Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-01-15

ly nENJ.G.WELCH.

1
and poorer service to the public. No
greater mistake was ever made than
this. We do not undertake to say
that there are no local instances in
which these things may not have re-
suited but they are so out of proper
ton to the reverse conditions that
they are scarcely worth considering.
Except in cases of railroad wars,
rates are lower to-day than ever be-
fore and with every consolidation
the same result follows. If the w.
& N. B. r. R. was a part of the
Reading or the Lehigh system pas
senger rates would be three cents
per mile instead of four and yet as
an Independent road it cannot afford
to make rates less than they are.
In through freight rates the exist
ing system gives almost the same
advantages as consolidation for while
the roads are separate the through
rates are made up on consolidated
basis that gives us the advantage of
the greater earnings on the Trunk
lines. Bituminous coal is now haul
ed at less than a quarter of a cent
per ton per mile in some cases. 1t
seems hardly possible that this could
ever be reduced. 1t can only be
done with heavy tracks, engines and
cars and so reduced transportation ex-
penses.
Passenger facilities on the large
railroads are not equaled in any
country in the world either for COM
fort, luxury or moderate cost. 1t
seems as if nothing more could be
done in these directions or speed and
yet year does not go by without
some improvement not heretofore
thought of. Largely those things
are the fruits of Capitalization and
centralization has only just begun.
1t would not be safe to say that ten
years will go by withouta practical
consolidation of all the roads in this
country. AS a result travelling fa-
cilities would be improved at prob
ably reduced cost and transportation
would be less expensive than it is
now.
The danger to be apprehended is
the autocracy that would be estab-
lished ASIA natural sequence. Not
every man is fitted to be trusted with
such sway. Not long since Wall
Street laid down the law to the
Treasury Department about certain
bond issues and the Department SUBJ
mitted, but when another issue was
to be made the "people" asked for
the privilege of subscribing with the
result that some men of very limited
means made small fortunes out of
their subscriptions. 1t was an OBJ
ject lesson not to be forgotten. That
was financing by the people and the
government business was done at
the government offices, and cit
paid"
We suppose the most complete
monopoly in the world is the Oil
Trust and the writer is of opinion
that the cost of oil to consumer has
been reduced because of the concen-
tration of interests that has been
brought about, but we believe its
powers are abused. 1t ought not to
be possible for any such combination
arbitrarily to increase the cost of one
of the necessaries of life to working
people and at the same time realize
enormous fortunes every year out of
it, we might almost say thas fortunes
are reaped every day. No one has
yet been inspired to formulate a law
to meet the case, but if the Socialists
will keep on with their revolution
ary appeals it will come some day
like flash of Light just as "contra-
band of war" came to General Benz.
Butler in New Orleans. Probably
the day is not far distant. When
the Oil Trust can buy up the Texas
Oil Fields over night and put out
the fires in thousands of homes, fac.
tories and locomotives with few
hours notice it is time for "John
the Baptist" to be heard in the wild.
ernes. We have been accustomed to
believe that "a man can do as he
pleases with his own" but it has
come to pass that College Chairs are
being endowed to find out whether
we have not been mistaken, or al
least whether a new light has moi
shone on the subject, and they cal
these new teachers professors O.
Sociology" 1t is only differen