The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-21
RI.AIR on RAILROADS.

This paper has Tor several years
urged some sort of railroad regulation
that will give the people fair and just
rates. At the same time it has urged
that the railroads are also entitled to
fairness and justice.
Mr.. R. ". Blair. who is one of the
attorneys for the Union Pacific in
Kansas. has recently given utterance
to some statements on the railroad
question that are extremely sensible
and worthy of consideration. Among
other things he said:
railroad companies and railroad
men desire to keep out of politics; and
il broad-gauged, honest men are elect
ed to office, men who will treat rail-
road interests exactly as they treat
merchants, and millers and manufac-
politics Will cease, because railroad
companies go into politics only to pro-
tect their interests, not to gain an I'M
due advantage; but just as long as
every platform contains an anti-rail-
road plank upon which cheap poiiti-
clans ride into Office, just so long viii
railroads have to take a hand.
It is undoubtedly true that dema-
goguery is the worst foe of the square
deal, not only on the railroad question,
but in everything else. Whenever any
reform becomes popular there are
men who try to ride into power on it
and sometimes succeed.
Then again there are those ultra
radicals who would overdo the matter:
and the railroads are entitled to just
the same consideration as any other
interest. The railroad attorneys have
the same right to go into the legisla-
ture and present their arguments for
or against legislation that any other
business men have. But they should
do no more, and the railroads are
learning that that is the best way.
Mr. Blair also says that the rail-
roads do not care how soon a law is
passed that will do away with all free
transportation, but he evidently
doesn't believe in cutting fare to two
cents a mile. On this point he says:
Some people who favor abolish
ment of passes think passenger fare
should be reduced to two cents per
mile but I believe if that is attempted
I it will only be evidence of going from
/ one extreme to the other. railroad
company is entitled to reasonable pay
for what ever service it renders. In a
/ thickly populated state like Ohio for
I instance two cents is probably a paying
rate. In Kansas it would not be at
/ present, though probably in a few
! years it will be. and when that time
/ comes that rate should and will be
adopted and that will be so if there is
/ never another session of the legisla-
: ture. There are many trains in Kan
/ sas at present that do not pay expenses
and a reduction in rates would GER
| tainlv result in fewer passenger trains
| and probabl make it necessary to run
mixed trains on all lines and
| branches"
OF course the railroads are entitled
to a just consideration, and a law that
arbitrarily reduced the rate to two
cents a mile on all Kansas raiIroad DIS
probably would not stand the test OF
the courts. The Pringle bill in the
last legislature was framed to NEE
that problem. It provided for a tive
cent fare only on those lines thai
showed earnings enough to justify it
and left others to do as they pleased
leave the branch lines that Mr.. Blail
refers to. free to maintain a three cen
rate unless their business was suficien
to come within the limit placed in the
bill. Mr.. Blair, however, overlook
the fact that a reduced rate wou1s
greatly stimulate travel and hence tn,
revenues Of the roads.
But Mr.. Blair comes down to tn
meat of the whole matter in this state
ment.
las I said before there is plenty o
law to control railroads and what !
needed is respect for, and compliance
] and to treat the railroad question as