Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-06

vision and regulation Of railroads by
some form of government authority.
| This right has been established, and
the necessity for and wisdom of such
regulation must be conceded by all
The right to regulate and control should
carry with it the duty in every legiti-
mate manner TO project from oppres-
sion and injustice the property or inter
est thus regulated or controlled.
Interest of the Public.
In the great business of transporta,
ton the railroad is the manufacturer
and seller Of one of the most impor-
tant commodities of modern commerce,
viz transportation. The public is the
buyer.
The railroad must sell, no matter
how low the price or rate may be fixed
lg competition or by law. The public
must buy. no matter how high the
rate may be.
In other lines of business. the seller
can. if the price is unsatisfactory, keep
his goods; the buyer may refrain from
buying until satisfactory price is
Emade--but the great business of trans
portatfon cannot stop; it is the vital
circulation of the nation, its life blood
and the interest of the people can per
nit no interruption of its flow.
THE government. in assuming the
duty of arbitrating differences of opin
ion between seller and buyer of trans
portation, must be absolutely fair and
impartial.
The assumption that the president
or congress. or any commission created
by congress to regulate railroad rates
and supervise their operation, is OF
should be an advocate of either party
to the controversy as against the other
will find no favor with the American
people.
Law Must BE Fair.
mo law should be enacted which
does not as zealously safeguard the in
terests of the railroad as it does those
of the shipper-for a law which is not
founded on exact justice and righteous
makes this possible, cannot long exist
or be enforced.
Certainly no law should be enacted
which is so palpably unjust to any in
terest as 10 challenge the attention of
any person OF ordinary intelligence
who reads it.
The provisions of the Esch-Towns-
end bill referred to in your editorial
cannot in their effect be other than
unjust to the railroads. The bill pro
vides that a rate fixed by the commits
sion shall become effective in 80 days,
but provides that the railroad may APP
peal from the findings of the commits
sion.
1.-The right to appeal presumes (the
possibility, at leaSD that the rate made
by the commission upon a hearing of
all the facts by a court of competent
jurisdiction may be overruled and the
rate charged by the railroad found to
be fair and reasonable.
Protection to shipper.
THE plan suggested in your editorial
insures the shipper against any posi-
Bile loss in case the rate Fixed by the
commission is sustained, and is there
fore just and fair to both parties.
The provision of the Esch- Townsend
bill utterly ignores the rights of the
railroad and makes no provision what
ever for its protection i'll case the find
ing of the commission is overruled and
the rate charged blythe railroad found
to be fair and reasonable.
"A simple statement of the case is
the strongest possible argument in ia
vOr of your suggestion.
THE railroads are asking for no spe
cial favor; they are only pleading foI
that measure of fairness and impartial
justice which is due any citizen or any
interest, and it is a hopeful indication
when 4 great journal Ike the Record
Herald recognizes the injustice of the
provision of the Esch-Townsend bill
referred 10 in your editorial and does
not hesitate to suggest a necessary
amendment and opens its columns TO d
full discussion Of the same
wv. G. BROWN,
Vice President \. Y. c. and II. r