The Red Cloud chief., 1898-06-10

HON. NJ. II. INGALLS,. PRESIDENT OF
THE BIC OUR"
commissions Of the different states. II Is
a body hat IS supposed TO stand as an
arbitor between railroads and the people,
as u friend of both; a body that ought to
and does have great influence. and espc-
cially IN reference to legislation regard
Ing railroads. II this audience should
agree upon any legislation in that respect
that was needed. | presume there would
he no difficulty in inducing youdcr con-
Gress TO enact It into law, and believing as
i do that Il Is essential TO the public in
terest TO secure legislation, ! am pleased
TO have this opportunity OF presenting my
views and endeavor'ug TO enlist you In
the reforms ":iiicn | think are so vital.
We have reached Il crisis in railway man
agSrr.er, vi. scms.hins must he done
IL We Mould avoid disaster, rot alone TO
the railways, but to the material inter-
ests Of our country.
For 30 years a contest has been SaEed
In legislatures, in congress, and before
the courts, by the people on one side who
believed that railways were public cor
porations and subject to control 10y the
power that created them: and, on the
other hand, by officials of the railways,
who did not believe that such control was
legal or practicable. state after state
asserted its right. These rights were con-
tested from one court to another, and
decided from time to time always In favor
of the people, under certain restrictions.
IT finally eliminated in 1857 In tho enact
mcnt of the Interstate commerce law, and
since then there has been hardly "A day
when some provision of that law was not
under consideration by the courts or 10y
congress, until now We may state II f. as
fairly settled by the highest courts IN the
land that the legislatures OF the states
have control over railways with refer
cnce TO their local business. subject to
ARtaG tl.a aAl ,Aat ~
OF the United states has the power 10
regulate interstate business. The supreme
court OF the United States, which Is the
highest arbiter of these Differences, has
! just decided that such control of the
Vstates. or regulation, must he reasonable.
tand that rates cannot he reduced below
v profit where the railroads can earn
veir expenses and Il fair return upon
beir cost.
kRailway managers had accepted the
NATION, and were endeavorinG TO obey
interstate commerce law and sdapt
r management TO II when. in March.
IA decision was rendered by the SUI
lie court which produced chaos and
,,Syed all agreements. 1t was prac-
60 that the Sherman antitrust law,
onned. which II had not been supposed
apptbn 10 railways, did apply to them,
So .ier the construction OF that law
~ mmaourt IT was practically impossible
Co. any agreements or arrangements
n maintenance Of tariffs. In the
aase o.ght against the Joint TraAlc
aan in New York, this view has
90 DO oovnated by the railways and 1t
/" oU rihed by the courts.
- IL u, perhaps, that we should
Sn = sation fairly In the face. and
go SSpt care TO be an alarmist, |
49, nounu describe plainly to you the
.onu,'iUn 'oV, so that you may under
tha - "tsity fer action. Never in
60 ,','.s Railways have tariffs been
~ W 'tSI"T d as today. Private ar
u"h."i,"'a "'"lnderstandings are more
plentiful than G,,,Ior rates Tho ,,rgor
oh,ppenH, thr lrspousihle shippers, are
",lhS ""NanHcs which must sooner
or later prove the I'm Of tho smaller ana
End uni 1--WE TRADERS, and in the
emu WIZ break up .any of the CONNER
cial houses in this .suGtrv and min tho
railways, a madnes seems 10 have
seized upon some ran,ay managers and
arg portion OF t. freights OF the
country IL being carrie, at prices far he
,or,rs otner than te maintenance Of
'srins the condition Of The railways is
good their physical con,ition has h,en
improved; their trains are we'll manoced
and the public Is well ser,s1 ~ , o.
can De round by which Tariffs can be
maIh'aihsd ana the practice Of secret re-
,hs ~ private contracts discontinued,
the iuture VIII have great nromIa, for
railway investors, railway emnloyes and
me pubic generally. And here I wish 10
say that this is not a question which
concerns railway investors alone. II II
sn, you might say, let them fight it
Sut' IL concerns over and above every-
one else, the great public. OneNartb ~
our people are interested directly in
anyways either as employees or eImpioyes
OF manufactures that are enra,aE in ~.
nrSnihs supplies to the RAILWAYS. Can
It's nu uuds ps',,rG prosper If onNtnfth OF
is losing money? The raiIwavs s'Xsye nnhs
peritv ~ so many ways that them pros
IC.Yspe"y and comfort Of the ora lnsry