The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-15
WILCOX STABs
RATE RECU!.|L| |. ION.
Railroad President Points Gut
Danger Of Committing f''-
turs to Politics.
u. S. OWNERSHIP PREFERABLE
Latter, Says Wilcox, Would In
volvc Payment Before Earn
ing Power Is Destroyed.
Especial to The Times-Dlspatch.)

/ (SpeCiHl
NEW YORK. November ia vigorous
reply to the uttcrances of president
Roosevelt and Secretary TAFT on tho
| question of rate regulation is contained III
Ian article by President David Wlllcox,
or the Delaware and Hudson Railroad. In
tho Yale Review for November. QUO to.
|day. MIR rafls argument IN his speech
In AZ ron, o. on October 2lst, IN VIA CHI
IA ses tretary of War elnphatically denikd
that 4. resident Roosevelt contemplated
|anv srfi> me Of rhte-iixlnB by n Federal
commissiA,n. Is thus met by Mr.. Wall
General rale-tixlng would manifestly
be the conn iiss,on's principal future ac-E
tivity. III its annual report for 1883 page
l3j tho comibis sion said; Every case be-
! fore Tho comm isBon. however trivial II
may appear, In Wolves III It's disposition
tho formulation of principles under the
,lpon the business And the commerce. not
|onlyE OF the nlmediaA 6 locality, but often
of The entire coun ~. N rs annual re-
ports for 1914 the co'n,asssion sad tphge
10y TT IS probably neArer the truth 10
say that thc cases now pending before
the commission directly Of Indirectly az
feet almost every locality. ana. therefore.
nearly all the people of mo Gnilen
sntes. m his testimony before the Sen
ate committee, Mr. Bacon. the clief advo-
cate OF political rate-iixing, said: There
are three cases within the past year In
which large sections of the country are
|intcrcstcd--an immense popuiat ton-lhe, oL
winch covers large part. OF the Paclnc
Coast: another covering the so9tleas.ern
sect!on OF the country, with reference TO
lumber; and the third covering the SViioie
country with reference to hay. me rates
from the different d stricts are SO inieh.
related with one another hat they must
be cons idercd as q whole Mr.. Prouty.
the leading member OF the commission IN
rate-ftxing activities. sad before the SEN
ate committee that the commission has
not case pending before 1t that does
not involve q future rate. and that many
single cases involve one thousand rates
Danger to Values.
After pointing out that the mileage Of
the roads IL 2l3.eG. the number OF en-.
last asii Yea sl.Sos,Sy5ss5s. and thai mere are
annually filed more than 1900 tarins,
representngy robae, at s EAST n,illen
legislation has placed these vast Interests
under the control of the commission and
the Attorney -Geleral has ruled that the
commission would be independent OF the
do not amount TO derronstrable confisca-
ton. Nothing could be more as<.gerous
to the value OF RAILROAD properly han
It's future to the control Of a political
body. Whose chief fun ction would be to
appease those certain hostile claims Con-
Giant red uciions. noIt here and now there,
would easily destroy the property.
THE frequent threat of possible gov
eminent ownership u.s. therefore. without
force. That would be. far preferable, be.
cause Ii would involve payment of the
value or the property before its rnins
power was DESTROYED put the effect OF the
&proposeI scheme would be to insid .ousiy
break down the earning, power without
paying for the property.
LIN denling with the complaint that rates
are exocbitunt Mr.. WILCOX thus sums
up the situnIiOn:
Tin 1901 the rate per mile on freight
was rs cents per ton ana on passengers
was zoos cents each. The oGcial publ!ca
tons Of the government SHOW that from
the year 1851 until 1891, inclusive prices
generally increased seven per cent, while
Inc rate per ton mile on he railroads de-
creased tWenty-four per cent. Notwith-
standing this rise in prices generally. rho
freight rate in 1904 WAS only .0)156 of a
cent higher than the lowest point ever
reached.
Would Arrest Progress.
Rate-fIxing by n Federal commission. 4
Mr.. Wilcox argues '.yVill establish rigid
me hods OF trtinsactinE business. w ilich
would arrest commercial prDgrtss. THE
10 reduces rates, because thc1r restoration
would be practically impossible. a rate
even fixed by the commission would DO
incapable Of change without a proceeding
MS dlla, DRY rs n lawsuit: and as The COM
mission proceeded the scope OF this rigid
condition of rates, would constantly ex-
tend Every practical man must realize
that business is carried or successfully
by negotiation and asreen,nnt of the par
Ties rather than BY the Judgment OF any
tribunal. Business by lawsuit would he
cessful brancli3of business In WHICH the
general future relations of those engaged
therein are regulated by public officials,
whether an administrative commission or
IA court OF Justice"
AS to the remedy for adjusting griey-
3ances Mr.. Wilcox thus puts the case for
the railroads.. THE true remedy lies In
the enforcement of existing statutes.
Which will prevent rebates and dlscrim-