The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-03
GOVERNOR GUILD.

legislature of that State, to that of | Governor Guild of Massachusetts, | which is a liveler document and of i larger local interest on account of his | views upon the railroad question. We | do not know that there is any ground | for such a suspicion, but we have 1t [ would agree to move the headquarters | of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad company to Boston | and himself become a citizen of the commonwealth everything would be forgiven and he would remain at fiber ty to merge to his hearts content, We find, for example, this significant state ment in that part of the message de- voted to transportation: 'q believe any possible combination should be effect ed. not by lease imposing extrava- gant fixed charges alike on the corpor- ation and the public, but by com munity of interest between two sys- tens, both of which in Massachusetts should run under Massachusetts char ters, each supplementing the other, WITH HEADQUARTERS IN BOSTON and managed solely for the develop ment of New England"
 Governor Guild is ,nanifestly out of humor with the railroad situation is his State. He says that it is not an Exaggerated charge" but instead "a simple statement of fact to say that no steam road now being operated in Massachusetts is giving proper or eff flcient service. He criticises the roads Sr inadequate facilities in every direr- 'n He says that a commission is at
 Investigating the adverse con
 pns and hopes soon to learn moro ''of the causes that have prevented in- vestment in transportation compani $ in Massachusetts during the last de- cade." He has either overlooked or never seen what President Tutte os the Boston and Maiue said about tn. conditions complained of; that the at. titude of the commonwealth has dur ing that time been unfavorable from ss~the investors point of view; that the unfavorable attitude had encouraged the sale of home properties to outside
 
 corporations The governor is. how ever, convinced that existing law is in- adequate to deal with public control of railroads. He would give the railroad commission more power to tfe extent of conferrng upon it powers similar to those enjoyed by the interstate m- merce comriss:cn That would, for example. enable it to compel the companies to run their trains i,t at : S9fdance with ;heir advertised sched- lles"
 kt a steam railroad should be per- Emitted to control trolley lines In the
 
 the second place the competition be- tween steam and trolley roads is s'healthy and should be maintained. " His conclusion is obviously reached upon the theory that the two kinds of transportation companies are in reali- ty competitors for like business and not mutual feeders, which Is rather the Connecticut idea. The governor pays his respects to the Boston and Maine as company controlled and dominat- ed by an express company with head quarters in New York. He would elim- inate express control in the public in- terest He would not object apparently if the scheme was a practical one tc having a railroad corporation, charter -~ cd under the laws of the State oI Massachusetts own and control steam ship lines, provided Massachusetts did the bossing As for one railroad oyn- ing and controlling another, Cover
 
 which that might be encouraged. What he is after is not so much the prohibi tion of railroad mergers and railroad combinations as it is bringing all sucf acts of expansion under the supervis- ion of Massachusetts commissioners He says frankly, and it is here that h. lets the cat ont of the bag so far a, his opposition to the plans of the Con. necticut railroad is concerned: q be. lieve it is worth trying by new legisla ton not merely to escape the surren der of the relics of New England con. trol which we at present possess bu to recover the control that we have al ready lost, that not merely New Eng land legislatures but New Englanc railroads may strike at the shackle. l bout New England commerce ant :. aw England industry"
 We do not by any means say tha
 Is is not worthy ambition whicl 1 yernor Guild is cultivating, but it i I <luestion whether now it is one pos
 hle of fulfillment The condition
 ch confronts the State of Massa