Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1898-06-02


many a family and community at home.
"one Of the chief difficulties with the
law as 1t stands today Is that the pun
ishment for private contracts ana res1teS
is entirely out of proportion to the eA.shAe
The imprisonment clause was put III -
an amendment TO tho Interstate I'm
merce law, and believe the cohliii 49,
and everyone who has watched lts WI
ings will agree with me that II has been
a failure: more than failure, thst ~
has caused perhaps more demoraiizatlon
than anything else. The pubic mas hoe
believed in III 1t bias been impossioie ~
secure conviction; 1t has prevented .ne
railway official who desired to be noifese
from complaining of his competitor Wro
he thought was dishonest IN Iaot, II mas
been what every law is that Is NOT SUP
ported by public sentiments leii"
What, in fact, is the manner OF cohquce
ing business today? The railway o niolal
who desires to be honest and law-apialhs
sees traffic leave his line ana mus s
freight that he was carrying haulea "
the warehouse Of his rival. the earnings
of his line decreasing and complaints
from the management of loss OF earhiLs So
and in the distance he sees looming UP
the loss of his position Al the sshie
time, the shipper who desires 10 ooeS
the law sees some rival selling merehah-
meet, and he knows very well that ne -
securing concessions from some railway
to enable him to do this. The railway
agent and the shipper who wish TO OBEY
the law sit down together and look !.
over. What relief is there for them
They can complain OF their rivals, psssi-
bly, convict them under the interstate
commerce law and send them TO the pen pen
itentiary but such action would bring
down upon them the condemnation OIL the
public and would ruin their business iol'
as | stated before, the public does not De-
lieys in this severe feature OF the law.
and will not support anyone who entorGes
It, The result is these men, IN uesPaii =
are driven to do just what their opponents
are doing-they become lawbreakefs
| themselves. 1 have drawn no fancy pc
| ture: II is what is occurring every oaS
| around you.
Els il wise, is 1t broad craftsmanship
| to leave a business as large as thst VI
| the railways-one in which one-h1th' a.
| least, of our population is engaged on'
| which affects the comfort and happiness
of nine-tenths of the people-is it wise e
leave It outside of the law? 1t is sai'
| that the most expensive occupation y
| the community is that of the burglar, M
| has to spend so much time and destro!
| so much to get so little. Is 1t worth whli'
to force the great railway interests o
/ the country INTO lne SAME pOSitloht
| who opposes this legislation? FIRST
certain people who desire the government
to own and operate the railways. Sec
ond, others who wish that the interstate
| railway commission should make al
rates Third and lastly, certain railwa'
| managers who are opposed to any ant
| all legislation and who object TO any con
troll, and believe that they should be lef
| entirely alone.
"As TO the first parties / need not spen
much time upon them. Very few peopi
in this country are ready to launch IN
government into the management or $50,
0G0 miles of railway and the employment
of million of men, 1t would in the en-
be the destruction of the republic. On
wishes the interstate commerce commits
sion to regulate everything; the othe
wants them to regulate nothing.
rs 1t not better is it not wise, for us
take a medium course? The question Q
making rates is most important an
most delicate business. The questie
whether the grain from Nebraska sha
be exported to Europe via the Atlanu
ports or through the gulf or by way c
Canada. the question of what tariff 1t
profitable to make land this usually do
ponds entirely upon what freight ther
is to carry back) the protection of differ
ent ports. the development of dlfferer
classes of business. all involve such in
mense interests that the human MIND ths
realized the task would shrink from glN
ing 1t to one set of men, no matter ho'
wise or experienced they were, and
man who would desire this power woul
be rash beyond conception.
"Pitted against this view and detel
mined to prevent any legislation is I'll
railway manager who believes that
should be left to sail his own boat, figf
his own battle, manage his line as
pleases. This plan was all very we'll
years ago, but the people have decide
otherwise, and he who does not chang
and recognize the present situation is
back number Regulation by the peop
has come to stay.
'All of us who have any interest in OF
country, who desire its prosperity, are II
terested in the solution of this gree
question. 1t is not a time for the dems
gogue to howl about corporations 1t
not time to talk about the wrongdoing
of railway managers There are AWAY
some. in any business. who will not q
right, and there always will be- but tf
great mass Of railway managers to-day
assure you, are as honestly seeking a 81
luton of this question as are you or an
member of the legislative body l b,
lieve l voice the belief of a very lare
majority of them that the two provi