Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-02-16

v opposition known 10 be entertained o.
9 many senators it is not unlikely tina
: some effective law will shortly b.
Y framed along the lines of the presi
J. dents suggestions.
! The right to modify excessive rail
Z way rates was formerly exercised by
! the interstate commerce commission
I until about ten years ago, when 1t was
inyalidated by court decision. There
} was no serious complaint during that
i period that it worked special hardship
! OF injury to the railroads. Yet they
are iercely opposing its restoration
now.
\ A very broad question is opened up.
Is it within the province of the federal
government, and il so is it public pol
icy, to name the rate 10 be charged by
any concern for its service? The rail
roads contend that it Is not They say
/ that the millions invested in great rail
way enterprises should not be at the
mercy of board that is the creature
Of politics, or even the courts whose
judges have no special knowledge OF
the business and are not qualified to
say what are fair charges for service |
They try to make it appear that the
scheme TO fix railroad rates is analo-
gous to scheme that would fix by |
some federal tribunal the price at
which a western farmer should sell his
corn to an eastern purchaser. They
claim II means virtual control by the
government OF the important railroads
OF the country, with the added feature
that the stockholders must furnish the
capital. They predict all sorts of dire
calamities-loss and ruin to the poor
widows and orphans and to the banks
and insurance companies that have
railroad investments. They deny that
5vils exist demanding 50 drastic
'emedy.
On the other hand, the presidents Y
position is that grave excuses and
buses do exist; that railroads do OPP
'ress the people that they do give re-
'ates to certain shippers, to the hurt
4 the small patron; that the recent
OF railroads tend to re-
trict the competition that alone safe II
uarded the people; and that it is time y
be government should use the strong
and to protect the public. He asserts u
hat it is not the purpose to deny rail- u
Dad companies the right to fair d
'tnrn for their service, but simply to
isure that the return shall be Just and ~
lr and equable 10 all He holds that
.e very magnitude of these enter 81,
Uses and their necessity TO the pub
. gives the public rights over them 4
at 1t cannot claim Tor private bust
ss. They are corporations crea- -
res OF statute, and therefore amen s
lie to law. The states cannot con-
u them, for they are interstate NJ
eretore the federal government must -
il is done at all. ~
Leaving out the tine-spun theories. III
public accepts the presidents ,
'ws. 1t does not want to bring the III
lroads TO ruin. Ii does not expect TIL
Il wants the assurance of fairness 4
q squareness from railroads. which ~, =
s now without 1t prefers govern v
mt control to government owner \
p, but 1t will not long hesitate at y
! latter, ii the former is denied TIL
IL is the public's opinion that L
arteries of commerce of this great r.
lntry ought not to be held in the d
tch OF few men 10 use and ri
gle as they please, without let or a
drance from some authority repre- add
ting the people, who have so great Sc
interest in their conduct