Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-01-16


groups. with an identity of interests
which in effect makes it single con-
troll. 1t does not overstate the case to
say that the six groups in question
control nearly 95 per cent of the vital
railroad mileage OF the country.
Under this plan the country is
divided by agreement among these
controlling groups, each group ruling
supreme in its own section With the
interstate commerce commission
Dowerless to afford relief in respect
to interstate traffic without congress
sional legislation, the producers ana
consumers of the country are wholly
at the mercy Of the. men who rule in
these six systems, except in such
states as afford protection upon the
traffic within the state under state
laws. With the exception of less than
II per cent the steel railroad mileage
of Wisconsin is either owned or con
trolled by the owners of these six
systems.
The great trusts and combinations
Of the country, owe their life and are
largely dependent for Their existence,
upon special rates special privileges
and close association with the great
railway systems. The railroad is
natural monopoly. Its line, once es~
tablished in a given territory, natural
ly excludes other capital from invest
ing in the field which it covers. Of
all monopolies, the railroad is the
most extensive and far-reaching in it's
control of industrial forces. Under
existing conditions al great business
enterprises stand in a relation OF
railroad transportation, is apparent.
and is of great moment in cons1dera-
tion Of the problems with which the
industrial world of today is confront
ed The time has come for decisive
action.
The regulation of railway service
and railway rates must be by both
the national government and the
several states governments.
There are few states in the country
where the natural conditions are as
favorable for the exercise Of large
measure of control of the commerce
of the state, as Wisconsin. It's divers
ity of soil, its forests, and mineral
productions, it's fine water power and
natural advantages for manufacturing,
furnish unusual opportunities for a
wide exchange of products between
the different sections and industries
of the state. But Wisconsin's position
at the head of the great lake system
! makes her practically the mistress OF
a very large portion of all her com.
merce, interstate as we'll as state,
whenever she asserts her right to-
regulate railway services and rail
way rates. Neither Iowa, nor any
other inland state, can secure adj
vantages at all comparable to those
which this state will at once secure
under an efficient law. With her long
line of lake shore and splendid har'
bors she would be able to- receive the
commerce of other states by water, and
would be able to market much of her
surplus production in the same way.
Under the prevailing system, high
rates within the state make it i'm
possible to build up important lake
shore towns, notwithstanding then
superior harbors and other natural
advantages, the commerce being
diverted from interior shipping points
by the long haul to Chicago instead.
If any question can be definitely
settled by the people of state, the
people Of Wisconsin have settled tht
question that railway service, an,
railway rates shall be controlled by {
railway commission, in SO far as tn,
same is subject to state control undo.
the constitutions.
4 With respect to the scope of a law