The state herald., 1898-06-10


ufactories in this country 6li.ooo.oOO of
passengers were carried: 1900 millions
were carried one mile: 765. 900. 900 of tons OF
freight were moved: 5000 millions Of tons
were moved one mile. Do you think that
any interest performing such immense
service as this can be in difficulty and
the balance of the country not feel 1t?
Forty millions of dollars were paid out
for public taxes. Over three thousand
millions of dollars that have been invest
ed In railways have earned no dividend
for years This is not water as some
populist orator will say. but good. honest
money. These securities are held all
through the land. and their failure 10
pay any return has brought disgrace up
on us abroad and suffering and want In
many family and community at home.
? =
"one Of the chief difficulties with the
law as II stands today is that the pun
ishment for private contracts and rebates
Is entirely out of proportion to the onense.
The imprisonment clause was put In as
an amendment to the interstate coin
merce law. and believe the commission
and everyone who has watched its work
ings will agree with me that 1t has been
failure; more than q failure. that 1t
has caused perhaps more decentralization
than anything else. The public has not
believed In It: II has been Impossible 10
secure conviction: II has prevented the
railway official who desired to be honest
from complaining of his competitor whom
he thought was dishonest. In fact, 1t has
been what every law is that is not sup
ported by public sentimental failure.
What, In fact, is the manner of conduct
Ing business today? The railway official
who desires to be honest and law-abiding
sees traffic leave his line and finds the
freight that he was carrying hauled 10
ms N Fnb NR II xl.. rtxf nj IN nn
OF his line decreasing and complaints
from the management Of loss of earnings
and In the distance he sees looming up
the loss of his position. At the same
time. the shipper who desires to obey
the law sees some rival selling merchan-
disc 10 his customers at prices he cannot
meet, and he knows very well that he is
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 IL
over. What relief Is there for themE
They can complain of their rivals. posi-
bly, convict them under the interstate
commerce law and send them TO the PEN
itentiary. but such action would bring
down upon them the condemnation OF the
public and would ruin their business: for.
as l stated before. the public does not be-
lieve in this severe feature of the law,
and Will not support anyone who enforces
1t. The result is. these men, in despair.
are driven to do just what their opponents
are doing-they become lawbreakers
themselves. i have drawn no fancy pic
ture: 1t is what IL occurring every day
around you.
"Is 1t wise, Is It broad craftsmanship,
TO leave n business as large as that Of
the railways-one in which one-nfth, at
least. OF our population is engaged. one
which affects the comfort and happiness
of nine-tenths of the people-is 1t wise to
leave 1t outside of the law? 1t is said
that the most expensive occupation to
tho community is that of the burglar, he
has to spend SO much time and destroy
SO much to get 30 little. Is 1t 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 be left
entirely alone.
"All of us who have any interest in our
country. who desire It's prosperity. are In
terested in the solution of this great
question. II Is not n time for the dema-
goguc to howl about corporations. 1t is
not n time to talk about tho wrongdoings
of railway managers. There are always
some. in any business, who Will not do
right. and there always will be, but the
great mass of railway managers to-day,
assure you. are honestly seeking a So
luton Of this question as are you or any
member .of the legislative body. be-
lievc l voice the belief OF very large
majority OF them that the two provis-
Ions ! have mentioned are necessary and
will lead to the settlement of this qucs-
tion. II this body viii Join and heartily
indorse this course and work for II, It's
accomplishment can be attained. We
have unwittingly In this country applied
TO railway laws that It was never In
tended should be applied to transporta-
tion companies Of this nature. We have
gone back and taken decisions that were
wise hundred years ago, when civillza-
tlon was In Its infancy and when the
masses needed certain protection. and
have cndeRyored to apply these same
principles to the great transportation In
tercsts OF modern times. The courts. un-
fortunately. have followed in that line.
Every business man. every stnteHmnn
knows that II is n mistake, that We have
here an Immense Interest such MS the
world has never seen. and the principles
which should govern II must be worked
out in harmony with the age and the
needs OF this country, There should be no
friction between the Interstate commerce
commission and the railways: there
should be none between the state COM
missions and the railways. There has
been too much OF feeling with these
bodies that the railways were against
NsSS