The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-01-29
SHORT TALKS ON RAILROADS.
SHAH the Block system Be Made compulsory

Va j. E5,yf
81 Shall tho railroads be compelled to IN
stall the block system vcrywhere,? n Tho
Interstate Commerce Commission h says ~; IN IN.
hesitatlngly Otherwise answers ',r g
Colonel II. &. Prout s III n clcur-,l1 catlcd I
dIspasSlonato ana able article, y which VIC e
print to-day. Especial value rs lent this
article from the fact thai the writer is!
d high officer III the employment OF
The Union Switch and Signal CO tnpany.i
Colonel u Prout Is therefore nrs7 q ~
against a law whose enactment would 'tllt
greatly, Increase the sales Of his conf
pany. This stand is fully In accord with Nth \
the character Of the writer who has ri;
ready given proof OF his bravery W ms "
distinguished services In the army Of the
soudan under Chinese Gordon. Sj#
~ III 235s New Y Or Dec. is, loot
10 tic. Editor OF The Railroad Gazette
The Interstate Commerce Conn on issio u
has repeatedly asked or The enactment l5tls
81 d Federal law, which would / COMPEL
the railroads to protect their lines by
block signals, and the PRESIDENT h1s !
recommended such an act The raj fl 9
commissioners OF some Of the States, una
various N Stnte OF flcials have also urged
compulsory 4S block Ignalling. The dis
Stressing a list OF accidents for the last
year or two llus given nc W force 70 e, THIS
movement Some Gaexpert$ obse ryefs e a.
Washington think that mo Fedora le g,a-
lation for block signaling Will be .l'a "
this winter; but they may be Inistakcn;
ana ii will DO wonderful if5sthere IS no
such legislation In some of tho States fE
In times past / have expressed $$ ! ~
opinion that Federal act to- compel lie
railroads to signal their tracks, would
be $unconstltutional, and L have always
expressed tho opinion that either Fed
eral or State legislation would be mex
.pedient, and unfortunate. stillshold those
opinions. and for certaf In special si 1est
sons, q few of your readers may be 1r-5
l4tercsted to- know why: At y east q iInay
nrovoke discussion that Will lead To-;
wards the formation OF correct opinion;
we & must y assume that the President
and the commissioners have 4 taken; lega !
opinion; and 1t may seem %llnpertlnent
to raise the constitutional question. Of,
an act Y to control signals by Federal
power seems \ a plain invasion Of lie
rights OF the States. The constitutional
..ght OF Congress TO I. reg ulnte commerce
| between the. States has been made 70
cover power brakes and automatic COUP
Elers, and 1t i Is assumed that by analogy
l4it should cover block signals but there
lis 10 real analogy. a brake or "a COUP
| Ter cannot be changed at the State line.
hut continues to operate through QUIT ne
1entire tourney or the car engaged IN Iii
Igterstate commerce. Congress, by Us Gu
stitutlonul right to regulate commerce. be-
Tween the states, may say that B q Y ca :
starting In Pennsylvania must be made
| }sufe for its Journey through ~ W Y !. er-
soy and into New = DIRK. II At least, Con-
gress has said SO, and mostEof our35f rel
Ilow-cltIzcns ncquiesce, But The SAFETY
l3ofs IL car moving across N ewg Jcrse y Is not
~ bit affected by tho presence Or %
sence Of signals lin Pennsylvania & y
| said that tile car In Pennsylvania cufrle:'
! passengers or things destined for New
| Jersey, ana Is doing Interstate comnerce'
thence Its safety In Pennsylvania may
properly come under the care OF I ~ lselN-
eral government, This doctrine Is mad
mlsslbae X We nre to- keep the sclHlne
! OF federated society, 5llndcrij5'whlch w ~!
started, and which we have been taught
from childhood, Is tho most perfect form,
1 OF government that tile mind Bof nun
ever devised Or cnrrled into action, I
IECongress, in tho exercise OF It's power 70
regulate commerce between the StiiteS,
Imuyf entcrla State to prescribe one y "
|ture OH the soil Of that State IT may IN N,
Svade the State to5prescribe another,65l ~
may require that switches De. Sinterlock-
cd and sgpalled. IT may scluti NE y raets
and bridges and fix standards OF con NJ Y,
| ton and maintenance. These are SIG SIG
ments Of safety no less important INA J
block signals, But what shnll VIC 90 y
| tho opinion Of the people Of Massnollll-
| 5set ia ~ or the people Of Indiana, ms
EXPRESSED through their Legislature, IT.
! sfers from tho opinion Of the nation, ~
expressed through Congress
! 1t must be tho duty6of tho State 70 pro-
4 tect tho people travelling within ITS Dol ,o,ls
| ders, and to deliver Them sarely ~ ~ ~
State line, ana until tho state govern
mont breaks down tho Federal govern
ment hus no right to Interfere, rhis seems
| to n mo to sum up the Federal summon
| in tho matter of block signals, put ! can,
Not pretend to be y constitutional LAWYER
| Or any other Kind of lawyer, and 4 nave
/ probably missed the point, ). Il,
! TO invade tho States, and order blorls
signals to BIO placed on their SOIL, y
least tile States themselyes may require
block signals Within their respeetlYe Dor
ders But the eXpedency Of this Is AZ
least questionable, II .s8,
Block Signals are only ono element
| of safety, Many people arc Killed antl
| injured for lack OF inter,o cklng mi ny
| Others nre killed and Injured ~. derail'
ments due to bad track and stlll z, ntls
casualties are due to Inadequate bridges
4 Much Of the great est mortal y on ~ Y
roads is among 9trespassers on me sht,
! iof-way, and among careless pnssers 4. ~
4 highway crossings. II the Sta y ms