Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-06-25


THE "BtG FOUR
commissions Of the different states. u =
body that IL supposed 70 staaA ~ an
arbiter between railroads and the p1opis.
a. a friend Of BOTH bsdy that ought 70
and does have great influence ARD espr-
cialiy "a reference 10 legislation regard.
tnK railroads. ~ this Audt~Nes ahnaEd
agree upon any legislation IL that respect
that was needed 1 presume there weaid
be no difficulty In inducing ygRa-v eea-
Eress TO enact u Into Law. and believing as
l do that u 10 essential 20 The public iu
terest 10 secure legislation. am pleased
10 have this opportunity OF presenting my
views and snesayorsnx 70 saIist you Ia
the reforms which I think are SO vital
We have reached crisis In railway man.
agemrnt when scmsthtnE must be dans
" We would avoid disaster. not alone 10
the railways. tut 10 this material inter.
ests Of our country.
For % years contest has been Narsd
In legislatures. tn congress. and hetass
the courts. by the people on oaa side who
believed that railways w-re puhlic cor.
porations and SuhIect TO control by the
power that created them. and. on tins
other hand by officials Of the railways
who did not believe that such control was
legal or practicable. State after state
asserted It's right. These rights were cen,
tested from one court to another hne
/ decided from time 10 time always IN favor
/ OF the people. under certain reatrirtisns
/ IL finally eliminated in 1877 in the enact.
K ment Of the Interstate commrrc. law. and
/ since then there has been hardly a day
4 when some provision OF that law ~aa not
/ under consideration BY the courts OF by
I congress. until now we may stats II u IA
fairly settled by the highest courts IN this
/ land that the legislatures OF the states
have control over railways with refer.
enc. 10 their local business subject IA
[ r3rfnfu conditions FfsfN a..
/ OF the United states has the power u
/ regulate Interstate business. The supresns
/ court OF tho United States, which il ths
highest arbiter Of these differences. has
/ Just decided that such control OF ,hr
states. or regulation. must be reasonable
and that rates cannot be reduced bstos
proiit where the railroads can ear,
their expenses and a fair return upon
| their cost.
Railway managers had accepted tfs
situation. ND were endsavorinK 10 ohsy
ths Interstate commerce Law and adatt
their management TO II when. IN Marcf
1877, decision was rendered by the 50.
/ preme court which produced ohaos ara
destroyed all agreements II was pras.
ticaily that the Sherman antitrust Law.
i so-calIsd. which u had not been supposed
applied TO railways. did apply to then.
and under the construction OF that law
| by tho court II was practically Impossible
20 make any agreements or arrangements
/ for the maintenance OF tartffa In ths
case brought against the Joint Tram
association In New York, this yiev has
been combatsd by the railways and Il
I may be modified by tho courts
II " wei, perhaps. that we should
look the situation fairly In the face. ami
while do not care TO be an aiarrnIst. 4
feel bound to describe plainly 70 you Tho
condition today, so that you NAV tindo,.
/ stand thu Too, ~,
the history OF railways have tariffs tes1
SO little respected as today. Private ar
rangsfnents and Understandings are fnoto
plentiful than regular rates. Tho iarv.r
shippers. the irresponsible shippers AZ
obtaining advantages which must soonsr
OF later prove the ruin % the smaller ana
| more conservative tr4asra ana In 80
end viii break up many Of the cos,,,,.i0s
clol houses IN this country end ruin tle
railways. madness seems 10 hssc
seized upon some railway managers. ara
large portion OF the frelghta OF tlo
country Is being chrrled at prices far ~.
low cost. Other than the maintenance ~
tt'l,H the CONDITION or tho railwaya is
good; their physical condition has be.n
improved, their trains are well tnanaosi
ana INC public is well served III wsg
can be found ny which tnriffa oen II
maintained and tho practice ~ sacya, 7,
bates ana private contracts disoontinos1
NE future Will have great promiaa fsr
.aIiWHy investors. railway employees All
me plblls generally. And here I ,viah ~
say mat This ~ not d question v,hi,,'
concerns railway investors alone I, y,
"as, you might say let them n-b, :,
out u concerns over and above e,,s,'
one else. tho great public. one-nfth I,
.uu paopic ate Interested directly ~
20 nays: either as employees or etnpiox.s
nishins supplies to the raiiwaye " VI VI
any ~, body poiitic prosper n one.nf,h =,
~ nulnper y engaged In business M, !,
losing money! Tho railways ssrvs ~
puDno ~ SO many ways that their nre..
psalas is closely interviewer with IL
prosperity and comfort OF the ordInasy