The Monte Vista journal., 1898-06-11
on us abroad and suffering and want I.
many family and community at homs.

on us abroad and suffering s.l want I,
many !. f:'a''' and community At hsns.
zone Of the chief dineu,u., WITH Ii.
~ e Il stands today b that Tie pun.
nooont Ter private eeatrAets anA rebates
eetirsiy out Of properties to the offenss.
TAs imprisonment clause was Put N -
An amsndmsnt to the interstate oom-
mefee law. and believe the commission
aad everyone who has watched M work
inee viii agrss with me that Il has been
teuurs: more than . failure. that II
nas caused perhaps more Generalization
IMAM anything else. The public has not
believed In II; II has been impossible to
secure conviction: II has prevented the
railway Official who desired to be honest
from complaining Of his compstitor whom
ne thought was dishonest. In fact. II has
oesn what every law II that 10 not sup
ported BY public sentiment-a failure.
What. In fact. IL the manner Of conduct
in9 business today? The railway ofnciAl
VINO desires TO bo honest and law-abiding
sees traffic leave his line and hnds the
freight that he was carrying hauled to
the warehouse OF his rival. the earnings
OF his line decreasing and complaints
from the management OF loss Of earnings.
and In the distance he sees looming up
the less Of his position. AZ the same
tine. the shipper who desires to Obey
the law sees some rival selling msrchan-
disc to his customers At prices he cannot
meet. and he knows very we'll that he II
securing concessions from some railway
70 enable him to do this. The railway
agent and the shipper who wish to obey
the law sit down together and lock It
ever. What relief u there for them?
They can complain Of their rivals. possi-
bly, convict them under the interstate
commerce law and send them to the PEN
A..A ID
deWn upon them the condemnation Of the
public and would ruin their business: fer.
A. stated before. the public does not BE-
lieve in this severe feature Of the Law.
and will not support anyone who snforces
II. The result ID. these men. In despair.
are driven to do Just what their opponsnts
are doing-they become lawbreakers
themselves. have drawn no fancy pic
turs: II u what u occurring every day
around you.
''Is It wise, IL II broad statesmanship.
to leave = business a. large aa that OF
the railways-ons In which one-nfth. At
least. Of our population II engaged. one
which Affects the comfort and happiness
Of nine-tenths of the peopls-is It wiss 70
leave It outside Of the lawf II 10 said
that the most expensive occupation to
the community y that OF the burglar. he
has to spend 20 much time and destroy
30 much to get - little. II Il worth while
to force the great railway interests of
the country into the same position:
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 all
rates. Third and lastly. certain railway
managers who are opposed to any and
all legislation and who object to any con-
troll. and believe that they should b left
entirely alone.
"As to the first parties need not spend
much time upon them. Very few people
In this country are ready to launch the
government into the management Of 49,
600 miles of railway and the employment
Of q million Of men. 1t would In the end
be the destruction Of the republic. One
wishes the Interstate commerce commits
sion to regulate everything: tho other
wants them to regulate nothing.
Is II not better, 10 It not wise. for Us to
take . medium coursef The question of
most delicate business. The question
whether the grain from Nebraska shall
be exported to Europe via the Atlantic
ports or through the gulf or by way Of
Canada, the question Of what tariff Il 10
profitable to make land this usually de-
pends entirely upon what freight there
II to carry back. the protection OF differ
classes Of business. all involve such TN
msnse interests that the human mind that
realised the task would shrink freA CIV
ing Il to one set Of men. no matter bow
wise or experienced they were. and c
man who would desire this power WsulA
BE- rash beyond conception.
''Ptttsd against this view anA deter.
mined to prevent any iesisiation 10 the
railway Danagss who believes that ~
should b left 10 sail his own eeat. Aght
his own battle. manage his ltAs - ~
plsassA This plan was ali very well q
years go. bot the psopas have decided
otherwise. and be Whe asss net change
and recognise the pesssat situatiea 70 .
back number. Rsguiatioa ~ the peopie
has come 70 stay.
''All Of us who have any interest h cur
country. who desire Its prosperity. ere In
tsrsstsd IN the solution Of this great
question. II b not . time for ths lsaa-
sogus 70 howl about corporations. n y
NOT Q time TO talk about the wrongdelneo
OF railway manaGers. There are always
some. In any business. who viii nst q
right. and there always viii b.. but the
great mass OF railway managsrs to-day, I
assure you. are a. honestly seeking . 30
lution Of this question a. are yov o. any
member OF the legislative body. be-
lisve I vstcs the belief Of . vsry largs
majority Of them that the TIVE psovis.