The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-05-26
RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.
Address Of Hon. IL E. ingalls, to the
Commissioners Convention.
Questions Pertaining 20 the Conduct
Of Railways which Are Of
Interest 10 the General
Public.

The railway commissioner Of the
country met iu convention at WASH
lngtou. d. C., ON Tuesday May 10, for the
purpose Of considering questions Of
great interest both 10 the railways and
the people of the United States. The
convention was addressed by Hon. N.
z. Ingalls,, a high authority in railway
matters, upon the establishment Of
proper t~rafics. conduct of shippers and
the betterment OF existing conditions
i'm railway affairs, also the advance
meut Of measures looking to the great
err comfort and convenience Of the pub
lie. Mr.. ingalls, address IS here given
as being a semi-of5eia' expression of
the views held by railway managers
generally, and as being also Of gem
era interest TO the public at urge;
rMr. Chairman aud Gentlemen 7 am
very much obliged for this opportunity OF
addressing you. I understand have 10 my
audience the members Of the Interstate
commerce commission and the gentlemen
composing the various railway commits
sI0us of the different states. 1t is a body
that Is supposed 10 stand as an aTh!teT bee
tween the railroads and the people. as a
friend Of both a body that ought "a ard
does have great influence, and especially
NJ reference 10 legislation regarding rail-
ROADS II this audience should agree upon
any legislation ia that respect that was
needed, I presume there would be no DIFF
hculty IN inducing ycnder congress 70
enact Ii Into Jaw, and believing as / do
that it Is essential to the public interest to
secure legislation, I am pleased TO have
this opportunity Of presenting my views
and e~ndeavoring TO enlist you IN the re-
forms which think are SO vital We have
reached a crisis In railway management
where something must be done II we would
avoid disaster, not alone 10 the railways,
but to the material interests OF our country.
For 50 years a contest has been wage1
IN legislatures, in congress and before the
courts. by the people on one side who be-
ileved that railways were public corpora
tons and subject TO control by the power
that created them and, on the other hand,
by officials Of the railways, who did not
believe such control was legal or praC-
tlcable. State after state asserted its right
These rights were contested from one court
TO another, and decided from time to time
always IN favor Of the people, under Ger
tain restrictions Ii finally eliminated In
lSS7 In tho enactment of the interstate com
merce law, and since then there has been
hardly a day 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 high
est courts in the land that the legislatures
Of the states have control over railways
with reference TO their local business, sub
ject TO certain conditions, n 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 differ
ences, has Just decided that such control Of
the states, or regulation, must be reason
able, and that rates cannot be reduced be-
low a point where the railroads can earn
their expenses and a fair return upon their
cost.
Railway maoarers had accented the st-
uatlon and were ~endeavorlng h obey the
Interstate commerce Iaus ana sFaDf their
m-aHaqameu to n when In March fgo7 q 5a-
cislon was rendered INV ma eunreme oourf
which prcduceB chaos and aestroved an.
agreements II was nracticaBv that The
sherman anti-trust law go-caIIed which
II had not been supposed appIlpd 10 rail-
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a-rreenents or engagement Far W. main
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