Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-04-05

. uOt VViupk W tno kVVeAhAou"
are the property Of private citizen
who have furnished their own n one!
for the stocks and bonds OF the cor
porstiops who have built ant
Equipped them With cars. The raih
roads are private property engaged ir
public service as common carriers
Because they are common carriers en-
gagged in this public services they are
subject the control Of all the law
which we choose TO impose % COM
mon carriers. We msy soy by law
that they must have three engineers
on every engine. aud three conductors
on every train and brakemen on every
car. We may say how many people
may ride in each car and what size
each car must bO, and w may say
how many head OF horses or cattle or
hogs may be in one car, or how many
pounds Of freight may be in one car,
We may say how many tracks, and
what weight OF rails and even how
many ties shall be in each yard OF
track. We may say where they must
have station houses to receive freight
and where they must have freight
houses 70 deliver freight, We may
require them TO receive freight from
every clipper, and keep i eafely pntil
it 10 loaded, and carry it safely to lite
destination and keep it safely till 1t
is delivered 70 the. eoAaignee. We
may require them to charge the same
rate for the same service to oil men,
and to treat all shippers equally. Add
We may require>that all charges for
service shall be equal to oil men and
shall be reasonable and not ex.ortion.
ate or unjust. And that there shall
be no rebates or secret tayors to any
person, and no discrimination in favor
Of any man or corporation and no I'M
just discrimination in favor Of or
against any community or locality.
But nov we are asked to 60 a step
farther and authorizs q commission |
to make a rate. Remember now, thai |
the roads are private property and |
the income is due to the private own.
ers and the power to make rats 10
The power to say what the income on
Ibis property shall be.
SHOW no man would run bic farm .
week u any commission Of seven men
It Washington or five men at Topeka
lad the power to fix the price Of the
products Of that farm. No man would
Ieep store a week y any seven men Of
Washington or Eve men at Topeka had
he power to 6x the price at which
'ou should sell goods which you had
fought with your own money. But
heir 'ervice is the only thing these
ailroadS have to sell. 1t 10 their
My crop-their only source Of In
ONE. Aud il thief cannot sell this
ervics their cars and tracks and sta.
lon houses might as well be thrown
nto the scrap pile. The only reason
re have power OF controlling them ls
bat they are common carriers In the
ublic services. And because they are
ommon carriers We have all the
over Of the law over them aud we
lake the Law. But when We come to
I the price We are touching 9 prop
rty right, the income Of the roads
IT the private citizens who have
FINISHED money to build and equip !
hem. The constitution provides
pat no private property shall be
ken Tor publio use without eompsn. ,
,tiou. Az this point II We take .
hargs and SAY how much this Ia. ;
'ms on this property shall Be We
,s taking private property. We are !.
iksd 70 give this Psver 70 . CON- !,
issiOn bat the supreme court 81 the
uited States b, never ". decided :
~ solgro,' NAP dslsgAts this
yer " eomnislion. And che en-
- ,,urt a. Al. rf.f,.a g.. -. n