Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-03-29
Railroad Retaliation.

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No sooner has the two-eent-fare law
gone into effect in Nebraska than the
railroads retaliate by disseminating 6
number of their passenger trains. They
have even gone SO far as to compel
passengers from outside States to buy
fresh tickets and recheck their baggage
at the Nebraska State line. 1t may be
that by deliberately mountaineering
their pBtrons the roads will succeed in
starting popular reaction in their
own favor, but it looks like a reckless
experiment.
Whsn the two cents-a-mile bill was
under consideration at Harrisburg Penn
plvania Railroad officials declared
that two-cent fare would mean a
two-cent service. 1t would be impossi-
BILE to maintain their fast Chicago ser
vice to operate passenger trains on
minor State lines at q profit.
The railroad manager usually takes
the gloomiest view of the case when
he cannot have his own way. Ruin al
ways stares him in the face at the
slightest provocation. Still, it is owl
ously true that an arbitrary passengs
rate enforced throughout the entire
State might sometimes prove utterly
unfair. In New York the two-cent rate
applies to main lines,and in some other
States the legal rate is determined by
the gross earnings per mile. Traffic
conditions in New York may warrant
one set of maximum charges, those in
Nebraska another and those in Nevada
still another. General uniformity is
out of the question, Something must
be left to ex perience, whatever the To-
cal state of resentment against corpor-
atoms.
Over twenty-five State Legislatures
this winter have undertaken to enact
laws against the railroads, mostly
through regulation, direct or indirect,
of their charges and service. The pre-
vailing sentiment seems to be that
new rate laws and new commissions
will automatically solve all problems.
An intelligent understanding of the
transportation question IS nsteXpected,
and the railroads On their part have
done next 10 nothing to supply ii.
Mr.. Hartman, for instance, who
knows better, says that 1t Goes not
matter to the public what is the capi
talization of a railroad; the only thing
that concerns the public is the kind of
service railroad furnishes. Yet every
time railroad regulation, either under
Federal or State laws, is PROPOSED rail-
road companies like MIR. Hartman
which have been fraudulently overcap-
italized bitterly protest that any inter
ference with their private management
will make it impossible for them 10
pay interest on their ponds and divi-
dends on their stocks.
Between Hartman and "a public
actuated largely by prejudice 1t VIII
not be easy to effect peace, especially
when the rights of passengers and
shippers are disregarded as contempt
uously as the interest OF legitimate In
vestors. But the railroads are certain
to gain nothing by pursuing policy
OF retaliation. However crude and an
wise some of the restrictive legislation
may be. is would be far better for the
roads to make an honest attempt to
carry out the spirit Of the law. Then
they can go before the Legislatures
with their balance sheets and fairly
ask for square deal if they have not
been getting it. The American people
intend to be just. In the long run they
would be. more than just ifthe railroads
would meet them half way. IN. Y.
World.