New-York tribune., 1907-08-20

s ,,o. .bir1r that I'm order to accomplish a good
which the federal government WITH us - can
resources and wider geographical reaCi 80
| hriDo- about more quickly and efficiently, the
constitutional limits upon federal actor, r siI
ebo,,id be expanded bv doubtful construction
into a field which really belongs TO tne So az,
But the right of Congress to take any actioh' nu'
confiscatory in the most rigid controi oi 4i'e
state commerce cannot be denied
SUGGESTED BY HARRIMAN'S WORK
Tho measures taken and proposed are radical.
narhans viewed from the STANDPOINT Oh uie
iaissez faire doctrinaire whose ideas nave oeeh
allowed to prevail in respect OF ia ~ 80 60 can
agement down to the present. put no one Cali
read the report Of the commission on lhe ilI
Of the union of the Southern Paclnc ana @ olioii
Pacific systems with the Illinois Central s!stenl
without trembling at the enormous power that
one man. by the uncontrolled use Oh tlIe , So.
and bond issuing power OF inter s's'e aoo,
,Ddar state charters. has acquired IN reSpect
of a vital part of the countrys business auI
without looking for some means or rei!eusI Ins
such a dangerous tendency which, II nor
stopped will lead to the absorption OF all 'he
railroads OF the country into one hano-
NOT sOCIAILsTIC, BUT THE OPPOSITE.
The contention on behalf of the railroads, al
ready noticed, that such supervision as the rate
hill and these suggested amendments aford is
sociastic and tends TO government oM si'ip ~
is utterly without basis EHclent reg guiaIioii -
the very antidOte and preventive OF sociaiisLH sHI
and government ownership The railroaos uIie,i @
now have been permitted to WELD without any
real control the enormously important fran
cbise of furnishing transportation TO tne ehtiTe
country They have constructed 23OooO miles
Of road In certain respects they have done d
marvellous work, and have afforded tTahsp9r&ta- "a
ton a cheaper rate per ton. per nllIe ara per
passenger than in any country IN the world
Thev have however many of them. SnahheiSSoiy
violated the trust obligation they nave peeh
under to the public of furnishing equal tacIn-
ties at the same prices TO all Shippers INC
watering of stock and bonds ana the oVel
capitalization of some of them Tor tne pioHt pro- 40 ui
their managers have prevented the needeu nm
movement of their railroads in CONSTRUCTION anu
equipment The tremendous demand for in
creased facilities due to the enormous CROWN
of business shows the inadeQuaCy OF their
equipment and construction. While they nllehI
not have been expected to meet IN fuli stlch dil
extraordinary demand the obligations some OIL
them have assumed in the form OF STOCKS ana
bonds. leave doubt that, had lne money
they represented been put into the ROADS IN eood
faith the shortage of cars and equipment and
inadequacy of roadbed and track Wou4u hot pe
so great They discharge a public iunctloi;
They have been weighed in the balance anu
found wanting. The remedy for the eVlis must %
be radical he effective. If it Is not SO, tneL.
we may certainly expect that the HloteIneht
toward government ownership will become d
formidable one that cannot be stayed.
AGAINST GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
am opposed to government ownership.
Ffrst-Because existing government railways
are not managed with either the EMERGENCY OF
economy of privately managed roads ana tne
rates charged are not low and therefore not
as beneficial to the public
Second-Because II would involve an eXpend-
itl1re of certainty S12oo00o00oO TO acquire the
interstate railways and the creation of an enor-
nous national debt.
Third-BeCause II would place in the hands Of
a reckless executive a power OF controi over
business and politics that the Inauguration can
hardly conceive, and would expose our popular
institutions TO danger.
REGULATION AND INDIVIDUALlSM.
The supervision proposed need not materially
reduce the legitimate operation OF fndfyidualisrn
in railway enterprise. 1t viii indeed limit the
opportunity 60 accumulate enormous fortunes
through overcapitalization or secret rebates.
but the legitimate profit which comes from close
attention to operation, to efficiency OF service
and economy in details and from broad conCep-
tions Of new methods of reducing cost without
imparing the service Will not be disturbed in
the slightest. There is no attempt TO take away
the property of the railway companies: there Is
no furnishing of public money TO the enterprise
and public officers are required to admins
ter the property. There IS more attempt in
this law TO make transportation government