Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11
Railroad Abuses

second dishonest management, with the
directors the worst enemies of the stock
holders. and, third. the era Of rebates. pref
erences. and determinations. The first two
have passed by but we are now In the midst
of the third. Rebates, preferences and dis
examinations have sometimes been DELHI
erately promoted by the railway managers
In the interest of certain communities and
of large corporations whose stockholders
are also interested in the ownership of such
railroads. This system has been the source
and the strength of the great combinations
and trusts of the country and has done
more to accomplish an enormous concen-
tration OF wealth In the hands of the few,
than any other agency. By unifying the
railroads Of the country into scientific sys-
TENS under national incorporation act
and consolidating the control now exercised
by legislatures and commissions of forty
five different states, In the hands of the In
terstate commerce commission, 1t would be
easy to check and destroy this system of re-
bates and determinations. The public would
be protected from extortion and the rail-
roads against popular caprice or violence.
The Railroads in Politics.
AT present the railroads are between the
upper mill stone of the taxing power and
the neither mill stone of the rate-regulating
power. Between the two they can be
crushed. This vast property, aggregating
over ten billion dollars In value, is absolute
ly subject to the varying conditions of pop
ular judgment. Being SO absolutely under
the control of politics the railroads there
fore take hand In politics. and as they do
everything systematically these present
conditions have invited the organization OF
political machines as a part of every rail-
road system In the country. Politics is
business with the railroads, and as they
naturally pursue the lines of least resist
ance these often involve an alliance with
or control Of the worst political elements
In every community.
-
to the varying judgment of numerous as
SCISSORS and boards of equalization; In the
matter of rates. to the action of legislative
bodies and commissions. 1t Is not In ma
ture to expect them to keep out Of poll
tics under such conditions, and 1t is well
known that their interest In politics does
not tend toward good government. II they
exercise no political power they are liable
Jured attacked by the demagogue, or
even TO be Frustrated by storms OF popular
violence On the other hand. IL they secure
political control they are likely to use 1t TO
promote extortion. and monopoly.
To Unity and Simplify.
..The purpose of this resolution" said
Senator Newiands, lis to unity and sim
plify the railroad systems of the country:
to recognize the recent evolution In rail-
reading under which the operation and
management of almost the entire railroad
mileage OF the country has come under the
control of about ten welI-known systems;
to place such systems under national con-
troll. to make the taxes OF the railroads
liked and certain. land to provide for fixed
dividends so that hereafter any increase OF
business will tend mathematically either to
a betterment of the roads or an increase
In wages or diminution In rates.
Mr.. Foraker asked Mr. Newlands how he
proposed To secure the reincorporation of
the various railroad companies as proposed
by his resolution, to which Mr.. Newlanls
replied that his measure is so framed as to
partially drive and partially coax the rail-