Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-02

other ''hold-ups." from the opportunities
Of members Of the legislature. lobbyists
who want to earn fees, and from anti
corporate fanatics. The Legislative ex-
penses" of the New York railways at Al
bany have amounted to millions or uol-
lars every year Every railroad has mad
10 keep a corps of attorneys and other
representatives to look after Its inter
ests. Some OF them were wanted. bu'
most of them were not. Railway compa-
MES were compelled to employ them pc,
cause they are the protagsS of influential
members OF the legislature. one OF the
railway managers here said Inc other
day that he had three men on the salary
list at Albany whom he had never seen
or heard from. He did not know who
they were or what they were doing They
had not performed any service for the
road far he was aware. but the
paymaster had sen. them their salary
checks regularly every month for several
years simply because three influential
members of the legislature had requested
their employment in such urgent terms
that It was deemed impolitic to decline.
This form of blackmail can be no longer
practiced. now that commission Is given
exclusive jurisdiction of the railway Serv-
ice. for the individual members of the
legislature. no matter how influential they
may be. ara powerless to injure the road
or interfere with its administration
The enactment of tbs public serv!c IS
panies to dispense with the services of a
large army of local attorneys who were
employed upon salaries. or sent in bills
FOR foes. from every county on their lines.
II services of such attorneys are no
ionger needed The public services COM
mission takes all the responsibility. 1t
investigates the cause of all accidents
which result in loss of life or injury to
persons or property and its verdicts will.
OF course be considered final evidence in
m a
hears and acts upon all complaints against
common carriers of every sort. and that
obyiates the necessity Of the railways
employing so many counsel
1t Is the unanimous opinion that the
law will work in a manner satisfactory
to the corporations and at the same time
Will give the public adequate protection.
The commission has regular hearings at
which any person may appear and make
complaint against railroad companies,
either in person or by attorney. And that
privilege Will be very highly esteemed b.
many people. 1t will give anti-corpora-
tlon agftators an opportunity to blow OFT
steam and afford persons who are actual
ly aggrleved or are suffering from injus-
tice an opportunity to obtain the proper
remedy without expense. or subjecting
them to the risks of prejudiced courts or
corrupt jury.
Business in Damage Suits.
The statements of railway managers
concerning suits for damages are almost
incredible. Mr. Theodore F. Shonts. pres!-
dent Of the Interborough company. which
controls all OF the transportation lines on
Manhattan Island and in the Bronx. tells
me that the damages paid by that COM
pany annually to persons who claim to
have been injured by Its cars or on its
lines Is equal to 10 per cent Of the gross
earnings. He tells me there Is regular
organization of attorneys. doctors and
others who watch the hospitals and po-
lice stations to obtain the names of per-
sons who have been injured by the street
cars and of witnesses to the accidents.
These scouts notify their employers
promptly and the latter seek interviews
with the injured persons pos
sibe and start suits Cor damages almost
before the wounds are dressed. This or
ganiZatiOn has compelled the railway
companies to adopt similar measures. and
it is often a struggle between the agents
of the company and the agents of the out
side attorneys as to which shall reach
the bedside Of the wounded man first
Procrastination Costly.
One of the greatest advantages of
public services law like that Of New York
to Chicago and other cities would be to
abate the nuisances caused by the smoke
and noise from steam locomotives: and to
compel railway companies to keep up to
the times In the adoption Of improve
ments. Taking Chicago, for example.
twenty-seven different railways enter that
city. and nearly all of them are controlled
by outside interests. The Pennsylvania,
the Lake Shore the Michigan Central, the
Big Four, the Illinois Central, the Wa
bash, the Rock Island. the ST. Paul. the
Alton and others are controlled from New
York: the Burlington is controlled from
ST. Paul; the Baltimore and Ohio is con-
trolled in Baltimore, and the owners and
off cials have no personal interest in Chi
cago and have very little knowledge of
local conditions and requirements. They
regard Chicago merely as great shipping
point and cannot enter into the needs
and the sentiments Of their patrons.
Sooner or later 1t will be necessary for
the twenty-seven railways of Chi ago to
find a junction somewhere either ABOVE
or below ground and the longer they
postpone it the more expensive and diff
cult 1t will be