The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-01
ADJUSTMENTS TODAY.
WEATHER FOR SALT LAKE.
THE METALS.
MO RAILROAD COMMISSION.


BY vote of "a to 8. the lower house
of the legislature has inferred the bill
FOR railroad commission beyond re-
call. although it's sDonSor proposes to
move a reconsideration at a later day.
The vote indicates with a fair degree
of accuracy the strength Of the senti-
inent i'm behalf Of the bill. though il
NAV be doubted whether popular vote
on The question would show even one in
thirty-four of the people in favor Of it.
The reasons for this unwillingness to
place the railroads Of the state in the
hands of q political commission are
many and obvious The first and chief
reason is that the people of Utah re
cognize the fact that railroad develop
ment has been the one great factor in
the upbuiIding of the commonwealth
and the develoomeTt Of its resources.
Recognizing this. and at the same time
conceding the existence of wrongs at
the hands of some OF the roads. the
people choose rather TO encourage rail-
road investments than obstruce and
harass them for the smaller gain that
might follow restrictive legislation, and
they believe the grievances existing
can be remedied without such a COM
mission.
The ajority vote comedies with the
view taken by the Real Estate ex-
change. by the governors of the Com
merciaI club and by the large majority
of the business. men of the state IL
evidently meets the approval of the
agricultural communities, since zone of
the representatives from the so-called
country districts voted for the commits
sion II is worth noting. too. that there
vas no evasion of the issue by either
side of the question. The men who OPP
posed the. commission said so frankly
and gave their reasons for their action
fcrcibly.i They believed they We're vot-
ing for the greatest good TO the great
est number. and they had no hesitancy
about recording their convictions. The
result is so decisive that it ought 20
settle for some time to come the atti-
tude of this state on that subject
Another bin affecting railroad enter
prises is still to be disposed of. and
that is the measure empowering rail-
road companies to own coal and iron
mines. and operate them. and to own
ana operate shipping. The opposition
To this measure takes the ground that
il should not be passed because il
might prevent independent operations
IN these lines of business Just why
this should be feared does not appear
II az independent operator can get the
same rate as any other operator: IL he
can get track and switching facilities
ard cars for the delivery OF coal or
ether commodities. he cannot be af-
fected by this measure: and If ne is
denied any of these privileges. he has
ample recourse in the existing laws.
There have been times when discrimi-
nation eigainst the independent was
common. but that time has passed.
It certainly could not injure the state
ar any individual in ii 10 have addi-
tional coal mines developed by any rail-
road or to have the great iron fields of
Iron county opened up as a railroad en-
ternrise. nor is there any serious
ground for believing it would injure
any one 10 have any railroad here own
Sea-going vessels. In the mania of
suspicion of everything connected with
a railroad. some of the members Of the
legislature see spooks every time the
word railroad is mentioned or printed.
but surely they can advance no legiti-
mate objection to such development as
this measure might encourage.