Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-08

railroad rates is both interesting and
valuable. Whether or not railroad
rates are to be regarded as transport
tation tax Or as price paid for trans
portation service the Journal admits
the need IF some system that shall
insure their stability and equabil1ty
and prevent discrimination. Some So
luton of the railroad problem it says
is demanded, and presents the three
following ways of dealing with it:
First, by letting the railroads alone
to do as they please, depending upon
economic laws to protect the pub
lie.
Second, by selling them to the gov
erment fol. their operation as public
property, the same as the postotfice de-
partment.
Third, by leaving them under the
ownership and operation of corpora
tons to be carried on as independent
business enterprises, but subjecting
them to supervision and regulation by
the government.
The third is the system under which
we are now working. But 1T is held
that the powers Of the officials of the
government having supervision over
the railroads should be increased so as
to prevent those inequalities in rates
as serve 10 favor one section at the
expense OF another; to enrich one in
dividual at the expense of many, and
to confer powers scarcely less than
those Of the government itself, upon
individuals who, however capable and
Conscientious they may be, have no d.
rect responsibility to the people. We
believe there is Justice in this demand.
We recognize that the making of rates
is very delicate thing involving many
intricate problems, and that 1t Is a
function which should be performed by
qualified experts. We recognize that
government commission having pow
er to regulate railroad rates might
work much mischief, and that to con-
fer such power upon commission In
wolves the possibility Of political evils.
But however great those evils may be
they are less than those which would
attend either governmnt ownership or
an entire absence of government super
vision.
The view of "a leading railroad law.
yer" given in our columns a day or
two ago, that "the scope of the inter-
state commerce commission should be
limited to public investigation and
public hearing in clses where differ
ences cannot be privately adjusted
would reduce that body to the status of
a referee who hears suit, but is UNI
able to decide it, being compelled to
submit the evidence 70 the court which
appointed him.
The making Of railroad rates is 50
important that it should be the joint
work of railroad officials who are re-
sponsible only to stockholders and Of
government officials who are <respon-
sible to the people. The former should
mack the rates, but the latter should
have the power to regulate them. Some
thing more than mere investigation is
needed.
This statement OF the situation by
the organ Of the Wall street operators,
is practically the contention Of those
who advocate enlargement Of the pow
ers Of the commission. The proposed
legislation is scarcely petition but a
demand by the shippers of the mid
die west and to pigeon hole or refuse
1t consideration is playing with fire in
political sense. The republican rep
resentatives and senators who refuse to
listen to the demands of the people
during the next four vars are digging
pit for their party.