The western recorder., 1898-06-09

L
THE big FOUR"
commissions of the different states. 1t Is
a body that Is supposed to stand as an
arblter between railroads and the people.
as 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
arree upon any legislation In that respect
that was needed / presume there would
be no difficulty in inducing yonder con-
rress TO enact II into law. and believing as
DO that It is essential to the public in
terest TO secure legislation. am pleased
10 have this opportunity of presenting my
views and endeavoring to enlist you in
the reforms which ! think are so vital.
We have reached a crisis In railway man.
agement when something must be done
we would avoid disaster. not alone to
The railways, but to the material inter
ests of our country.
For 90 years contest has been waged
In legislatures, in congress. and before
the courts by the people on one side who
believed that railways were public cor
porations 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.
1t finally eliminated in 1887 in the enact
ment OF the Interstate commerce law. and
since efrn rher-=hus hrcn hurofy uuy
when some provision of that law was not
under consideration by the courts or by
congress, until now we may state IT is as
fairly settled by the highest courts In the
land that the legislatures of the states
have control over railways with refer
ence TO their local business, subject to
certain conditions, and that the 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 the
states. or regulation. must be reasonable
and that rates cannot be reduced below
a profit where the railroads can earn
their expenses and a fair return upon
their cost
Railway managers had accepted the
situation. and were eno-a-oring to obey
the interstate commerce law and adapt
their management to II when, in March,
iSi, decision was rendered by the su-
preme court which produced chaos and
destroyed all agreements. 1t was prac-
tically that the Sherman antitrust law.
so-called. which 1t had not been supposed
applied to railways, did apply to them.
and under the construction of that law
Dy the court 1t was practically impossible
70 make any agreements or arrangements
ior the maintenance of tariffs In the
case brought against the Joint Traffic
association in New York. this view has
oeen eombated by the railways and 1t
may be modified by the courts.
II is well. perhaps. that we should
iook the situation fairly in the face, and
WINE DO not care to be an alarmist, l
leei pound to describe plainly to you the
eonuiuoh today. SO that you may under
s.ann tne necessity for action. Never in
,ne history of railways have tariffs been
50 nt'ie respected as today. Private ar
easements and understandings are more
plentiful than regular rates. The larger
sn.ppers, the irresponsible shippers, are
ootaining advantages which must sooner
Vi iater prove the ruin of the smaller and
nlore conservative traders. and In the
e,n ~ WIN break up many of the CONNER
,an, muses. IN this country and ruin the
Always madness seems to have
e'1eu 1 upon some railway managers, and
as as portion of the freights of the
,souhtry is being carried at prices far be-
Nv cost Other than the maintenance of
.a.s the condition of the railways is
t,i tsooui their physical condition has been
~ oseu' .' their trains are well managed,
enu @ the public is well served. II way
san be found by which tariffs can be
ha,nhed il'aihed and the practice of secret re-
- ahn private contracts discontinued
rai,..e VIII have great promise for
~ ~ Investors. railway employees and
80 Pupnc generally. And here | wish 10
co..a.. Ia ,his Is not question which
No. railway investors alone. II 1t
~. you might say, let them fight 1t
ors AZ concerns over and above every
~ eise the great public. One-ffth of
rst peopie are interested directly In
~ ,y either as employees or employees
nlsh,ns h,ae.ories . that are engaged in fur
an, supplies TO the railways Can
d. nody polite prosper IL one-nfth of
is number Is engaged IN n business ,hat
nrt,g ttyihg money? The railways serve the
pa.c r,a.,. IN SO many ways that their pros
S n,a is closely interviewer with the
nsorIsy and comfort of the ordinary
usr. one thousand millions of dollars
from ,has u out last year by the railways
ufac,a.ier earnings to employees of man
n,.s.es les IN this country. 5I1 900 900 Of
passengers were carried. ia oo1 m,iIIons
fre,s,s.a arried one mile: 565. 900 900 of tons OF
sHe were moved. 50 600 millions of ions
an, toNsu one mile. DO You think that
sar,.,sn terest performing such immense
tha ~ hs this can be in difficulty and
For,v ,,,,, OF the country not feel IT?
for nnhIia OF dollars were paid out
min,s"c s"c taxes. Over three thousand
cd T.. OF dollars that have been invest
for railways have earned no dividend
non,,,I.s' rms is not water. as some
mnnni s' orator Will say, but good. honest
throuss These securities are held ali
paw a., lne land. and their failure TO
on us s e,urn has brought disgrace up
ma. us abroad and suffering and want in
',Tb.s. a'niiy and community at home
n,es,'ase are the material sides of the
Gus 'uon. y'sn There Is much more danger
OF tbs ,n and that Is the decentralization
te-nrtva en conducting these immense on
Ia Ia i prlses and the want OF resnect sor ,be
sen, ",ch v9,, Is being developed by the pre-
The trouble is not due
ters,s,aer TO the provisions and the in
from va.,orce S,ommerce law It has grown up
and the ia.u sources. The panic OF 1898
twesn intensified the competition be-
openas. ne ."' ines: new avenues were
Incrsasa, ,he competition or The Gulf ports
canadisn enormously: also that Of The
er. these c aclhc on the north Atoseth-
Auses produced such sharp