The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-03
More Sound sense From Mr.. Mccall.

More Sound Sense From MFR. Mccall.
The Hon. SAMUEL ". MCCALL Of
Massachusetts,, who made 80 strong and
thoughtful a protest in the House OF
Representatives against the Esch-Town-
send bill as a violation Of the essential
principles Of American government, re-
turned TO the attack in speech before
the Beacon Society Of Boston last week.
He showed that while there was gen
eral and Just demand for equality OF
railroad rates and service, the attempt
was made in the House Of Representa-
tives, responding to Mr. RoosEvBLT's
sudden appropriation Of Bryan Demo
cratic principle, TO have rates fixed by
the Government. The admitted evil
was discrimination The remedy pro-
posed was not for that end, and in Mr..
McCALL's opinion the remedy was worse
than the disease:
-Thsre was no complaint against rates In them
selves that was a. all general The most inteh-
rent witness In favor OF last winters legislation
admitted that ninety nine out OF one hundred
shippcrs DID not complain that rates were too high
but rather At the relative rate. II the Rlkins act
"a not sun,ci,nt, We must md further remedies
for unequal treatment and for the unstable rate.
Certainly the Townsend bill Wa no such remedy.
II should have been lsveled In terms against In
dustria switches and private ear nes and elevator
charges and all the devices which discrimination
has employed. but II did nothing OF the sou. II
went on upon-G vicious rate making tangent. I
believe that the Townsend bill would have been
against the interests Of the whole country, would
have been dcmoraHEing force In our system and
would have been especially Injurious 70 the in
vestors. TO the savings banks and Insurance com
psnies Of New England, and, In fact. 70 the New
England com munity which has generously EN-
ployed Ne capital IN the construction Of our rail-
way system"
Then there are a million and quarter
Of railroad employees. How are the
gross receipts Of the railroads, "a fund
Of which labor gets the greater part, to
be diminished without reducing wagesl
In Mr.. MCCALL's opinion the passage
by Congress Of the Esch- Townsend bill
would have meant decreased efficiency
Of railroad service on account of the
tuOIN VI ldlAlO0d hAeAAhktio W oAJhnN
service 70 price. II would have meant
also lower wages, lower returns upon
railroad capital, although those returns
are already low compared with rates in
other businesses It would have meant
ultimately Government ownership.
Naturally Mr.. BRYAN, as the champion
Of Government owneuhip, loves the
Esch- Townsend bill
The philosophic mind Of Mr.. MCCALL
ponders the natural corollaries Of Gov
eminent rate fixing;
- railroad rate Ia necessarily a nuotuAllnr
thing. and no Law can fairly N a rate which doe
NOS IN those natural elements upon which the rate
depends. II the Government n1es the price that
railroads are 70 receive for transportation. would
also IN the prices which 20 into the making Of the
oos, OF ,ransportAtont WIN n IN the price OF coal
and Of Ties and iron, the wages OF labor and those
other vArying elements which 20 70 make up the
cost 20 the railroad Of the service Il rrndeu and
which absorb far the greater pan Of the priOe u
reoeivosi Uhea the Government shall a. the
same time an the cost Of the service. how can II
with any approach 70 justice IN what railroads
are 70 rociVet what sane nan would care 70
conduct a business with the Government ming
the pdoeu " what he Manufactured. Tet lesving