The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-17

beyond the activities Of natural per
sons. They have a purely artificial
power which~in some spheres trans
cends that exercised by the govern
ment, and it is the duty of the govern
ment, in the interests of the whole peo-
pie, to make itself paramount to all
creatures operating within its jurisdic-
ton"
Continuing. the New York Tribune
says:
las Commissioner Knapp has point
ed out. in the ten years from 1887 TO
1897, when the commission assumed the
power of fixing rates. and the railroads
conceded it, there was no trouble
It has been assumed by some OF the
railroad officials that it is proposed to
confer a new authority upon the COM
mission, and that 1t would be exercis-
ed in a harsh and arbitrary manner.
Yet we can only judge Of what is like
" to happen from that which did hap
pen in the ten years when the COM
mission, without dispute, exercised the
power in question The presumption is
not that the authority to fix rates
would be exercised harshly or arbitra-
rily, but that the discretion reDosed in
the commission would be wisely en-
ployed and not exerted to Cypress the
railroads. or to satisfy a popular cia-
NOR for professionally low rates.
1t has been said that the commission
is not Of such a character as to COM
mand the confidence of railroad men.
Possibly its character has deteriorated
because its functions have been dirnin-
ished. In proportion as its power should
be increased the personnel and charac-
ter of the commission would be raised
# necessary, congress might attach TO
the Office of commissioner such sal
airy as would attract to it experts of
admitted ability who would exercise
the power of fixing rates in such
manner as to satisfy railroad men of
their disposition to be fair and reason
able.
The New York Tribune justly says;
IF the railroad or the public, one or
the other, must take a risk 1t would
seem as if consideration should first be
given to the public"
That is all the advocates of the leg
islation recommended by the president |
ask for. We do not believe that any
fair minded man wishes to Cypress the
railroads or to compel them to perform
a public service for less than it is
worth or to deprive their stockholders
of a proper return on their money. We
do not believe that any man capable OF
approaching this question in candid
spirit wishes seriously to diminish the
legitimate earnings of the railroads or
to cripple them in any way. Nobody
who is in a position to know denies the
disposition of expert railroad men to be
fair, but the public is particularly SEN
sitive about, and anxious to guard
against, a manifest desire on the part
of some spectators who control rail-
roads to raise rates unreasonably in or
der to pay dividends on fictitious stock,
which has of late years been poured
out in enormous quantities and repre-
sents neither honest investment nor
legitimate earning power.
Fortunately the question is being dis
cussed on both sides with little aeri-
mony. and there is increasing .likeli-
hood Of an adjustment that shall be
fairly satisfactory to all The railroad
men are admitting that the govern
ment has authority in the premises
which may be rightfully exercised. The |
shippers admit that the railroads have
equities which cannot be disregarded
without manifest injustice. When the
subject shall be taken I'D in dispas-
sionate spirit by railroad men on the |
one side and the advocates Of govern
ment control on the other there is great
probability of a satisfactory conclusion