Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-21

Extracts from an address before the
Illinois Manufacturers association,
Chicago. June.4. 1902, by Mr.. j. j. Hill,
president Of the Great Northern rail-
way: | think am safe in saying that
next to the Christian religion and the
common schools no other single work
enters into the welfare and happiness
of the people Of the whole country to
the same extent as the railway no
other work could have made 1t possible
to occupy the enormous stretches
through the interior OF our country and
people them with cities, towns and vii
lagos. Land without population is a
wilderness and population without land
Is a mob.
Considering the question from
broad national standpoint, the next In
terest In Importance TO agriculture Is
the railway interest Of the country. The
entire railway growth Is within the
memory of men living Twenty-Five
years ago It was not supposed possible
that railways would ever be able to
carry heavy and cheap commodities,
which were up 10 that time almost ex-
clusively shipped by water.
While the railways have to answer
for many mistakes OF judgment or Of
intent, on the whole the result has
been to create/the most effective, use
ful and by far the cheapest system Of
land transportation Ia the world. In
England the average paid by the ship
per FOR moving ton OF freight 100
miles Is 1855 In France, 81. 10; in Aus
trla, S.sO; In Germany, where most OF
the railways are oNned and operated
by the government, 1884 in Russia, al
50 under government ownership where
the shipments are carried under condi-
tons more similar TO our own than In
any other country as respects long
hauls, l.7Oi In the United States the
average cost Is rs cents, or less than 10
per cent OF the average cost In Europe.
And this Is done while every article
used by the railroads. including labor.
costs more in this country than II costs
IN Europe, with the exception OF coal
and right Of way.
A rev weeks ago member OF the In
terstate commerce commission In an
address before your association made
some statements which, II correctly re-
ported, feel called upon TO deny. The
gentleman Is quoted as having said
that rates have not been reduced dur
ing the past ten years, but that they
have been advanced In that time. The
published report Of the interstate COM
merce commission for the year ending
WOO shows reduction in rates. II shows
that the average rate per ton per mile
IN 1891 was .sr Of a cent and In 1900
ten years later .129 Of cent. For the
year ending June 30. 1900, the interstate
commerce commisA9a report gives the
number OF tons carried one mile In the
United States as l4l 500, 600 900. which.
multiplied by the reduction In the rate
between 1890 and 1900, shows that the
public has paid $500 900. 900 less than the
average rate of 1890 would have cost on
the business OF the year 1900
The railways Of the country are SUBJ
lect to the interstate commerce law.
IL IL said that the carriers do not OBJ
serve the law, that rates are unreason-
able; that the public are oppressed. To
remedy the evils growing. as Ia claimed,
out OF the violation OF the law, govern
ment ownership is suggested BY some.
and an increase Of the power OF the in
terstate commerce commission BY 9th
ers. Government ownership means the
control and operation of RAILWAYS nv
government officials. A mere statement
or the proposition arouses In the mind
or almost every thoughtful man the
rear that such power would end In the
destruction OF the government itself.
Aside from all economic questions and
the Increased cost to the public, either
In direct advance Of rates or indirect
cost OF increased taxation, Il would
mean the political appointment of an
additional million OF public officials and
the exercise of power sufficient to i'm
peril. II not TO destroy, free government
In the United States.
i. upon the question OF the power OF
the Interstate commerce commission, as
respects rates and railway operation,
believe that all public service should
be regulated by fair and reasonable
laws. The Interstate commerce law
declares the common law, and prohibits
extortion and unjust discrimination be-
tween persons and places. II provides,
as does the common law. that ali
charges made for any service rendered
or TO be rendered IN the transportation
OF passengers or property. shall be rea-
sonable and just. A party having been
injured need not complain to the COM
mission In order TO obtain Justice. The
commission may proceed, Of its own
motion, without complaint. Any per-
son, firm or corporation may make
complai int on account Of an injury done
TO another With or without complaint
the commission may investigate, and.
upon investigation. make orders re-
quiring carriers to pay damages, to
make repatation for wrong done. 10
cease from doing wrong.
Livery unreasonable and unjust
charge is declared to be unlawful. All
rates Of transportation must be pub
lished and when published II Is made
Tor any carrier TO charge or
receive a greater or less compensation
than that specified In the schedule of
published rates at the time In force.
To charge a higher or lower rate than
that fixed by the schedule at the time
In force is In violation OF law. and a
carrier who violates the law, II not sub
ject TO criminal prosecution, is subject
TO complaint of violation to be made
to the commission and TO suit in court
for the purpose Of recovering damages
or seeking repa0tion for the wrong
done.
When competition is active tariffs are
disregarded and private rates are
made to large shippers and rebates
paid amounting. as has been published.
TO enormous sums in the yearly aggre-
gate. To prevent this active competi-
ton both the federal government and
the several states have enacted laws
which have been dead letter on the
statute books until pablo opinion has
demanded that the various commissions
take some action under the law. The
recent activity Of the interstate COM
merce commission has resulted, / be-
lleye, to a large extent in correcting
this abuse, and II they follow II up with
the power conferred upon them by the
act OF Congress the entire system OF
private rebates will be abolished. 10 the
advantage Of the trade OF the whole
country and Of the railroads as we'll
There Is however. a competition be-
fyaAn tho Yuilnavo ush4.I I'm