The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-20

does not name the prices OF COM
modify. It simply compels the rail-
road company to carry out the con-
tract by specific performance In which
it has entered with the public.
when the government gives me the
right as railroad corporation to take
your land against your will, to create
a monopoly which you must patronize,
it let's me do that on this conditions
good condition-that | shall render
you the service Of transportation for a
reasonable rate.
'The supreme court Of the United
States has said that is the implied con-
dition on which every railroad charter
is granted. Now, If you and I can't
agree about the price of your land
when / take it, what is done? Why,
we leave that to disinterested tribu-
nal, don't we? The railroad rate is
not commodity which is bought and
sold. 1t is public service which is
rendered by public servant, and the
public may in self-defense compel the
railroad to carry out the contract into
which it entered when 1t obtained this
charter to build its railroad.
"They tell you In the next place
that there isn't any need of any law.
They say these men who manage our
railroads all are public spirited Chris
tian gentlemen. They won't impose on
people in any extravagant rate. A
suppose a man like Marvin Hughitt
would extort or oppress?' And said:
No, sir, ! don't From all l know Of
him / don't think there is man who
would be less likely to extort or op-
press than Marvin Hughitt.'
isn't John D. Rockefeller good
man? Do you know of any sheriff that
is looking for him under an indictment
for any offense? Doesn't he lead
class in the Sunday school? Doesn't
his heart warm to the heathen; just
now especially?
rs all that any reason why you
should not pass laws If you can de-
wise them which will prevent the ex-
acting Of the monopoly which he in
vented and has perpetuated?
Then they tell you this attempt to
fix arai1way rate is paternalism. So
far as can understand 1t, paternal-
ism, as applied to this thing, means
any sort of legislation which is In
tended to prevent monopolist from
stealing all there is and keeping all
he can steal.
"What is the function of govern
ment? say the function of govern
ment is to give every man Fair
chance. So long as my brother, II
he owns the railroads in this country,
can impose on me whatever rate he
sees fit, there is no such thing as a
fair chance The freight rate Is the
life blood of commercial activity, and
this government has no higher func-
tion than to remove every taint from
that vital fluid.
'"Then, they say, this plan won't
work because of the incompetency of
the interstate commerce commission
Now, If by that you mean that the
present members of the interstate COM
merce commission are incompetent
admit it. And the president has said
he is going to remove them and put
somebody in their place who is COM
petent, when we have the new law. If
you mean it is impossible to select five
men or seven men who can understand.
LHc QuSotiOu uCHy 1t. IL ID W Hic du
absurdity that board OF men selected
for that purpose, hearing those ques-
tions continually in all parts of this
country, should not be able to under
stand and intelligently decide the
questions which come before 1t.
"There is just one other idea and
am done. I expect railroad net re-
ceipts are going to fall off this year.
Gross receipts are increasing, but
there is one item of operating ex-
penses which is usually large, and that
is the item known as legislative ex-
penses. They are heavy this year.
1.-THE railroads are sending out to all
parts of this country tons of literature
tables showing the amount of the
holdings of savings banks, trust COM
panies, insurance companies, and such
like in railroad securities. Now, what
does that mean? 1t means that if the
interstate commerce commission had
the power to fix rate it would make
that rate SO low as to impair the
value of those securities. But so long
as the constitution of the United