People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-02-03

those who treat it as such a simple
matter. There are two ways in
which railroads may be managed;
one is the bureaucratic method of
countries having state railways, in
which competition is Set aside so
far as possible by divisions OF terri
tory and of traffic, and rates are
named upon somebody's idea of
what was thought proper when the
roads were opened. The other is
the competitive system, under which
varying competitive forces determine
from time 10 time the maximum
rates that can be charged, and the
desire to attract business reduces
these maxima freely. The latter
system is that Of countries subject to
the common law. To 60 ov r to
the bureaucratic system is contrary
to the spirit Of our institutions; it is
worse than that, for it would en-
danger our national progress. Un-
der rates controlled by competition
our country has expanded and
developed beyond what any other
nation would think credible. Rates
have been constantly reduced, and
doubtless the aexibility of rates in
their adaptation to business con,
ditionS and the continual opening Of
new enterprises, channels of trade
and markets have been largely due
to the fact that no bureau has
supervised railroad traffic.
1t is without doubt true that rail-
way rates are now much lower than
they would have been had a public
rate-making body been established
twenty years ago; and In this view
It may be said that the creation of a
rate bureau would be protection
to the revenues of the roads. This
may be so, but railway officials do
not desire protection which would
prevent them from constant efforts
to develop the traffic of their respec-
tive lines.
1t would be a sorry day for our
country were a rate-making power
given to any possible tribunal. Its
mere existence would threaten all
energy and enterprise. It's exercise
would either overturn competitive
conditions, which would be ruinous,
or it would acknowledge them, which
is the present system.
THE DEMANDS OF THE COMMISSION.
The present demands of the In
terState commerce commission, as
outlined in their annual report just
submitted to congress, are thus
taken up and discussed. In view Of
the fact now generally conceded,
that The prohibition of pooling was
unwlse and has prevented the obtain.
ing of many good results hoped fol
from the passage of the interstate
commerce law, it seems probable
that congress will be compelled tc
authorize pooling agreements as ar
aid to the regulative statute. The
prohibition of pooling made unjus
discrimination inevitable on the
largest possible scale. But in con
nectlon with the proposal to correc
| this admitted mistake il is said tina
rates should be subjected 10 absolute
and effective control. This prop
position is somrtimes presented a!
though the railroads were bein,
granted favor, in consideration o
which concession should be ex
torted, whereas the legalizing o
pools is for the benefit Of shipper
as much or more than of the rail
roads. AT other times it is saiC
that pools will destroy competition
and unless rates are controlled the,
will become excessive; to which
there are Two answers; first, pool
will not destroy competition; second
excessive rates cannot be exacted
History and the testimony of ex
perts proves that while pools tent
to regulate competitive excuses
they do not and never can effac
legitimate competition, or ever
seriously weaken its vitality. Tn
making of excessive rates is n,
longer practically possible in tn,
United States. 1t is an entire fallac
to suppose that the rate to bt
charged on any given traffic is sub
ject to the decree of the railwa'
traffic manager or even to the deere
of groups Of traffic managers. The,
can reduce rates, but except in rar
and peculiar cases they canno
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