Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-03-08
The Railroad Conditions.

There have been advanced many
reasons regarding the car-shortage
situation impugning the motives of
the officials of railroad companies in
causing the present disagreeable con-
ditions in that respect. Following
are some of the reasons ventured:
1st, These companies have stock
holders who are wealthy, own large
timber, lumber and coal interests,
who desire to form trusts and COM
binations to absorb these interests
and traffic therein. If they can sue
coed in driving out owners of mills
and persons engaged in the business
of supplying fuel, with limited capt.
talization by bankrupting them, or
otherwise, so that these artificial
creations may manipulate the trade
in these industries, then the railway
companies who, being closely identi-
fled with these trusts, will provide
the means of transportation to bring
the products of mills and coal mines
to the homes of the consumers.
I'd, Adverse State and National
legislation is worrying these COM
mon carriers; and they aim to show
the people that Railway Commits
sions and rate-regulations are doing
the public no good, with the hope
such enactments may become I'M
popular, so that these companies
may have free sway in the line of
their activities.
Sd, Steam railroads are cumber-
some and expensive in their opera
ton, in comparison with the ex-
pense and trouble in the use of cleo
trio power. The car-shortage situa-
ton will intensity the demand for
public ownership of these agencies of
transportation. When the proper
time arrives these steam power trans
pOrtation companies can unload their
property and holdings at a good
figure on the Government; with the
bonds received for the purchase there
of, electric-power roads may be pro-
vided to compete the government out
of business in the carrying trade of
the country, in which event, they
will be able to show the people that
government ownership is failure,
and thus be able to stem the present
tide of Socialistic agitation.
OF course, it will be claimed the
above observations are largely mat
tiers of conjecture. The seriousness
of the situation requires active can
wasting and thorough investigation
as to the underlying causes of the
present infection. The Railway Com
mission legislation has been far from
satisfying in its results. A large
and influential element in California
has recommended the appeal of it's
Railroad Commission constitutional
provision, having expended more
than half-million of dollars in en-
deavoring to make this law effective,
and after many years of futile ex-
pertinent. The trouble about such
legislation is the people are lulled to
sleep in expecting Commission to
help, when it is unable, or unwilling,
to do SO. Generally speaking, the
job" is good one. If the members
are too active in probing into cor
porate abuses, they are liable to lose
their pull, through railroad infu-
ence in politics; while in times of
great abuses, when there is no legis-
lative salve, the sufferers arise to the
emergency of the situation, discover
the cause of the injustice and apply
effective remedies.
THE local Genealogical record for
1909 10 Divan in tho Animal Gum