New-York tribune., 1901-11-25
WyPTNG TOWNS OFF THE NAP.

| One of the objections urged by the opponents
| of the Northwestern railroad combination.
! which Governor Van SAINT of Minnesota is work
ing so industriousiy TO block, is that the union
| would injuriouslg affect many towns along the
] lines of the now competing railroads when
might be practically wiped off the map by rail-
road management discriminating against them
| in favor of through traffic as soon as the alb
sence of rival lines made such a course possible.
| II is said that Mr. Tisl, of the Great Northern,
| has already given the people Of the Northwest
| taste of this policy. and when it suited his
convenience has destroyed towns along his road
by refusing TO give them adequate train service
or fair rates.
Complaints of this kind are easy 10 make, and
have been made frequently about other rail-
roads. The particular one in question may or
may not be true. If It is true it would seem TO
call less for veto of railroad consolidation
than for effective State control of railroads
within the undeniably legitimate sphere of State
control Possibly such an abuse OF power might
be more INDUCED in If several parallel lines
were under one management, but II Is intoler-
able that ii should be indulged in at all II the
Great Northern has really treated any of the
people along its line after this fashion the sur
prsing thing is that in a region not backward
In attempts TO regulate railroads some effective
steps were not taken TO secure 10 the public
proper accommodation. New-York does not
make pretence of twisting tentacles off the
octopus yet no such thing would be endured
here many as are the hardships we do endure
from transportation companies. We nave a
Railroad Commission IN this State, with ade-
quate powers to deal with such subjects Rail
roads cannot ruthlessy wipe towns OF the map
by refusing them railroad facilities as 1t is said
the Great Northern has done. If a railroad here
wishes TO abandon a station 1t can only do so
subject TO the veto of the Railroad Commits
sion If In pursuance Of n policy of persecu-
ton it refuses TO stop reasonable number OF
trains in proportion to the business of the town
q remedy can be sought before the Railroad
Commission, and will probably be obtained.
OF course a railroad exercise n great in
fluence over the fortunes of any town. IT can
make a station a stopping place for through
trains headquarters Of division other
wise give it an importance not necessarily its
due Possibly some Northwestern people have
a grievance because prospective cities which
they planned were not chosen by the railroad
managers sites for great centres of COM
merce and because no pains We're taken to
build them up but only such facilities offered
as their actual rather than their expected i'm
portance called for. In that case they have
little ground for complaint sad they must be
with their bursted booms. If. on the other hand.
the railroads have really refused to accommo-
date the actual business that had to be trans
acted and they have endured it, there is some
thing wrong with their laws. railroad is a
public servant. and it is the fault of the people
if their government does not make it respect its
obligations as SUCH