The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-06
ON RAILROAD RATES.

I
1t seems that people who have been
arguing that cheaper transportation
rates would be a benefit to the public
are mistaken. They have been labor
ing under a delusion. The reverse
is true. The thing the people want
to do for their own benefit is to ask
the railroads to increase the rates
and pocket bigger profits! Here is
the word for The Railway Age for it.
The Railway Age is a railroad organ,
and hence, of course, knows all about
the subject. 1t says that If rates were
decreased and the people were not
charged so much for hauling freight
the public would suffer. Here is it's
statement:
1T is a popular practice with va
rious state railway commissions hav-
ing authority over railroad rates, to
point to the effect of reductions in
tariffs accomplished through their in
PREVENTION and to proclaim that they
have been instrumental in saving to
the people the amount represented by
such reductions. There are two fall
lacies attaching to this claim: one that
there is a saving and the other that
1t is the people who are benefited. 1t
has remained for these would-be pub
taking away of money from one per-
son and giving it to another consti-
tutes saving, and further that the
railroads and the people are necessa-
rily distinct and antagonistic bodies.
Nothing is easier and scarcely any
thing more effective than such an APP
peal to those who do not think, and,
unfortunately, this comprises large
majority. 1t is very easy for the state
board. if clothed with the necessary
authority, to attack the treasury of a
railroad, and still easier to make the
average voter believe that such a
proceeding is of necessity a benefit to
him. AS a matter of fact, exactly the
reverse is true. The people of this
country are first of all concerned in
providing efficient railway service.
This has not yet been accomplished.
Railroads are as yet in an expert
mental stage. They are seeking in
every way and in all directions to
provide better and safer service, but
this will involve the outlay of large
amounts of money. and if their rev.
enues are to be limited by the re-
of state boards and other
to a mere living limit, the
desired end will never be reached"
Great argument thati Here is the
whole thing in a nutshell. The rail-
road commission that does not let
railroad owners rob and plum
der the public as much as it desires is
doing the public a great wrong! The
railroads will not experiment in giving
greater efficiency and better service I'M
less they are allowed to plumber the
public. The proper thing to do for the
benefit of the public would be to pass
laws ordering the railroad commission |
ers to raise the rates and make it I'M |
lawful for people to want cheap rates! /
1t is all right for the owners of the |
railroads to water their stocks and |
make excessive bond issues, and then |
demand that the men they hire to man
age their railroads shall pay the in |
terest on these bonds and good divi- |
lend on the watered stocks beside, or
else lose their places. Then, if the peo- |
pie will contribute something to the |
railroads m addition to this, the rail- |
roads will experiment in improving |
heir equipment and servicei But for
L railroad commission to say that rail-
'oad owners shall not water their |
stocks and mortgage their roads for
ar more than the original cost, or for
abroad commissions to place a respec-
able limit on the greed of the railroad
owners is liable to work 4 great injury
o the publicl
Happily Paul Morton, formerly of the
santa F'e, appears to take an opposite
view.