The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-31

make the needed changes in cautious
a ID moderate manner.
Control of Railroads.
At the present moment the greatest
need is for an increase in the power Of
the national government to keep the
great highways OF commerce open
alike to all on reasonable and aquit-
able terms. Less than a century ago
these highways were still, as they had
been since the dawn of history, either
waterways, natural or artificial, or
else ordinary roads for wheel vehicles
drawn by animal power. The rail-
read, which was utterly unknown
when the great principles of our juris-
prudence were laid down, has now be-
come almost everywhere the most i'm
gOrtant, and, in many large regions
the only form of highway. for CON-
merce. The man who controls its use
can not be permitted to control it in
his own interest alone.
1t is not only just but it is in the
interest of tie public that his man
should receive the ample payment for
the masterful business capacity which
enables him to benefit himself while
benefitting the public; but in return
he must himself recognize his duty to
the public. He will not and cannot
do this il our laws are so defective
that in the sharp competition of the
business world the conscientious mau
Is pat at a disadvantage by his less
scrupuloGS fellows. 1t is in the inter
est of the conscientious aud public
spirited railway man that there should
be such governmental supervision of
the railway traffic of the country as to
require from his less sc-upulous COM
petitOrS, and from INSCRIPTIONS big
shippers as wei, that heed to the pub-
lie welfare which he himself would
willingly give, and which is of vital
consequence TO the small shipper.
every important railroad is engaged ia
interstate commerce. Therefore, this
control over the railroads must come
through the national government.
Must Be Effective.
The control must be exercised by
some governmental tribunal. and it
must be real and effective. Doubtless
there VIII be risk that occasionally, If
an unfit president is elected, this con
tro! will be abused but this is only
another way OF saying that any ade-
quate governmental power, from the
power of taxation down, can and will
be abused if the wrong men get con-
troll of it,
The details must rest with the law
makers of the two houses of congress;
but about the principle there can be
no doubt. Hasty or vindictive action
would merely work damage; but in
temperate. resolute fashion, there
must be lodged in some tribunal the
power over rates, and especially over
rebates-whether secured by means of
private cars, of private tracks. in the
form OF damages. or commissions, or
in any other manneT-which will pro-
tect alike the railroad and the shipper.
and put the big shipper and the little
shipper on an equal footing. Doubt
less no law would accomplish all that
enthusiasts hope; there is always dis
appointment over the results of such
a law among the oversanguine; but
very real and marked good has come
from the legislation and administra-
ton of the last few years; and now, as
part of coherent plan, it is entirely
possible, and, indeed, necessary TO Ell
act an additional law which will mean
further progress along the same lines
OF definite achievement in the direc-
uon of securing fair dealing as be-
tween man and man.
Justice to All.
In some such body as the Interstate
Commerce Commission there must be
lodged in effective shape the power to-
see that every shipper who uses the
railroads and every man who owns Or
manages a railroad shall on the one
hand be given justice and on the other
hand be required to do justice JUS
tice-so far as it is humanity possible
to give and to get JUSTICES the
foundation of our government We
are not trying to strike down the rich
man; on the contrary, We will not toll
crate any attack upon his rights. Wei
are not trying to give an improper
advantage TO the poor man because
he is poor, to the man of small means
because he has not larger means; but
We are striving to see that the man of
small means has exactly as good a |
chance, so far as we can obtain it for
him, as the man of larger means; that
there shall be equality of opportunity
for the one as for the other.
We do not intend that this republic !
shall ever fail as those republics of
Olden time failed, in which there final
" came to be a government by class |
es, which resulted either in the poor
the rich or in the rich ex |
plotting and in one form or another
the poor; for either event /
means the destruction of free institu-
tions and of individual liberty. Ours
is not a government which recognizes
classes. 1t is based on the RECOGNITION
Of the individual. We are not for the
poor man as such, nor for the rich
man as such. We are for every
man, rich or poor, provided he
acts justly anG fairly by his fellows.
and if he so acts the government mus
40 all it can TO see that inasmuch as
he does no wrong, so he shall suffer
no wrong.