Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-02-19

II is ms lHuEl -' GOV | -. q! /
security holiyrs that la'orl' Ism, J." !
rates and the fiat quality I'D caPitaIIIz'-
zion shall br prevented, rs X Us 10 'hy
interest of the public that Fa'Iroau
rar,tal shall earn IA fair return on y,
,ral and uuinhatcd investment nan
,.aI REVENUE. cannot attain tn'i'
i.,.aJ,., and must stable dimensions
.,,,,n t,yarf.J and diverted by these
.l.n.,,. ror can the vide increase OF
.rorta,iou facillt!rs needed Dy
,,r,,,,i,., rn,,.n., rec be secured, unless IL
ar. 10 ti,. .rycstmout oi actuhl caW'
,,l AN adequate and reasonably as
..r.d return Legislation conceived
.,l executed 20 the unchangcahl" res"
lu,f1n g. maintain Justice and honesty
for and asa.'.; all classes aiIke i
beneficial ;.r al alike, and o'thblishe'
.n. fouugt,..n for the widest ana most
prruan,nt national prosperity.
Thi.I maintain TO he the .PlHt ana
character 80 'ho laws enacted by Ton.
yr.... nu tIr. subject. Administered
With un-W,-.Iug fidelity to the under.
WING pgrr.... tucv furnish the fulI
r.mcdy fa- 'he evils We must not
CORRECT, chat ..r efficacy # all law lies
,Y IN. ip.,yrtv and persistence ~ us
enforcement \ diversion Of pubic
,p.rion into inattenti0n or oblivion
may easily Do. reflected in negligent or
martial enforcement. Against tnat, the
only pcr-ca'tbIc possibility OF
usoied reaction. must bc maintained
AN active and educated popular scnti.
mont. iudpIrg truly the depth and
breadth of fhe interests at stake, re-
solved 90 avoid ou one side the rocks
~ corporate privilege and favoritism
without falling on the other side into
the whirlpool Of destructive ana con
f,eatory retaliation.
For the maintenance of that en-
lightcned popular opinion, the coop
Grafton Of sincere and honest men, lay.
ing aside private interest or personal
pre iudicc for the common welfare, rs
invoked a. the highest duty of patriotic
citizenship.
The last authoritative word upon
the subject If the people, the railroads,
and the NATIONAL authority, comes
from the Interstate Commerce Commis'
sion in It, report for 1907.
Speaking Of the body of law now ex'
tant it says:
at means much for the present and
more for the future that the principles
of this law have gained greatly in gen
| cral understanding and acceptance. By
| railway managers almost without eN'
| ception the amended law has been ac'
copied in good faith, and tney exhibit
| for the most part sincere and earnest
| disposition 10 conform their methods
\ 10 its requirements. To gratifying
extent there has been readjustment Of
rates and correction Of abuses by the
| carriers themselves. Methods and
usages of one sort and another which
op, rated 20 individual advantage have
been voluntarily changed, and il is not
too much to say that there is now a
fr, cdom from forbidden discrimination
which is actual and general To de
gree never before approached.
WHAT | have said has been in thu
main Of what hes been accomplished
under national authority in the past
Further exercise Of that authorit,
should proceed with just appreciation
Of real public needs and ASSOCIATED
from political clamor. We must re
member, again quoting from the Inter
state Commerce Commission, that:
of business undertakings proper
"If business undertakings proper
tionately increase during future years
the railroads Of the country must adj
10 their tracks, ears, and other facili
ties TO an extent difficult to estimate
II may cOnscrvatively be stated tina
the inadequacy of transportation facili
ties is little less than alarming: tina
its continuation may place an arbtrar.
limit upon the future productivity o
the land, and that the solution Of tn
difficult financial and physical prob
lens involved is worthy the most earn
est thought and effort of all who be
lieve in the full development of gu
country and the largest opportunity TO
its people,
The commission makes IL eviden
that the best and ablest railway man
ayers now recognize the old evils an
abuses and the necessity for uniform
federal regulation in the interest o
the railroads themselves. and that the
show a disposition to cooperate viii
ingly in the plans and method
adopted 20 secure conformity 10 tn
law. They seem now to realize tina
the railroads having invoked the fec
eral power To be freed from onerou
: state restraints, they cannot now justl
complain IL the power which helpe
them also regulates them in the pull
lie interest. They must take tne bui
! den with the benefits. They sough
! liberty, and they must remember tina
, liberty is not license but is a freedol
regulated by law
There Is nothing in present cond
, tions requiring any strain upon our il
situations to supply remedy for an
; mischicfs that plague the public, an
J, there are no mischiefs the correctio
= Of which may not be attained withot
r disturbing the public welfare. Ther
;, is enough federal power, IL not enoug
! federal legislation, to meet all federi
emergencies. There is nothing affec
i ing the external affairs Of the natio
n or such internal ones IN are committe
: 10 it's charge that Congress cam,
J., | regulate: there il notbipy ,bat agao.