The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-12
HILL AS a POLITICIANS.

AMES ]. HILL is not only one Of
} the country's greatest railroad men.
He is q politician whose talents will
compare most favorably with the tai
ents of any other politician who can
he named. This is made apparent by
his speech TO the members of the Tri-
state Grain and Cattle Growers con-
vention q Fargo, N. D. A finer ex
parte statement of a question was
never made than Mr.. Hills express
sion of his views on the subject of
railroad monopolies. He ali but sue
ceeds in proving that one railroad is
better for the community than two.
There can he no doubt about the
correctness of Mr.. Hills assumption
as applied to the railroad which is
first in the territory. AS applied to the
people, a more pernicious doctrine
could not be promulgated. He says the
history Of the northwest has showed
that competition is not necessary in
order to reduce freight rates. In sup
port of his assertion he cites the fact
that his liner have cut rates to a point
far below those of the original tariffs.
This is true, but Mr.. Hill need not
pose as a philanthropist on that ac-
count. The cost of operating railroads
has decreased very materially since the
rails of the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern were laid. Engines
are operated more economically;
thousand and ope iaoor-saving devices
have been invented. In addition, the
tonnage of the roads has increased
enormously.
Where once stretched miles upon
miles of uninhabited country, today
there are farms and hamlets and cities.
All Of them are patrOnizing the rail-
roads in their passenger and freight
departments. All of them are con-
tributing in great or small degree to
Mr.. Hills prosperity. Is there any
more reason, then, why railroad rates
should not fall of their own weight
than that the price of cotton goods
should decrease after the cotton gin
was invented? Any large output must
be sold cheaply if sold proftably, This
IS just as true of the handling of rail-
road freights as anything else.
Competition of the legitimate kind
has done and is doing more to cut rail-
road rates than any other agency.
Mr.. Hills argument that four great
trunk lines were ruined by competi-
ton is not sound. They were not
ruined by competition but by a cut
fI,root ,r-or 70 +1o l-pifo ,,oI;o,- H.
could have but one result. Railroads
these days have largely given over pro-
gramnes such as that. Where COM
peting lines exist they usually pool
issues so thu both may prosper But
the very fact tina there are parallel
lines in a territory is a protection to
the public. The fear Of one road that
the other may acquire too mach of the
business always operates as a guaran-
tee Of reasonable rates.
Mr.. Hills position that the prosper
ity of country and the prosperity of
the railroads which run through il are
cO-exiStent, is impregnable. Railroads
assuredly are the most powerful fac
tors in the progress of any country.
We could not get along without them
amy more than they could get along
without our patronage and encourage
ment. There should, as Mr.. Hill says,
be a community of interests" be-
tween the shipper and the railroad, (
but it should not be a compact Of the
5ug-handle order; that is, not all in
favor Of one side or the other.