Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-05-21
RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.
Address of Hon. M. E. Ingalls, to the
Commissioners Convention.
Questions Pertaining to the Conduct
of Railways which Are OF
Interest to the General
Public.

The railway commissioners of the
country met in convention at Wash
ington, d. c., on Tuesday May 10, for the
purpose of considering questions of
great interest both to the railways and
the people of the United States. The
convention was addressed by Hon, NJ.
4. ingalls,, high authority in railway
matters, upon the establishment of
proper traflics, conduct of shippers and
the betterment of existing conditions
in railway affairs, also the advance
ment of measures looking to the great
er comfort and convenience of the pub
lie. Mr.. ingalls, address is here given
as being sem-official expression of
the views held by railway managers
generally, and as being also cf gem
eral interest to the public at large:
'Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: am
very much obliged for this opportunity of
addressing you. / understand have in my
| audience the members OF the interstate
| commerce commission and the gentlemen
composing the various railway commits
| sions of the different states. 1t is a body
| that Is supposed to stand as an arbiter be-
| tween the railroads and the people, as a
| friend of both: body that ought to and
does have great influence, and especially
| in reference to legislation regarding rail-
| roads If this audience should agree upon
any legislation in that respect that was
needed, 1 presume there would be no diff
| hculty in inducing yonder congress to
enact 1t into law, and believing as 1 do
| that 1t Is essential to the public interest to
| secure legislation. am pleased to have
this opportunity of presenting my views
| and endeavoring to enlist you in the re-
| forms which 1 think are vital We have
reached crisis in railway management
where something must be done II we would
avoid disaster. not alone to the railways,
but TO the material interests of our country.
For 30 years contest has been waged
| in legislatures, in congress and before the
courts. by the people on one side who be-
| lieved that railways were public corpora
| tions 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-
ticable. 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. 1t finally eliminated in
1887 in the enactment of the interstate COM
| nnerce law, and since then there has been
hardly day when some provision of that
| law was not under consideration by the
| courts or by congress, until now we may
state 1t 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, 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 arbter 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 point where the railroads can earn
| their expenses and a fair return upon their
cost.
Railway managers had accepted the sit
| uation and were endeavoring to obey the
| interstate commerce law and adapt their
| management to 1t when in March, 1897, a de-
| cision was rendered by the supreme court
| which produced chaos and destroyed all
| agreements. 1t was practically that the
| Sherman antitrust law, so-called, which
| II had not been supposed applied to rail-
| ways did apply to them, and under the
| construction of that law by the court 1t
| was practically Impossible to make any
| agreements or arrangements for the main
tenance of tariffs. In the case brought
| against the Joint Traffic association in
New York, this view has been combatted
| by the railways and 1t may be modified by
| the courts. But since that decision in
| March, 1887, there has been practically a
state of anarchy so far as the maintenance
| of tariffs is concerned in large part of this
| country.
ut is well, perhaps, that we should look
the situation fairy In the face, and while I
| do not care to be an alarmist feel bound
| ~ bcSSi4OS p4d4hlS " SOu lHt COHu4llOI To-
| day, so that you may understand the ne
| cessity for action. Never in the history of
railways have tariffs been so little re-
| spected as to-day Private arrangements
ana UNDERSTANDINGS are more plentiful
| than regular rates. The larger shippers,
the irresponsible shippers, are obtaining
| advantages which must sooner or later
prove the ruin of the smaller and more
conservative traders, and in the end will
break up many of the commercial houses
in this country and ruin the railways. A
madness seems to have seized upon some
railway managers. and large portion OF
the fre!ghts OF the country is being carried
at prices far below cost. Other than the
maintenance of tariffs the condition of the
railways is good their physical condition
! has been improved: their trains are well
!, managed, and the public is we'll served II
, a way can be found by which tariffs car
be maintained and the practice of secret
rebates and private contracts discontinued
the future will have great promise for rail-
way investors, railway employees and the
public generally. And here I wish to say
| that this Is not question which concern:
railway investors alone. If it was. you
might say let them fight 1t out 1t con
Germs over and above everyone else, the
great public. One-hfth OF our people are
interested directly in railways, either as
employees or employees of manufacture:
that are engaged In furnishing supplies tc
the railways. Can any body polite prosper
II one-fifth OF its number is engaged in q
. business that is losing money? The rail
ways serve the public in so many ways tha
their prosperity is closely interviewer with
the prosperity and the comfort of the
/ ordinary people. One thousand millions OF
dollars were paid out last year by the rail
ways from their earnings to employees O.
manufactures in this country; 51l, 900 o.
passengers were carried; 1900 millions
| were carried one mile: 765, 900, 900 OF tons o
freight were moved; 5000 millions OF tom
| were moved one mile. Do you think tina
int au. ty,,y,
n service as this can be in difficulty and tn
balance of the country not feel It? Fort.
: millions of dollars were paid out for pub
:, lie taxes. over three thousand millions o
: dollars that have been invested In railway
have earned no dividend for years Thi
Is not water as some populist orator vii
= say but good, honest money. These SO
i curitles are he'd all through the land, an
their failure to pay any return has brough
i disgrace upon us abroad and suffering an
e want In many family and community a
homo. A slight improvement In the rate
which would be scarcely felt, would max
. this investment good. One mill per ton pc