The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-17

COMMITTEES Beyond this and what
the State Republicans now have, it is
not probable that Tar Heel Republic
cans will get much outside patronage.
With it all there VIII be something
doing among North State Radicals for
the next few months.
Railroads and the Government.
Some of the men who. are in close
toucn with the administration declare
that the bill TO give the Interstate
commerce COMMISSION power TO nix
lreIght and passenger rates VIII De
pressed vigorously by the adnlnlStra-
Clon forces. Inc great railroad man
ayers are alarmed because they see IL
means an end of discrimination ana
increasing rates, fixed to pay dividends
ever, some railroad men who see in II :.
wise and sensible movement. The
Washington Post this morning con-
taIns an interview with Mr.. a. b.
ouckney, the veteran president of the
GREAT western Ranroad, which shows
the feenng of the wiser railroad men.
1t is as follows:
1.-The government of the United
States should either own ana operate
the railway lines of the country or
else should supervise and regulate
their management" said Mr. A. b.
otlckney, the veteran president of the
Great western RalIroad, TO a Post re-
porter at the Arlington. The latter
plan l think wiser and more to be
preferred. The railroads, after all,
are as much the subject of govern
mental control as the public highways,
the difference is that in the case of the
highways everybody comedies the au-
thority fthe State, while as to the
thority of the State. while as to the
domination of the corporations.
There is plenty of law. no doubt in
the Interstate commerce act, but the
Interstate Commerce Commission it.
self lacks potency. The net results
OF the law have been beneficial, ana
1t was one OF the greatest pieces OF
legislation ever enacted At the same
time it is but dimiy understood and
appreciated by vast numbers of people,
and especially by the freight agents.
1t ought 10 be strengthened in severai
ways, and the commission ought to be
given a great deal more money so as
to make 1t really efficient.
us the general railroad situation
fairly satisfactory ?"
at is better in many respects than
ever before: rates are more equita bic
than in former times. The power or
the courts to enjoin the giving of re-
bates has pretty nearly ended that
practice on the Western lines, though
few roads still give rebates on grain
shipments. The vital question, of
course, is the rate-making power. All
that some of us can do is to cut rates,
and in this we might win out in the
long run if our wealth were only sutfi-
Gent
what is the outlook for the con-
tinuei consolidation of railWays?"
There is no doubt of its continue
ance. The process of absorption of
on. And right here lies the difficulty
and the danger. i the thing keeps
up until three or four men virtually
own all the lines. big and little. they
will become more powerful than the
government itself. Why not? Are not
the revenues of all the roads greater
than the revenues Of the government:
With the consciousness of this enor-
nous financial strength, there is APT
to come the idea that all the multi
tude of employees should vote lust the
way their employees dictate 1t has
always been said, and it is one of our
happy traditions, that the American
people will take hold of a public evil
and annihilate it if the emergency
arises. but there might come time
when by deferring action they would
be too late. Still il wouldn't matter
so seriously whether four men or 400
owned all the roads if the government
made the rate and after making pro-
tected it"