The state herald., 1898-06-10

HoEN. NJ. ~. l.N'hl-lSO, IhfsSlDENl of
THE BIG FOUR"
commissions Of the different states. II is
body that Is supposed to stand rs an
nrbiter between railroads and the people.
rs n friend OF both; body that ought to
and does have great influence. and espe-
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
be no difficulty in inducing yondcr con-
grcss to enact II into law. and believing as
j do that II is essential to the public in
terest to secure legislation, | am pleased
TO have this opportunity OF presenting my
views and cndeavoring to enlist you In
the reforms which / think are 50 vital.
We have reached crisis In railway man
agement when something must be done
II we would avoid disaster. not alone to
the railways. but TO the material inter-
ests Of our country.
For 30 years contest has been wagcd
in legislatures, In congress. and before
the courts. by the people on one side who
believed that railways were public cor
poratloRs and subject to control by 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.
II finally eliminated In 1857 IN the enact
ment OF the Interstate commerce law. and
since then there has been hardly day
when some provision OF that law was not
under consideration by the courts or by
congress, until now we may state II ls 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
FuNy. ls4taa
of the United States has the power TO
regulate interstate business. The supreme
court OF the United States. which is the
highest arblter OF these differences, has
just decided that such control OF the
states. or regulation, must be reasonable,
and that rates cannot be reduced below
profit where the railroads can earn
their expenses and fair return upon
their cost.
hallway managers had accepted the
situation, and were endeavoring TO obey
the Interstate commerce law and adapt
their management to IL when. In March,
1897. a decision was rendered by the SUI
prcmc court which produced chaos and
destroyed all agreements. IL was prac-
tically that the Sherman antitrust law
so-called. which Il had not been supposed
applied to railways. did apply to them.
and under the construction OF that law
by the court II was practically impossible
10 make any agreements or arrangements
for the maintenance of tariffs In the
case brought against the Joint Trsfic
association In New York. this yiew has
been combsted by the railways and II
may be modified by the courts.
ut II well. perhaps, that we should
look the situation fairly In the face. and
while do not care to be an alarinist. I
feel bound to describe plainly to you the
condition today, so that you may under
st. bg 10,
the history of railways have tariffs been
10 little respected ms today. Private nr-
-angementA and Understandings are more
piSntiful than regular rates. The larger
shippers. the irresponsible shippers, nre
obtaining advantages which must sooner
or later prove the ruin OF the smaller and
more conservative traders. and IN tho
end will break up many OF the CONNER
clnl houses In this country and ruin tho
railways A madness seems TO have
seized upon some railway managers, and
n large portion OF the froishts of the
country IN being carried at prices far be-
low cost. Other than the maintenance OF
tariffs the condition OF the railways IL
good. their physical condition has been
improved their trains are well managed,
and the public II well served. II way
can be found by which tnrina can be
maintained and the practice OF secret r..
bates and private contracts Discontinued,
'N' ihAhl' WIZ HhN' hi'' IipHlhN 1of
railway investors. railway employees and
the public generally. And here | wish to
say thai this II not n question which
concerns railway Investors alone II II
was. you might say let them fight "
out II concerns over mud above every
one else the great public Onc.nfth OF
our people are Interested directly In
railways either nn employees or employees
of manufactures that are engaged IN fur
nl-hinr supplies to the rallwaya cnh
amy body polite prosper n one.nf,h OF
It's number n engaged In n business that
II losing money! The railways serve the
public IN so many ways that their pros.
pcrity is closely interviewer with the
prosperity and comfort OF the ordinary