The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-15
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
WEDNESDAY,, JANUARY IS, 1902.
SENATOR GIBSON ON THE
RAILROAD MERGER.


One of the cleanest and strongest
statements on the railroad merger,
viewed from the standpoint of the
railroad companies, is that contained
in the special to the Bee from Sena-
tor Paris Gibson, published in our
last issue. The statement is such as
might be expected from one who has
been lifelong friend and business
associate of James j. Hill.
The Bee does not agree with Sena-
tor Gibson, but believes him to be
sincere in his views, and a canvass
of the United States senate would
probably show that a majority of the
members of that body are in sympa-
thy with the merger.
In support of his argument, Sena-
tor Gibson calls attention to the low
freight on coal in Montana and the
low rate on ore from Butte to Great
Falls; but he fails to note that the
rates mentioned were occasioned by
the fight made by the Great Northern
to secure a share of the business
against the competition of the other
roads. The rates mentioned are
those given the big mining COM
panies, and the small shipper gets
this statement let him attempt to
ship a car of coal or ore from Flat
head county to his home city of Great
Falls, and he will learn that the small
shipper must pay more than three
times as much for freight as the big
companies pay for the same distance
The low rate is made to the big com
panies because other roads are com
peting for the business; but in Flat
head county there is no competition
and rates are, therefore, high.
Senator Gibson is no doubt correct
in his statement that the railroads
are endeavoring to build up the
country tributary to their lines and
will not destroy their own work by
imposing prohibatory rates on the
products of the farms and mills.
The people are not afraid of any
such suicidal action on the part OF
the railroads, but they do know thai
the companies always charge all the
traffic will bear, and the people are
burdened to pay dividends and inter
est on watered stocks and bonds.
To accept the conclusions reached
by Mr.. Hill and Senator Gibson, one
must assume that the business meth
DDS and teachings of the past have
been all wrong and that competition
has really been a great drawback tt
the development of the country.
An example of the workings of Mr.
Hills new system is to be seen il
California, where for years the PEG
pie have been grooming under the
burdens imposed by the Southern Pa
cific monopoly. The gist of the sena
tors argument is that we should no
object to giving the railroads unlim
tied power because they are sure /,
use such power justly. The danger il
this is that the roads may at any tim
come under the control of men VIII
will not hesitate to destroy both tn
roads and the industries on whic
they depend.
The Bee has never indorsed tn
method pursued by the governors c
the northwest in trying to proven
the consolidation, for the roads wi
be consolidated either openly or ST
cretly, and it is easier to deal wit
an open monopoly than secret con
bine. Every monopoly with whic
the public must deal should be COZ
trolled by the state, and the ope
consolidation of the railroads wi
bring about the needed legislatio
quicker than anything else. The chic
obstacle is the power of the roads
elect their friends to the Unite
States senate and other legislatiy
bodies; but even this power will /
overcome in time.