The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-14
AGAINST GOOD|NG'S
COMMISSION PLAN
F. J. Hagenbarth Says Idaho
Should Not Harass the
Railroads Now.
UNION PACIFIC COULD
RETAJIATE SEVERELY
Bulk of States Traffic Is Inter
state, and Commission
Couldn't Control 1t.

;. ]. Hagenbarth of the J. y, Wood
Livestock company OF this city. whose
home is at Spencer. Ida, and who has
long been identified actively with Re-
publican politics in Idaho, is decidedly
opposed TO the creation of railroad
commission IN that State, as recon-
mended by Gov Gooding in his recent
message to tho Legislature. In an IN
terview with The Tribune yesterday.
Mr.. Hagcnbarth said:
"The reason why commission
should not be created can he summed
up very briefly Idaho is not yet ready
for such an innovation. Al present we
practically have only one road in the
State-the Oregon Short Line, which IS
controlled by the Union Pacific. Two
other transcontinental roads are con-
sidering building into the State. and
there is every promise that they VIII DO
So To create commission now Wooid
be TO discourage railroad building, and
stamp Idaho as a State hostile to rail
road interests.
Possibilities for Harm.
HA commission might do some good
IN Isolated cases but its capabllltles fof
harm are much greater than It's posi-
biities for good The bulk of our trat-
6c is interstate traffic, which State
railroad commission cannot regulate at
all Yet, if we were TO pass commns-
sion bill to harass the railroads locally,
the Union Pacific, which controls the
situation, as far as southern ldaho is
concerned, at least. could retahate most
disastrously against US.
:'This railroad could put into effect
Interstate rates which would prevent US
from selling in the East our surplus
wheat, potatoes, wool, cattle. horses, the
nroduct of our lead mines, of our rap.
idly developing sugar industry. and OF
the product OF the dried fruit industry
which we are now trying to build up
Our ability to dispose of these products
depends entirely upon interstate rafes,
over which a State commission has
neither jurisdiction nor control.
"Southern idaho is being put under
water rapidly. II will ultimately se one
of the greatest irrigated section OF the
West. and if business conditions are not
disturbed. it will be in a position to
compete with Utah in the sale OF lrrl-
gated products in the Missouri river
Section: but if we needlessly incur the
hostility of the railroads we will re-
tard the development of this industry
and make competition with Utah I'M,
noss;bie, We cant afford to go up
against discriminating freight rates
Can Get Voluntary Reductions.
"About six months ago the Oregon
Short Line voluntarily reduced passen-
ger rates from to 3 cents mile, and
IL has given us material reduction IN
freight rates in many lines: All this
was done before the commission idea
was first broached. and l believe that
when any business man conylnces the
railroad that he is entitled to Teduc,
tion on any given commodity he, Will
get it, for it is to the interest of the
railroad to build up the State.
sEIn other words, j believe that every
good which a commission could accom-
plish can be accomplished in another
way--bv moral suasion-and at the
same time the State will retain the good
will Of the railroads. [ believe that the
business interests of the State, as a
whole, arc opposed to the creation Of n
commission, although in isolated iu-
stances there may be grievances. | am
free to admit that the fuel question
has caused considerable chafng among
all portions of the people, but l am un-
able to see how a State commission
rould affect that situation.
81 am not prepared to say that a
commission might not be good thing,
or DIT ledSD Ju1I IL WOuNl uO any udl III
were the State built up and developed.
from a railroad standpoint, and we had
several competing lines running into the
State: but under existing conditions /
am absolutely opposed to it.
Favors Speed Law.
81 do not wish TO be understood as
being entirely satisfied with existing
conditions, for | am not; but / do dis
agree most radically with Gov. Goodipg
as to the means of accomplishing the
results desired, l believe that every
Western State, however, should pass
laws regulating the speed OF trains car
Tying shipments of live stock. This
should be done to prevent shrinkage
while the shipments are reaching the
market. If Utah, Wyoming and Idaho
as well as other Western States. would
pass laws of this kind they would ac,
complish great good
Mr.. Hagenbarth will 90 TO Boise to-
night, and while there will impress his
views on the railroad question on mem
bers of the Legislature. He is one OF
the wealthiest stock and sheep men OF
the State, and besides. has many inter
,ests in Utah and Mexico. He was q
Roosevelt Presidential elector in 1904
and headed the Fremont county delega
tiou to the last Republican State con
vention at Pocatello. He is close per
sonal and political friend of w +. Bo
rah. who is about to be elected to the
United States Senate to succeed Fred
r Duho,s