The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-31

combine to raise prices. It is apparently
useless for the railroad man to say wha1
he knows to be a fact, that the demands
of the different markets, the competitor
of the waterways and the conditions OF
the different centers at which freight Is
gathered make ii impossible for the ran
ways to raise rates But the railways are
not only willing, but maintain, that TINS
danger should be obviated by. securing the
Government control over all pooIing
rates. The railways ask for no pooIlng
law except upon these conditions: .
First-That the pooling contract shaIl
not be made until it has been approved by
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and
Second-That if the rates prove oppres-
sive or unjust in the traffic which is
subject to the pool, the Interstate COM
merce Commission shall have the right
to step in and right the wrong, II there
is any, or abrOgate the pool.
The only objection I have ever heard is
that the Government cannot be trusted.
Certainly there has been nothing in the
conduct of the interstate commission
since its formation which justities such
a charge. If such a charge is true, then
all goVeTnement is a failure when great
roads do not care how much the Inter
state Commerce Commission is strength
ened if in It's present form it is not en-
tirely satisfactory. The railroads ara
anxious that the commission should be
as strong and judicial as possible. The
nearer it approaches the absolutely in
supreme
the United States, the better it will suit
the railroads.
Failing, however, in legislation on the
subject and supposipg that the law re-
against railroad pooling and agreements
under the present statutes, the natural
tendency of the railroads will be to follow
the general trend of the other business of
the country. This will not be rapid
process, but this tendency will be sure.
The weaker lines will be unable to stand
the strain of irregular and wholly uncer-
tain or unremunerative compensation
which follows. They will not be able to
raise the money which the stronger lines
can to- take advantage of every invention,
grade crossing, every lowering of grade,
every taking out of curves, every substi-
tuition of machinery and automatic applf-
anCeS which can cheaper the cost of car
rying So they will be bankrupted and
ultimately absorbed by the stronger lines,
and the business of the country will be in
the hands of the latter This absorption
and the consequent formation of a few gil
g@ntic corporations to do the carrying
business of the country would threaten
another railway agitation, whether wise
or not. and a long period of disturbance
Of business-that sort of disturbance
which makes bad times, because the bust
ness man has factors to deal with in leg
islation and in uncertain rates which
make it impossible for the wisest head to
forecast the future.
This decision will be fortunate docu-
nenIs IL Congress IN a CALM DTOdO way
will take up the whole question and so
legislate that the public and railways and
their investors and their employees may
be fully protected; that large freedom for
agreement may be granted to the railways
among themselves under strict supervision
and rigid control of the Government of
the United States. If the Government is
not equal to the task of impartial super
vision of this business under these condi-
tons it better retire from the thought OF
resunling the responsibilities for Cuba,
Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines.