The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-05-30

/ TO the development OF the country ma
turaIly tributary 70 the lines These
principles are fundamental. Railroads
should not be prohibited from acquIr-
ing connecting lines, by acquiring
stocks. bonds OF other securities OF
such lines; but It is already wen set
tied as contrary to public policy To al.
low railroads to acquire control over
parallel and competing lines of trans
portaiion Subject 10 first giving TO
the Government the power Of super
vision and control which have ad-
voeHted hbove. the law should ne
amended so that railroads may be per-
mitied and encouraged to make traffic
agreements when these are in the in
terest of the genetal public as well as
OF the railroad corporations making
them. These agreements should of
course be made public In the mfnutest
detail, and should be subject to Sc
curing the previous assent of the In
terstate Commerce commission.
Movement Has Come to Stay.
The movement to regulate railways
by law has come to stay The people
of this country have made up their
minds-and wisely made up their
minds-to exercise closer eSauol
over al kinds OF public-serli ic, eofT,or-
atioas, including railways rigeix non-
estly managed railway W.T. N.aib ari;
not lose by the policy. The a.cr I1nre.
anxious TO manipulate stocks nan -
make the management OF their roads
efficient and honest are the only
ones who have cause TO oppose It.
We who believe in steady and
healthy progress stand unalterably for
the new era Of the widest publicity.
and of fair dealing on the part of
railroads with istockholders. passen-
gers. and Shippers. We ask the con-
sent of no man in carrying out this
policy; but we gladly welcome the aid
of every man in perfecting the law in
its details. and in securing its enact
ment and the faithful observance of
its wise provisions. We seek nothing
revolutionary We ask for such laws
as in their essence now obtain in the
staid old commonwealth or Massa-
chusetts; such laws as now obtain in
England.
Not Punitive or Vindictive.
The purpose of those of us who so
resOlutely believe in the new policy,
in its thorough carrying otu and in
its progressive development. Is IN no
sense punitive or viniictive. We
would be the first to protest against
any form of confscation OF property,
and whether we protested or not. ]
may add that the supreme court could
be trusted in any event to see that
there should be nothing done under
the guise OF regulating roads to des-
troy property without just compensa-
tion or without due process of law.
AS a matter of course, we shall pun
ish any criminal whom we can con-
yict under the law; but we nave no in
tention of confounding the innocent
many and the guilty few by any i'll
judged and sweeping scheme OF ven
geance. Our aim is primarily to pre-
vent these abuses in -le future.
Wherever evil doers can be, they
shall be brought to justice; and no
high or low, whom we can
reach will receive immunity But the
rights of innocent investors should
not be ieoparded by legislation or ex-
ecutive action; we sanction no legis-
lation which would fall heavily on
them, instead ofon the original wrong
doerS or beneficiaries of the wrong.