The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-29
.R|C'HARQ Q0LN..E'Y' |. [: !
ANSWERS BRYAN |! | ! ! A !
ICleyeland'S Former Sec.
retary Against /. Pro ''I'
posed u Legislati0n[.
WlLL0NATlONALA AND
STATE BOARDSCLAS;H|- !
Government Rate Making Means
Government Ownership Of Rail-
roads Which Government is
It That is to Own the Rail
roads tils State q the
\ I'm; ed States 2. ~

fsnecial M rha rimeA-pIsnalch.l

Especial 10 The Times -Dlspatch.) &
$5 NEW y DIRK, September s.-:rhe reply
OF the conservative wing OF the Demo
cratic party to w. j !. Bryan,s recent open
letter to the Prcsluent on railroad rat
legislation Is contained in an article by
Richard Il Olney in the October number
OF the North American r eview. published
to- day. u n what Is practically his first
public att terance nstwo years. Cleveland 8
former secretary OF State presents his
final Judgment gainst the proposed leg
islation In the form OF II brief. covering
not only the law, but the public. policy
involved In the agitation. The following
are some OF the salient features OF Mr.
Olney's argument: 55i; GlS 585$ $35 i is!4
''The Importance Of the rate-m makins
power is not to be considered simply IN
its relation to the carrier. he oat
Important bearing Of the power is upon
the public interests the carrier serves:
1T is a matter Of common knowledge.ot
which the courts take cog gnizanceSS with
out proof-that the great carriers OF the
present day are the railroads. 1t is equal 4
ly matter OF common nowledge nat the
rates charged by the railroads anect. all
determine very largely the out come Of
all private enterprises; and that upon
them hinges only loo often the mate
rial well being II not the very existence
OF towns and cities and sea. ports and
large sections Of country. Surely q power
the exercise OF which ls fraught with
such consequences Is not to be classed
legally or practically with the power OF
determining the cup quality OF teas
The latter may we'll be delegated to an
gate the former the ultimate srate-making
power for railroads, to such an officer or
board would be a surrender by the sLegis-
glature OF one OF Its most important func-
4tions." i5SS. II ia$
# In discussing the effects OF government
regulation upon the railroads. Mr.. Olney
says: III w M sf,'s Z. I
48ss State and Nation.
The situation to- be- anti cipa ted, then.
rs that railroads Private properties and
representing private Investments ag-
grcgating millions OF f,dollars.E,wlIl hnd
4 ter OF their charges, not by their prl-
vate owners, but by&two public boards
one representative OF local interests. and
the other OF national interests. and both
lantngonlstic to the interests Of the prl-
svate owners concerned. Thetw boards
4 Will aim at the Srlowest possible rates,
each In behalf OF The particular busl-
moss under It's charge, and will there:
fore be in constant rivalry with each
other in the endcavor to extort from the
carrier the best service at the smallest
cost. Under these cond tions anything
like skllful. JUST reasonable or stable
rate making becomes lmpoSSl Die. 4 a SIT;
uatlon is created intolerabe alike to the
carriers and to the public, and the sure
outcome-,lnlcss the whole scheme Of
government rate-making be abandoned
lis government ownership. % % u
Government. Rail,c ads.
"Goyernnnent ownershlpo OF all railroads
is obviously the goal toward which some
OF, the government rate -makers are strlv-
Ing. while others. If not welcoming It and
not working for It, profess not to fear It..
and claim that 1t would at all events
be an improvements upon the present
status. Both point to existing instances
Of government ownership Of railroads
the one claiming that the results to the
public are distinctly favora BILE, the other
that they are at least not, as detri.
mental as is sometimes declared. But
when government ownership OF the rail-
roads OF the country Is seriously consid-
cred, our dual political system Is atgonce
seen to present problems OF the greatest
character. The few and comparatively
5unimportant railroads that are wholly
may be properly ignored.
Every railroad OF consequence is engaged
In both kinds Of transpormtion-in trans
portation that begins and ends III a single
Stnte,gand In transportation that passes
beyond State: lines. Hence, II government
-