The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-05-17
RAILROAD REGULATION.
What Reforms the Public 10 Demand.
ing at this Time.

create the impression that the gov.
eminent regulation of railroads will
prove disastrous 10 the business OF the
country, and that therefore congress-
and the state legislatures should let
the railroads alone" But the people
who have been and are being plum.
dured by those corporations feel that
drastic Legislation and strict enforce.
mcnt OF the laws now on the statute
hooks has become necessary. 1t ID
we'll therefore. TO inquire Just what
the public demand, namely:
Reasonable passenger and freight
rates
Safety and reasonable celebrity in
transportation Of passengers and
goods
Fairness and equal rights to all
persons and places.
No watercd stock and bonds
Cessation of stock iobbing opera
lions by railroad managers and diroc.
tors
DlscoutiUuance Of political activity
and corrupt lobbying,
Taxation OF railroads on the same
basis as other property
These seven requirements would
seem to be fair and reasonable
and why trying 70 enforce them should
produce business depression. or ruin
the railroads, can hardly be sustained
by evidence or the facts In each case.
Everyone Is glad to see the railroads
prosper their employees well paid,
win reasonable hours Of service and
all modern appliances for their pro.
lection and the safety of the travelling
public.
As It Is impossible to have compet.
tIOn except al terminal points or
whore two or more roads touch the
same place, It is useless now to at.
tempt to abolish combinations, Six
great combines now control about all
the railroads and competition. except
with water routes. Is virtually abol.
lshrd. The public has received no
benefit from the dissolution Of the
combination between the Great North
rrn, Northern Pacific and Burlington
railroads and the energy OF the ad.
minisirdtion, the department of Justice
and the supreme court has been en-.
'ircly wasted IN the dissUlvtng Of the
Northern Securities company. for nci.
thor freight nor passenger rates have
h.nn reduced thereby, nor any advan.
tar" gained by the public. Looking
az the matter from a political point OF
view this useless effort to restore com
petition Us all the Roosevelt admins.
uatinn has accomplished The rail
road rate biz OF the last congress has
given the interstate commerce com,
mission more power to Investigate
railroads and say what rates are I'M
reasonable but the power to estab.
lish reasonable rate in place Of the
therefore rates are the same as be-
fore the law was enaaCted.
1t must be advantageous to the rail
roads 10 limit accidents to such IA
are unavoidable and II too great
speed Is the chief acuse OF accidents,
II tdulDl inquire tlt UNSiutSS vi llt
country TO limit the speed TO the re-
quirements Of safety. To charge more
for a short haul than a long one is un.
fair and Is discrimination in favor
OF terminal points and against Interior
places. Free passes and rebates are
notoriously unjust to those who do
not receive such favors and the rail.
roads can well afford to reduce rates
to the public now these drains on
their incomes have been about abol.
ished
That the people demand that they
shall not he charged unreasonable
rates to pay interest on water stocks
and bonds will undoubtedly reduce
railroad profits, but 1t cannot lnjurc
business
The proper regulation of railroads is
therefore for the benefit OF the people
and will soon prove of advantage to
those who have honestly invested
their money in railroad property.