Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1905-05-25

principals Of the Interstate Commerce
law were applied to the passenger
business as well as the freight busi-
ness 5.,...
'.That is TO say, 1 would stop the
making of preferential arrangements
for the. transportation Of passengers
free or at reduced rates. because they
occupy positions of more or less
power, responsibility or trust. AS is
we'll known 1t is customary for off,
'oors of the government-municipal,
county. state and federal-to ask for
and receive more or less transporta-
tion; and some also for their families
and friends The revenue involved
In this practice il relatively insig-
nltica.t because the great bulk of
this tra ,el would not take place If a
free pass or reduced rate ticket were
not given.
!: "The effect, however, on the mind
1of the public is bad. and the impres.
sion is Indirectly created that the
railroad owner thru the free pass has
a great deal more influence than he
really has, that there is much more
interference by the railroad in the
machinery Of the government than
there really Is, and that there Is a
much greater obligation on the part
Of the recipient Of the pass than
there really is.
''Most passes are given to the
officers of the various governments as
a compliment and not with the idea
That any direct benefit is to be re-
ceived-possibly with the hope in
some cases, that any Unfair action
within the power of the receiver OF
the pass will be postponed or pre-
vented. In che long run, however.
the railroad owner, the governmental
officer and the public.generally would
be in better relation each to the
other If this discrimination as to
passenger transportation were elimin-
ated. Such step would 60 far to-
ward making the general public feel
that the railroad was not Interfering
Improperly with politics, and that it
did not have something within its
power to give away to lawmakers
and others in authority, that Others
did not have.
+ .'The attempt by the federal gov
ernment to tx in detail the exact
rates to be charged by the railroads
Of the United States will be unfor-
tunate for the country as whole.
It is una merican because it tends
to subject large part of or citizens
to an economic restriction that does
not apply to those engaged In other
classes Of commercial, industrial and
agricultural business. 1t is unjust
because such plan would apply to
the large number of American people
engaged in the railroad business,
a rule not applicable to others.
"It is unnecessary because the
development of the railroad business
in this country has been such that
We have the most effective service as
a whole, the lowest rates. the highest
wages and the most progressive man
agement OF any country in the world.
"It is unwise because it would tend
to complete and arbitrary centrali-
zation of power in the making Of
rates for the entire country.
ssThe course the com mission would
ultimately be forced into, and that
every state commission is gradually
being driven into, would be to adopt
a mileage basis of rates. The effect
of such basis on country the size
of the United States, with its past
history OF com mercial development.
is appalling to one interested in the
growth of the United States. If in
the beginning of the railroad and
business development OF the country,
rates had been fixed ARBITRARILY on
the basis Of mileage, the states west
OF the Mississippi river would still
be thinly populated, with few rail-
roads and little business Of any kind.
Inland cities without access to water
transportation would not have been
built up and the whole growth OF the
and commercial system would
have been different.
son a mileage basis OF rates, the
business Of the commercial centers of
the states west Of the Mississippi
would be destroyed. Cities on the
oceans and great likes would have
but the inland cities and
agricultural districts would dry up.
Far better the few existing difficult
ties than to turn to the rigid govern
mental plan Of fixing railroad rates. /"
College Excursion.
President Worst Ofsthe State Agri-