-
iation ~ the AVE % iae ssats ~ any
railroad corpora Son OF ifs effieess Or en-
psoyea. 20 examine fha books and d9ca-
mentx Of any corporation. % laxsstIgate
complaints ~ slippers that uureas9na BE
chsre1s had been MAIZE ag railroad corn
Il
they might deem unreasonable y was
ALSO made ffs commissioners 9aty 70
nsake - annual reaort 30 the governor.
Disclosing ne working Of t{se railroad
system in the state, TIE uTfeers - each
company being Tegipred - make annaai
retufns % the haafT for ttls parpoae.
" Though the enactment ~ fhss Faw
wEs g saFpFine % re pcon'e ttsy accept
ed Il sn good eaeer. ard determined 20
give 7 ~ nogeet trial. TIE iaw 80 ex-
time. and. Il strictly enforced Ia letter
and spirit. PROMISED - be- ard would
have been. entirely sufficient Ter he thor-
ough control Of railroad CORPORA TORS.
'Neverfheiess. ia toe eoa1rae ~ time T.
became 8pu8rent thar either fhe law had
nof edged sufficient authority in the cast-
nalssion or tige eonmiFslgn std u9f make
given them. Ii Eusse N she conn sgi9n.
the railroad companies maIntainea p7ois
and charged e1iorsionate and discrim!-
mating rates 10 direct violation ~ the
Law II y true the commissioners righted
many = wFoaz IL snvesflgaElng The COM
plants % shippers aEafnst railroad COM
psnias they often rendered valuable serg-
tees 20 those who he'd neither IRE means
nor the inclination 70 prosecute their
right ~ the courts % law: bat az they
held that EBeT could only psss upon In
diyianai chargss. and ala not have the
power - revise the comp1nies' tariffs
the eampanfe2 we're virtually n q posi-
tion 70 become guilty Of more extortions
IN one day than the commission could in
vesfiRate IN a year
Gov Larahee then traces the steps
taken ~ the people 81 Iowa IN remedyfnR
the tisEeess az the law then tn force, and
e THE dersard OF the people for more
e9Wtaole rates and more thorough con
trol u the railroad business Increased
from gear to year. Repeated attempts
were made IN the general assembly "a Sc
cure INC passage Of an act looking 10
isuons on the part % she railroad lobby,
every attempt was defeated There al
ways was, 81 course, = large number Of
members who represented districts not
These. as a rule. honestly opposed re-
etrIctive legislation. believing that such
legislation would check building and that
on the other hand. competition could BE-
relied upon 20 correct abuses or those
members who had less positive c0nvie-
tons many We're retained az railroad at
sorneys, and we're thus made servicssbi
TO the companies Other members with
political ambition were fRtsercd or iaflml-
guise, such az passes and special rates.
were not lnfrHuuentiy resoTted 20 20
strengthen the railroad following In both
houses OF the general assembly.
Railroad corruption did not pause
here. II II y notorious fact that large
Gums OF money were paid 70 veRal papers
OF both parties in consideration ~ an
agreement 90 their part 10 defeat trans
portation abuses ana exert their Inau-
snce against progressive railroad iegls-
1ation, The vitesf means were often re-
assfE IN hair
end. PuhliC men who had the courage TO
avow their opposition % existing railroad
or state control ~ RAILWAYS we're u,fsrep-
resented ri1iru,sd. traeucea and denounc-
cd a. aernagsguss and socialists ny hypo-
critical editors. who pr0stituted their po-
fticai influence "a long as they eniovea
railroad stipends and who AZ Intervals
became converts - the cause az the pen-
Ole Tor the purpose ~ exfartinr from the
railread companies new and Increased
subsidy, but truth cannot long ba sap
pressed. The masses az the people may
Nc imposed upon TOR a time but even the
PEELED 20 surrender. In time even rather
unsoph iatfeAfed voters learned % Place a
true estimate mon the motives ~ the eds
tors, whose policy. - one 81 them ex-
pressed L JIG the authors presence was
''cenirolled by he counting room"
Railroad politicians gradually loQ
Their influence ana the symptoms 81 pub
lie discomfort greatly Increased. In the
political campAtga 81 iSSg state coatFsi
OF railroads oscame one af the main IS
n their Pg pla q me sa s ss pa ss
selves very rssnha ca'hv IN favor % sit.h
legislation as Weu3d hrins railroad rcrna-
ratons under compete state control. aad
with very few eN rentfana tire various leg
tsiativa districts had nominated on.y such
men ~ raua states fsr lsgiFla I've offices
as were known 20 BE 81 thorough accord
viii tas nlssees % ihe people apoR the
railroad rufsflha
:" tI'ns electIan resulted Ga an even more
eompieie defeat ~ gse railroad forces than
had oe-U generally anticipated. Yet 80
ps~einhiv convened \ isrEe number ~
bills contemplating railroad reforms IN
various UaHs were introduced Auf tha
material freas nted vas caTaf8i3y stftea ey
the railroad nnsit tess. aad commit
tee hilR "a as framed witch Incorporated
the best features ~ them an The COM
nttfnes listened patiently FOE weeks 70
the arguments ~ fho Fenreaen ~ tisses 81
eoth ghe fai!rosis nod the salrgvrs-
." Never before haH as farus6 atin a
raiirosa iehbE Assembled re tae state caN-
Hof. EHe aanEfF siEnat hsd hrea raises9
ane not ealv we're tAe rsoaf polftlcal n1an.
trulatnfT ~ the state called tnfb rcaufsI-
ton huf eXreris fraa ad felatur states
sctntt {Eefn tn hestsz3ae EHa legislature
TIE dogs - way we're ~ loose from an
quarter lvKfan ~ htvsiinEs we're zeal.
Gus 20 show g1esr sarv}3fv aeH sassffv 81
Their tores Ire daily ans xyfe - rarsrs
81 the state in the aFrE4re az enc re1-
read companies toeused ulth argument
from tee rens - railroad sttafatrs ard
81 Ulfs editorials r0Vied freo1 rFoesivert
corporation ran#~s Ike gre View Vrrk
Tr{hffne. Nr 1efS &fues. New York
Word AfhspE eveH .ns Ar.rus Hastar
Aateriea aea etaers fTena various parts
'1'heee nsrrrs. a1s~snrt.nr 20 d.sx,is.
the Wa'free fn7f nvonfEt et fnsfa fr come