Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-03-22
DEMOCRATS ARE IN CHARGE
The Railroad Rate Bill Is in the
Hands of the Peoples
Friends.

Now the Democrats have charge OF
the railroad rate legislation in the SEN
ate, the chances for the passage Of the
bill are increased fourfold as Senator
Tillman is a firm friend of the people
and cannot be swerved from any pur-
pose which he undertakes.
The present railroad rate bill VIII
only be the entering wedge of the neces-
sary legislation to protect the public
from unreasonable rates. Perhaps the
greatest benefit to be produced by the
law will be the publicity clause through
which the inside workings of the rail-
roads will be exposed to the public gaze
and the actual income and expenses OF
all the railroads be laid bare.
Mr.. Charles s. Hanke, Of Boston, who
has been for years gathering informa-
ton about the cost of transportation
furnishes e,;dence that railroad rates
are now too high, that the companies
take more for the service they render
than it is worth that they conceal much
of their earnings by various bookkeep-
ing devices, and that the proof Of these
charges will soon become apparent after
some real publicity is turned on the af-
fairs of railroad companies.
The things Mr.. Hanke charges are
startling in the extreme. The railroads,
he says, control now a sixth Of the ma
tional wealth; their capitalization is ten
times that of the banking business.
They are in close alliance with the trusts
that control iron, steel, meats, grains,
sugar, salt and other necessaries. They
are steadily raising rates despite that
business is growing by leaps and bounds,
and that they were never so prosperous
as now, and do not dare let the public
know how much they are earning.
There has been from the beginning a
strong belief in certain quarters that
the railroad opposition to the pending
legislation was aimed at least as much
against the publicity feature as against
rate regulation. 1t is known, too, that
many of the most enthusiastic friends
Of corporate regulation, expect more
immediate RESULTS from the publicity
than from the regulation features.
They expect that the things which
publicity will bring to light will de-
termine the community, before long,
to greatly strengthen the rate-making
features Of the law.
Under the proposed law the inter
state commerce commission will have
power to enforce publicity in railroad
affairs, to examine the books and &C.
counts Of these companies, and to en-.
force something like method and uni
formity In this branch of the trans
portation business, there will be lit
tie delay about investigating the rea
scnableness of present rates.
This publicity clause is one of the
chief points that the Democrats insist.
ed upon being included in the bill
and when that was conceded they de-
tsrm;ned to support the Hepburn bill
as the best that could be expected OF
a Republican congress. With pub.
lefty assured and with a full knowl.
edge Of the profits the railroads are
making equitable rates can be made
that will be reasonable to the PEG.
pie and fair to the corporations. It
will also no longer be possible for the
corporations to use large sums to
bribe legislatures, or to give Repub-
lican committees to corrupt the voters
for such expenditures, instead of be.
ing hid under the head of legal ex.
penses'' will have to appear in their
books, charged to the corrupt purposes
for which used.
Everyone is interested in s
able railroad rates, and to obtain
them must back up the Democracy in
its efforts to protect the public by
electing congressman, and vote for
members of the legislature who elect
senator's, who are pledged to this and
other necessary reforms.