The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-06-03
RAILROAD SLAUGHTER CHECKED
Good Work Of Railroad Commission
Under its Increased Powers

SHoSt ~ tft<s<a@~t
II Is pretty we'll known that at the |
last session of the legislature addlt- |
ional powers were given the railroad |
commission, but to what extent such |
provision has operated toward max
ing travel by rail In Vermont more
safe or how far the conveniences CT \
such travel have been made to con-
form to the requirements OF health
and the reasonable speed OF journey
ing, the public has not heretofore
been informed. That such Is the case
Is not due to any disposition OF the
Railroad Commission to withhold
from the public knowledge properly
belonging to II, but rather to the fact
that O great and important work has
been so quietly and SO easily done
that public attention has not been call
ed to the matter In specific cases. In
deed the powers OF the commission
have been made 80 am Die that rail-
roads rs a rule have Needed the re-
quests of the commission rather than
await its orders. Had the commits
sion been obliged to apply It's power
I'D u COuit anu ~ ID q tOutt hhuti W
listing law, In the numerous cases
wherein It's request has been sufiici'
ent the public would be fully aware
of It's activities.
In It's relations 10 the railroads the
travelling public is most Of all inter-
ested In the safety OF railroad travel.
In the not far distant past. the fire.
quency of accidents upoi one OF Yer
mont's principal railroads became a
matter OF caustic comment II not one
of actual anxiety and alarm. While
none OF those accidents reached the
dimensions Of railway horror the
most OF them approached to the very
line where socalled lucky accident
ends and an appalling destruction Of
human life begins. This state Of af-
fairs will be remembered by every.
body who had occasion to travel by
that railroad line. and during the per-
iod. II no disaster entailing large
death list resulted, II certainly was
mot due to the roads heaviest and
best passenger trains not frequently
leaving the rails or that the running
lservice was at all times free from a
carelessness inconsistent with the
safety Of travel.
At time Immediately following a
succession OF accidents, II was obser.
we'd that high officials of the railroads
here referred to, accompanied by the
roads most important legal advisers,
descended upon Montpelier from the
directors car OF the road and had a
Iprivate conference with the Railroad
Commission at the latter's room In
the state house. II then leaked out
that the conference related to the con-
Editions that occasioned such frequent
accidents and. although just what
ltranspired at the meeting has never
been made public, the infrequency OF
accidents since that time leads to very
definite conclusions. Had the com
, mission been made up OF weak men
no doubt the dangerous neglect could
: have been continued even I'm the ex
, istence of the commissions ample
powers. But apparently the rail
road knew with whom 1t had to deal
and wasted no time In sitting up and
taking notice. The apparent results
have been as follows:
The railroad very soon settled a
.. troublesome strike that had long ex
J listed In its mechanical department
8 certain changes were made In respon
sible heads In that department, and q
better average service In its telegrap
hic operating force at many stations
was effected The result of these
: changes due to the uneqnivocal atti
tude of the commission has been thai
trains have been run approximately
, near to the timetable and that care
!. lessness in the handling OF trains from
I every point Of responsibility has beer
In large measure eliminated, with tn,
!. consequence that accidents on tina
J. line have been of no menacing impor
for the better part Of year Thes,
!. facts argue but one thing and that Il
. that railroad travel in Vermont ha
8 become safer. that theres Is a bette
protection of life and limb guarantee,
: the travelling public, because OF al
existing authority before whose man
dates the railroads must bow.
: Can the state afford any course tina
}. In any way can weaken this force (,
}. which the powerful railroad corpora
= tons must yield? Should 1t by an
u misunderstood action place in the e,
/ ,ecutive office-the Office that hold
the appointing power in all the state
a commissions-any man for whose ell
!, walton the railroads are now clamol
i. ing? Should policy that guaran
J. tees, so far as foresight and reguls
= tion can guarantee, the safe return @
3 loved ones 70 the home circles afte
3 entrusting their lievs to the railways
y be weakened in the slightest degre
Il lor for moment placed where Their
: can be chance for such weakening
y With the pliable Stanton In the go,
q ernorship. him for whom the railroa
: support is now cast, with wha
strength would this policy be mali
tanned In such extent as the govel
., nor's appointive power could reach ?
e In all this most vital question CO
D fronts the voters of the state. Indee
there Is none more vital. Shall tn
effectiveness of present authorit
over the railroads be maintained b
the election to the governorship c
o Lieut.. Gov. Geo. H. Prouty, who's
= attitude upon the case is positive an
= uncompromising, or shall all tn
IN good that has been accomplished an
B the needs Of the immediate future b
!. risked by the election of the raj
roads own candidate, himself a raj
road commissioner in the old mea
ingless days, Zed s. Stanton?, Tn,
Is a question of no secondary impo
lance. 1t is one that the poop
should ask of themselves and of eat
' other, as upon answer much depend
adv.
The nomination of George II Prou
n for Governor is assured by lar,
majority A careful canvass of ii
state shows that he leads in eve,
County except Washington, and
Tint County, ha mill 49,. L.