The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-18
Is the First Duty of the Rail-
roads of the Country
Before They Should Enter the
Temple of Justice
SAYS GEO. F. lSTONE
Secretary of the Chicago Board
Of Trade in a Speech
Delivered Before the National
Transportation Association.

Chicago, Feb. 1s.-Representatives of
great commercial organizations gather
ed al the board of trade today to attend
the annual meeting of the National
Transportation association. About 25
delegates were present, prominent ship
pers and business men from all parts of
the country and representing a mem
bership of about 20, 900. The meeting,
which was held behind closed doors,
was called to order by President Frank
Barry of Milwaukee, who delivered his
annual address. He spoke in part as
follows:
He said the National TRANSFORMATION
association had been in existence for
nearly seven years. 1t had accomplish
ed much, both directly and indirectly,
for those whom it represented. 1t stood
as restraining influence for all who
viewed might as right, ready to act for
chilly and effectively in an emergency
and ever agitating and striving to ac-
complfSh needed reforms and benefits.
The association had ever been the
friend of the interstate commerce act
and had frequently been called upon by
the commission for advice and assist
ance. 1t had been persistently at
work for the establishment of a union
classification and bill of lading for use
by all transported ton companies in the
country. 1t had advocated fair and
equitable car service which should not
be one sided in operation, but would
give demurrage to the shipper or re-
ce1ver of freight who suffered injury
loss through delay on the part of the
carrier just as it gave to the railroad
company compensation for tardy I'M
loading of its cars. Those and other
measures would be persistently follow
ed until the purposes of the associa ton
were accomplished.
He was followed by George F Stone
secretary of the Chicago board of trade
Mr.. Stone spoke about the interstate
commerce act. He said in part:
THE act to regulate commerce was
passed to secure an equitable diffusion
of the benefits of transportation and to
correct abuses which had almost imper-
ceptibly and very gradually crept into
the administration of the vast powers
conferred upon railroad corporate
alone. but for the people in the prosecu-
ton of their business enterprises; it
was not enacted to impair any interests,
but TO conserve and protect.
1.-The law did not in terms provide for
every possible contingency which could
arise in the application of the rights of
the citizen and the merchant in respect
to his proper and equitable participation
in the privileges of transportation of
persons and property, nor define with
absolute exactness the status of trans
pOrtatiOn corporations and has not eff
fectual1y restrained great traffic lines,
| flush with exercise of arbitrary power is
not by any means strange or unreason-
able. To dislodge corporate capital
grown through many years into an in
difference to say the least, to the wants
and rights of the people, is an herculean
task and cannot be done at once by the
stroke OF a pen or the passage of a sin
gle act. The roots of this dangerous and
dictatorial power lie deep beneath the
surface and can be torn up only by per-
sistent efforts, both personal and COM
bined in congress, courts of Jurisdiction
and in mercantile associations such as
this.
such forces, so thoroughly entrenched
and occupying such vantage ground, the
law stands at all. The position gained
must not be abandoned and the natural
and inherent rights of the people in the
transportation of persons and property
must be observed. When such rights
are involved there has never been and
never will be any alternative as they
stand unquestiOned. The sooner this is
| recognized by those vainly attempting
to withhold and circumscribe such rights
the better for the prosperity and safety
| and welfare of society.
1.-THE law is salutary, it is elastic in
| respect to carriers; it is not tentative
| in it's character and good faith shown
| in loyal efforts to conform to it's re-
| quirements will not involve reasonable
| and fair minded officials in any danger
| of damage or fine.
1.-The law itself was largely the result
/ of the evils which grew out of pooling.
| 1t is now proposed not only to forbid
| pooling, but actually to install it in the
| handed proposition and attacks the
very citadel of the law contemplating
| practically it's overthrow.
| "a part of this proposition which
| gives it plausa bility is that the pooling
| shall be under the control of the COM
| mission. This means but little in view
| of the history of the commission whose
| mandates have in so many instances
| been set aside or eVaded by those who
| set up this proposition. Let the rail-
| road corporations first obey the law and
| cooperate for it's enforcement. Let
| these gentlemen cleanse their hands be-
| fore they raise them in petition at the
| bar of this tribunal, remembering that
| they must come into court with clean
| hands as only such can plead in the
temple of justice.
| 1--WE take the ground that every rail-
road corporation is entitled to a just re-
| Enumeration for the services which it
performs in carrying on the business of
the communities through which it runs.
| We desire no inadequate returns for the
| capital invested, for the labor perform
| ed for the services and facilities to
| promote a profitable conduct of COM
| Inerce within our borders. We cannot,
however, too severely Genounce the in
| juries and disadvantages proceeding
| from an unequal distribution of trans
portation privileges. We demand with
out any equivoca ton, that the humble
| striving shipper and the business man
should participate in the advantages
which are enjoyed by the most favored
capitalist and the most powerful cor
| poration.''