The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-21
JUSTICE TO BOTH.

Every day evidence is accumulatIns
to show that the people as a whole do
not desire to work an injustice to the
railroads; that the present antiraiI-
road agitation results from the abuses
! that have been practiced by trans
portation companies. and from wish
to make the railroads be fair, and not
from any desire to be unjust to rail-
roads just because they are such.
There may be some demagogues
and a few rattle-brained individuals
who care nothing for the rights of cor
porations, but that is not true of the
people as a whole. To be sure, they
have become incensed at the injus-
tice that has been heaped upon the
public in numerous instances, but the
average man wants to be fair, and ne
will not rob even a railroad corpora
ton of it's just rights
All that is necessary is that the
people shall understand the real con-
dition. In the past railroad mana
gers have assumed entirely too much
of a e-people-be- damned attitude
They should take the people into their
confidence to a greater extent. And
they are doing so. as is evidenced by
the appeals that have been made by
railroad magnates direct to the public
in recent months.
warning against hasty and half
baked legislation involving the rail-
roads is sounded by the Chicago Rec
ord-HeraId, which has consistently
advocated railroad regulation, and it's
utterances represent the sober judg-
ment of most fair-minded citizens. 1t
says:
"'For they have sown the wind
and they shall reap the whirlwind'
Read the dispatches from various
state capitals, note the railroad legis-
lation that is introduced and passed,
and note also how this prophecy Is
fulfilled. to the dismay of railroad
managers. They that have trespassed
against the law. that have offended
against justice and fair dealing by cor
ruption and discrimination, are surely
reaping the whirlwind
But the moral is not for their in
struction alone. Let the people them
selves take warning. If they SOW the
wind in ilI-considered legislation en-
acted precipitately and without intel
ligence. they. too, may not escape the
whirlwind of railroad bankruptcies
and wrecked industries. In order to
prevent such a calamity it is by no
means desirable that they should pass
swiftly from the demand for a proper
regulation of the roads TO a federation
of old evils, but it is desirable that
they should reason together and not
rush forward blindly in ignorance and
passion.
Justice is the goal, and justice
alone. In order that justice may be
done a large measure of public con-
troll is necessary. The Hepburn bill
was necessary. the federal and state
commissions are necessary. At all
times it must be recognized that the
common carriers exist by public II
cense and that they are the servants
of the whole public.
But the public should be as con-
scientious in protecting their rights as
it is now vigorous in asserting it's own.
And when the legislators of a state
whose population is both small and
unevenly distributed insist on a uni
form 2-cent fare it is evident that they
are paying no attention whatever to
the right. They are acting on impulse
without thought. Meanwhile there Is
no mystery whatever as to the course
that they should pursue. They should