The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-11
r,orido.. RaiIroad commission.

Gov. Bloxham registered his protest
AGAINST the Florida railroad commission
act when he permitted it to become law
without his signature. II has been assert
ed that the law amounts virtually TO state
ownership of railroads, except that title
TO the property is not vested in the com
monweaith. But. in so far as the man
agement of the roads is concerned. the
owners of the property are left very little
voice The probabilities are that that is
an extreme view of the case, taken by
those who were defeated when the act
was passed. The new law Is no doubt OBJ
jectionabe. But it is possible to mitigate
its Objectionable features.
While the governor could not approve
the act, he must be the executive of the
law. The law directs him 20 appoint three
commissioners to administer the affairs of
the railroads. Whether or not the new
statute shall prove of benefit or detriment
to the state will depend upon these COM
missioners whom, it is expected. the gov
ernor will appoint this week. The commits
sionerships are regarded as official plums,
and there is a rush to secure them. The
pay is 500 a year-a sum sufficiently
large to attract a few first-class business
men and a host of politicians. The gov
ernor will probably have some good mate
rial to select from among the avowed
candidates, though, as a matter Of fact,
men competent TO I'LL such places are not
to be picked up on the streets at any mo-
ment. The future development of the
state. for number OF years at least. will
be in the hands of this railroad commits
sion. Should it evince a hostility to rail-
road corporations. the effect would be to
scare capital away from the state. On
the other hand, liberal and just treatment
Of the railroads would reassure capital
seeking investment in other enterprises,
and the state would go on increasing in
wealth and importance.
It would be impossible to over-estimate
the benefit of the railroads to Florida. If
there is any state in the union which
should feel under obligations to the rail-
roads that state is Florida. They have
made Florida the Riviera of America"
they have made her rich and prosperous.
and her swamps to bloom and bear fruit
as a garden. They have pushed civiliza-
ton into the Businesses of the everglades,
and have made her the gateway to the
Antilles. They have changed waste
places into valuable properties, and built
cities where there were formerly hamlets
The benefits which the railroads have be
slowed upon Florida are thousand and
one. 1t is true they may have had their
own profit in view; they were not working
for love or patriotism. Nevertheless. the
good to the state was none the less real
and lasting.
The railroads, of course. should not have
undue privileges. But they should be
treated literally and justly. They should
not be oppressed because they are owned
by corporations and certain demagogues
are making a great hue and cry against
corporations. The demagogues would
never in a thousand years do for Florida
what the railroads do in one season.
The law provides that one railroad man,
one lawyer and one farmer shall be ap-
pointed on the railway commission. The
classification was probably made as a
concession to the demagogues. However,
that may be passed over. The governor
should be able to stick to the letter of the
law and select three men who would be
broad-minded enough and courageous
enough to defy the calamity howlers and
administer the office with fairness, Justice
and moderation. 1t is possible that he
might have to go outside the list of can
didates to find such men. In that event.
he should not hesitate to turn down the
politicians. He should put only the best
men on guard, since the commissioners he
will appoint will make precedents and es-
tablish rules of procedure which will gov
ern probably as long as the law remains
upon the statute books. The governors
responsibility, therefore. is great. 1t is
sincerely TO be hoped that he will make
no mistake.