The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-04
Stickney's Frank Discussion.


ward with some timely and genuine
contribution to the debate. His speech
at Washington on the defects Of the
interstate commerce law is Of this char
acter. It is a mastery handling of the
subject, from the public standpoint, by
railroad man, and its recommended
tions are not mealy mouthed-
Mr.. stickney says, give tho inter
state commerce commission the power
TO make the whole schedule, arguing
that it would be much simpler and more
logical for the commission to make O.
public schedule than to unmake pri-
vate schedule in sections whenever
somplaint is lodged.
Congress will perhaps not 90 so far
as to turn over the initial making Of
rates to the commission, but we should
like to know what kind Of congress-
man he will be who will hesitate or
higg1e over the PRESIDENT moderate
recommendations after reading Mr..
stickney's speech. There could be
only one of two conclusions drawn from
his holding back. Either he is too
stupid or too dishonest to serve his
country.
Mr.. Stickney's remarks illuminate
some points in the railroad discussion
as they have not been illuminated be-
fore. His explanation of the enid
night SCHEDULED is lucid and startling.
It shows how difficult it is to make q
man honest by legislation when he is
dishonest by birth. The midnight
SCHEDULED corresponds to that brand
y of burglary where there is a confeder-
I ate on the inside and gentleman with
jimmy on the outside ready to enter
and do business whenever the window
is opened for him.
Railroad discrimination has always
operated on the principle that any ole
trick, which was not discovered, was
smart business. Only the stupid knaves
who got caught were discharged, The
others were promoted. Before there
was any legal regulation of rates, rail
roads fought for competitive bushes.
with all the cunning and trickery tina
z hunger could suggest. The result wa
q low average Of freight rates and tn
most wanton and wicked discrimina
tions against persons and places.
The demand of the people at length
produced the interstate commerce bill
in which congress for the first time seri
ously undertook the responsibility O
regulating commerce between the states
The railroads paid no attention to thi
or other acts Of congress, except to in
vent new tricks to beat new laws. The
never accepted a law Of congress wit
honest intent to fulfill it's conditions. l
really seems as tho the railroads have S
voluntarily allied with themselves wit
deliberate lawbreakers, that they hav
little or no standing in court.
Now comes a class Of more enligh1
ened railroad men like Cassatt, Morto
and Stickney, who have seen the igh
and whose eyes have been opened to tn
fact that the only possible solution 9
the rate question is in frank surrende
4 to the right and duty Of the governmer
TO make reasonable rates where tn
public carrier is unable or unwilling
do It. A solid body of enlightened an
earnest public opinion has bee
moulded. The Depews and the old bril-
ing Hobbies may fuss about it, and 'co1
fer" frequently. They might just {
well know, however, that if they ca
bride this congress away from assun
Ing the rate-making power, they wi
| have to bride some other one from tai
Ing entire control Of the railroads.