The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-05-31
READJUsTING FREIGHT RATES By
HAILR0AD COMMISSIONERS.

FREIGHT RATES BY
SAILR0AD COMMISSIONERS.
The Jackson Evening News and
Meridian Star, two OF our able out.
spoken confreres In commenting on
the summons made BY the Railroad
Commission upon the Mobile and
Ohio Railroad TO show cause why
there should not be a re.adjustment
of freight rates oyer that line, seem to
think that IL would be better that the
Railroad Commissioners should let the
status quo be preserved.
II appears that the auditor Of that
road demonstrated from his books
that a further adjustment Of rates
would be the destruction OF the prop.
erty. II Is also said that the Mobile
and Ohio have not declared a dividend
In forty years. The Star winds up a
very sensible article in this way I'VE
had rather have a representative com.
mittee from Meridian shippers before
the tranic managers than a score OF
Railroad Commissions"
The Stars reasonings is sound and
logical.
An intelligent representative com.
mittee Of shippers who are constant.
" receiving and shipping goods, and
familiar with quantities, and classIfl.
cations Of freights would no doubt be
more capable than gentlemen whose
vacations were entirely Oh other lines.
With nothing but good feeling and
kindness towards the Railroad Com.
m%issioners, 1t may be accepted as u
fact that they are uatrained In rail.
70 I'd life, aud should at last be care.
ful not to do harm.
II Is stated that the rate Of freight
charges is dificult to adjust BY those
who have served a life time In rail.
reading, II this be true, how much
more dinicult are such duties when
imposed on men who are Ignorant OF
rates, quantities shipped, classified.
ton Of 'reights, short and long hauls,
etc.
The fact OF this want Of knowledge,
was no doubt one OF the causes why
the trainers OF the Constitution de.
clined to include Railroad Commits.
sioncrs In the list Of Constitutional
officers. IL was made elective and the
qualifications prescribed the same as
that OF Secretary Of State.
The truth - that the Annotated
Code Of 1892 prcscribes duties for the
Commission that only trained railroad
men and experts could perform. For
instance, the Commissioners are re.
quired "To inspect all the railroads
once In EACH year, and embrace the
results In their report, and they are
also required to report the condition
OF road beds, bridges, trestles, rolling
stock, ETC."
It Is no dIscrcdit 70 the Commission
to say that this duty they cannot per.
form, nor can any other persons save
experts discharge this duty.
tits, in the opinion of many intelli.
gent citizens i grave question as TO
whether the ONCE OF Railroad Com.
missioner, the duties Of which are by
no means oneraus, shall be continued,
or the Office abolished by the Legisla.
turc, and the statute retained, TO be
executed and enforced by other State
officials. The application OF common
sense In business affairs Is q good rule.
A blacksmith cannot repair q watch.
A lawyer could not treat q case Of VIC.
tent pneumonia, nor a doctor Of nedi.
cine could solve a great legal question
Involving international law. IL fol-.
lows that men, oficials II you please,
that are wholly unacquainted with
railroad trafiice, rates, classihcations,
etc. should be cautious, granting they
had the power, to do no injury to the
business and property Of others.
Radical changes In business matters
are attended with dangerous results
unless supported by precedent or fav.
Orable conditions.
We will add that doubtful changes,
doubtful undertakings should be left
severely alone.
The various lines Of railway In this
State, as we understand II, have en-.
deavored TO conform to the require.
ments Of the Railroad Commission.
1t may also be declared that pros.
perity Is abroad In the land-the peo.
OF the State, In all the walks of life,
are moving along and e~ndeavoring to
better their condition, and he who
o%bstructs or checks the various indus.
tries that infused life and activity In
the country, or who BY ignorance, mis-
take or supposed political advantage
places an unjust burden on capital,
and prevents further investments Of
money along industrial lines, IL an
enc ny TO the people, as we'll as to the
future growth and. prosperity Of the
state 49, l.ss -" ,,taI.' .F.
We are receiving daily the North
American published In PHILADELPHIA.