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

were carried one mile; 7s6. 0O0, 900 OF ton1 OF
freight were moved; Is, 900 millions Of tons
were moved ono mile, DO you think that
any interest performing such immense
service an this can be In difficulty and
the balance VI the country not feol ~
Forty millions OF dollars were paid out
for public taxes. Over three thousand
millions OF dollars that havo been invest
cd In railways have earned no dividend
for years. This Ia not water, Rs some
populist orator will say but good, honest
money. These securities arc held all
through the land. and thoir failure 10
pny any return has brought disgrace up
on US abroad and suffering and want In
many a family and community at home
eHa e eNHNo - M
''one OF the chief difiiculties with tho
law al II stands today Ia that the pun
ishment for private contracts and rebates
ID entirely out OF proportion 10 the onenhe.
The imprisonment clause was put In AZ
an amendment TO tho interstate COM
merco law, and believe tho commission
and everyone who has watched ~ Work
ingB will agree with me that II has been
a failure; moro than y failure, that u
has caused perhaps moro decentralization
than anything else. Tho public has not
believed In II; II has been impossible 70
secure convictions II has prevented tho
railway official who desired 10 DO honeht
from complaining OF his competitor whom
no thought was dishonest. In fact, II mas
been what every law 10 that Ii not sup
ported by public sentiments failure
What, In fact, In the manner OF conduct.
ing business today? The railway omqlhl
who desires TO DO honest and law-apidihe
sees traffic leave his line and hnds the
freight that he was carrying hauled 70
the warehouse OF his rival, tho earnings
OF his limo decreasing and Complaints
from the management OF loss OF earnings,
and In the distance no sees looming up
tho loss OF his position Al tho same
time tho shipper who desires 70 obey
tho law sees some rival selling merohan-
disc to his customers at prices no cahnot
meet, and he knows very well that no 10
securing concessions from Bome railway
to enable him to do this. The railway
agent and the shipper who wish 10 opey
the law sit down together ana look "
over. What relief IL there for themT
They can complain OF their rivals, possi-
bly, convict them under the interBtate
commerce law and send them to the PEN
itentlary, but such action would bring
down upon them the condemnation OF tho
public and would ruin their buslnessi Tor,
as stated before, the public does not DO
lieve In this severe feature OF the law,
and will not support anyone who enforcos
II. The result is. these men, In despair,
are driven TO DO Just what their opponents
are doIng-they become lRwbrenkora
themselves. have drawn no fancy pio-
ture; II Is what Ia occurring every dAy
around you.
rs It wise, 10 II broad statesmanship,
to leave business as large A. that OK
the rallways--onO In which one-nfth, es
least. OF our population 10 engaged, one
which Affects the comfort and happiness
OF nlne-tenths Of tho people-iS II wise 70
leave II outside OF tho lawf II 10 said
that tho most expensive occupation 10
tho community Is that OF the burglar ne
has to spend 30 much time and destroy
30 much TO get 10 little. Is II worth while
10 force the great railway interests OF
| tho country into the Same posltionY
"Who opposes this legislationf First.
certain people who desire tho government
| to own and operate the railways, 6oc-
| ond, others who wish that the interstate
| railway commission should mako all
rates. Third and lastly, certain railway
managers who arc opposed to any ana
all legislation and who object to any con-
troll, and believe that they should DO Left
entirely alone.
|
IAN OF us who have any interest In our
country, who desire Its prosperity, are In
terested In tho solution OF this great
| question. II IL not time for tho dema-
goguo to howl about corporations. II IN
not a time to talk about the wrongdoings
of railway managers. There arc always
some, in any business. who will not do
right, and there always viii be, but the
great mass OF railway managers to-day,
assure you, are as honestly seeking so
luton of this question as are you or any
member OF tho Legislative body. ] be-
| lieve 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 QueB-
| ton. II this body will Join and heartily
| indorse this course and work for II, its
| accomplishment can DO attained. We
have unwittingly in this country applied
| TO railway laws that II was never in-
| tended should be applied TO Transports
| ton companies Of this nature. We have
| zone back and taken decisionB that were
| wise a hundred years ago, when clvilizA-
| ton was in Its infancy and when the
masses needed certain protection, ana
| have endeavored to apply these same
principles to the great transportation In
| terests Of modern times. The courts, uu-
fortunately, have followed In that line
Every business man, every statesman,
knows that II il n mistake, that We have
hero an immense interest such az the
world has never seen, and the principles
which should govern II must DO worked
out in harmony with the ago and the
| needs of this country. There should DO no
friction between tho interstate commerce
| - - Nsmfas
should BIO none between tho state COM
missions and the railways. There has
been too much Of q feeling with these
| bodiea that the railways were against