Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-02

HON. M. d. INGALLS,, PRESIDENT OF
THE BIG FOUR"
commissions OF the different states. II 10
q body that 10 supposed TO stand AZ an
arblter between railroads and the people,
AZ 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 yonder con-
gress to enact It into law, and believing an
do that 1t Is essential to the public in
tercst TO secure legislation, am pleased
to have this opportunity Of presenting my
views and endeavoring TO enlist you In
the reforms which think are 80 vital.
We have reached criBls In railway man
agement when something must be done
X We would avoid disaster, not alone to
the railways, but to the material inter-
ests Of our country.
"For 30 years ascontest has been waged
in legislatures, In congress, and before
tho courts. by tho people on one side who
believed that railways were public cor
porations and subject to control by tho
power that created them; and, on the
other hand, by officials OF the railways,
who did not believe that such control was
ltkul VI PlhNllGuDlGs bAuAo hhNNi bNANp
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.
1t finally eliminated In 1887 In the enact
ment OF the Interstate commerce law. and
since then there has been hardly a day
when Homo provision OF that law was not
under consideration by the courts or by
congress, until now we may state II ia as
fairly settled by the highest courts In the
land that tho legislatures OF the states
have control over railways with refer
encO to their local business, subject to
certain conditions, and that tho congress-
Of the United States has the power to
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 tho
states, or regulation, must be reasonable.
and that rates cannot be reduced below
n profit where the railroads can earn
their expenses and fair return upon
their cost.
Railway managers had accepted the
situation, and were endeavoring to obey
the Interstate commerce law and adapt
their management to II when, In March,
1897. a decision was rendered by the su.
premo court which produced chaos AMI
destroyed all agreements. II was prac-
tically that the Sherman antitrust law,
so-cailed, which 1t had not been supposed
applied to railways, did apply 10 them.
and under the construction OF that law
by the court It was practically impossible
TO make any agreements or arrangements
for tho maintenance Of tariffs. In the
case brought against the Joint TrRffio
association in New York, this view has
been combated by the railways and It
may DO modified by the courts.
ut IL well, perhaps, that We should
look tho situation fairly In tho face. and
while do not care to DO an alarmist,
feol bound TO describe plainly to you the
condition today. 80 that you may under
stand tho necessity for action. Never in
the history Of railways have tariffs been
no little respected as today. Private ar
ranRements and understandings are moro
plentiful than regular rates. Tho larger
shippers, the irresponsible shippers. are
obtaining advantages which must sooner
or later prove the ruin Of tho smaller and
more conservative traders, and In the
end viii break up many Of the CONNER
cial houses In this country and ruin the
railways. A. madness seems to have
seized upon some railway managers, and
n large portion of tho freights of tho
country IL 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.
ana tho public Ia well served. II O way
can be found by which tariffs can BIO
maintained and the practice Of secret re-
bates and private contracts discontinued,
tho future will have great promise for
railway investors. railway employees and
tho public generally. And here wish to
say that this IL not O question which
concerns railway investors alone. II II
was, you might say, let them fight It
out It concerns over and above every
one else, tho great public. one-ffth Of
our people are Interested directly in
railways, either as employees or employees
Of manufactures that are engaged In fur
nishinS supplies 10 the railways. Can
any body polite prosper II one-iifth of
its number IL engaged In o. business that
"a losing money! The railways serve the
public In 10 many ways that their pros
peTity II closely interviewer with the
prosperity and comfort Of tho ordinary