Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-22
That is WHAT'S Suggested by EX'
Congressman w. ] CCOmbs
In an Address
SAME AS THE PANAMA CANAL
Would Have Steel Tracks Constructs d
Across the Continent on Same
Principle as Big Ditch.

Ex.Congressman william j. Coomoi
delivered an address before the Manu-
facturers association Of New York
week ago tonight on THE Regulation
Of Interstate Commerce and the Conlro
Of Railroad Transportation"
According to New York exchanges
he predicted that within the next II
years there would be necessity foi
doubling the trackage Of roads In the
United states in order to accommodate
It's rapidly increasing commerce, and
asked his hearers to consider the best
plan for effecting this, The question
of consolidation Of railroad interests IN
to a few hands he said was possible
menace TO the freedom of commerce II
unchecked The absorption OF small
and weak lines into systems-the COM
bination of systems into groups accord
ing to locality. as in the case of the
three great systems absorbed by the
NoINHtIl ptNulltlto W. WIN 'ht u
most certain result that the groups so
formed would finally be consolidated
under a similar arrangement Into one
great controlling company from whose
decisions there would be no appeal
was not right,
DANGER OF TRAFFIC COMBINE.
III this great controlling company all
so had control OF the ocean marine, ne
said, there would be nothing TO pre-
vent It's control Of every important In
dustry OF the country. That some
such great business enterprise has been
contemplated Is evident from the fact
that the combination Of steamship lines
recently effected Is in the hands oil the
same group of capable men,
He said government ownership OF
railroads at present Is impossible ana
impracticable and II II cow be e-ected
II would put too much patronage In
the hands Of the administration In pow
err. But he thought It all right for the
government to build and control the
Panama canal and he added
1T has occurred to me OF late to ask.
why, II IL Is legitimate for the gov
eminent TO construct waterway
through land In aid of commerce,
through which any citizen or company
can upon paying toll and complying
with strict regulations convey his or
It's boats or barges, Is II not just as
legitimate and feasible for II to con-
struct q steel way over land, upon
which any railroad company, new or
old, any corporation or private indlvid-
ual can convey a car or train OF cars
TO the desired market?
"'rhls may seem a novel and lmprac-
tlcable Idea at first, and surrounded
with difficulties, but the more you ex-
anime II, the less difficult and imprac-
tlcable It will seem. The science OF
railroading has been brought 10 such
perfection that II would not be difficult
with the modern appliances Of block
signals, etc, TO regulate the running OF
trains. There should be numerous
tracks TO accommodate trains OF va
rIous speeds
WOULD PROTECT LOCAL LINES.
1T would stop the absorption Of local
lines into the great systems, for as
,sOon as they reached the main line they
Goud have use of the public way to the
great markets. This construction would
also stimulate the building Of new
roads into sections that need them, and
thus build up the unsettled portion Of
the country"
He then made for purpose OF illustra-
ton, tentative suggestions for a route,
as follows Beginning at about Al de-
grees latitude on the Atlantic coast
due west on that parallel, through to
the Pacific ocean, At a point In the GEN.
ter OF the state OF Pennsylvania a
branch southwest 10 Washington, and
another northeast to the New England
States. At a point In Utah another
northwest to Puget Sound. Other routes
doubtless as practicable can be devils
ed experimenting the great waterways
of the country This, he said, would
solve the question Of regulating COM
merce between the states by opening II
up TO equal privileges.
He deprecated the growing soclalis-
tie tendencies which were caused in
part by the extreme demands of the
railroads and their Impotence or re-
stralnt which he thought was very un-
wise on their part. He thought that
any practicable scheme that could DO
devised TO lessen such demands and
consequent friction and secure indlvid-
ual rights would be in the direction of
patriotic effort,