Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-10-01


Istration In which he has played 50 con-
spicuors a part has done. But to Illus
trate just what his attitude Is let me
touch on two matters now prominent In
the public mind
Mr.. Taft can be trusted to exact Justice
from the railroads for the very reason
that he can 30 trusted 70 do justice to the
railroads. The railroads are the chief IN
struments Of interstate commerce IN the
country. and they can neither be held to
a proper accountability on tho one hand
nor given proper protestion on the other
save by the affirmative action OF the fed
eral government. The law a. laid down
BY the federal courts clearly shows that
the states have not and cannot devise
laws adequate to meet the problems caus-
ed by the great growth Of the railroads
doing an interstate commerce business,
for more than four-flfths OF the business
OF the railroads Is interstate. and under
the constitution % the United States only
the federal government can exercise con-
troll thereover. II ~ absolutely necessary
that this control should be Affirmative and
thoroughgoing
An Interstate business carried on by The
great corporaftons should m the interest
OF the whole people Be far more closely
supervised than at present by the national
government but this is especially true az
the railroads. which cannot exist AZ All
save 81 the exercsse o. powers granted
then on behalf % the people and which.
therefore. should be heid 70 peculiar ac-
countahiiity % the peopia n i n The in-
tercst Of the people that thefA should not
b permitted % 90 hsfastice' and = T. no
should not sultuF tnfsHticA Their prime
purpose - 10 carry the commodities Of the
farmers and the business men- Tney could
not BE- built save for ne money contrib
uted 70 them ~ their aharelEoldoFA They
could not be nm az ail save fOr the money
paid out IN Wages 70 ths railroad employ
een. and. 1naily, they cvufd not DO run ~
not for tha ernployneut BY unem 81 some
masterfui guiding intelnBusacas whether Of
one man or Of a group Of men There are
therefore several ee& % hntcres1s % be
conHidsred Zach must ruuofvn proper con-
sideration. and when any one OF them
Belnahly demands exciuaive considerntion
the demand must DO refused Along GER
tain lines an Of thee eronps have the
same intcrest2 Il l. 70 The Interest ol
shipper. farmer. waEnworkew. business
man honest SHAREHOLDERS aad honest man
agnr alike that thera shouid be ECONOMY,
honesty. infesiigenca hnd fnir tEeaeu,Dnt Of
ell To put IN effective stop 30 stock va
tering would Be benenk 10 eserybody
except the svindiers who PROFIT by stock
M4tLEinA. II HQuA4 DNLNc4AA Nll1 nQHEHl
Shareholder because honest Investments
would not Do brought into eompetitior
with mere paper, II would beneht tn
| wageWori<er because wf1an tha money
earned does not have % 90 70 paying n,
terest on wafered capital more Of 4 d
left ont Of which 10 pay wngea II wouit
benefit the shipper because, when only
honest stockholders havo 70 b paid inter
est rates need not be Improperly raised
II would benefit tho pubic because their
would be ample money with which TO Civ
efIieient servtce. Similarly tho prevention
OF favoritism as among shippers does nj
damage % any one who " honest and con
fers great good upon tho SMALLER busines
man and the farmer. whom u relieves o
/ Oppression
Again, such supervision o. aooounts ans
management as win prevent crookednes
and oppression works good directly or In
directly. 20 All honest people Therefor,
everything that can Be done along al
these lines should be done, add no mani
Legitimate interest would thereby be hurt
But after this point has bosn reache.
great care must be exercised not TO worl
Injustice 70 one class IN mo eflDrt d
show favor 20 another clasa. ana eacl
class naturally tends 20 remember onl,
its own media The stockholders must r.
ceive an ample return on their invest
ments or the railroads cannot b bull
and successfully maintained and IN
rates 70 shippers and the wages TO en-
ployees. from tho highest 70 the lowest
must all Be conditioned upon this fac
On the other hand, In q pubic ssrvic
corporation we have no right 20 allo,
such excessive profits az win necessftat
rates being unduly high and wages IN
duly low. Again. while In all proper way
rates must be kept low. We must Away
remember that we have no right and n
Qualification 10 reduce them when the n
suit Is the reduction Of the wages OF IN
great army OF railroad men A fair wori
ing arrangement must be devised accorl
ing to the needs OF the several cases, {
that profits. wages and rates shall eac
be reasonable with reference 70 the ofhl
two. and In wages l include the properl
large amounts which should always /
lpaid to those whose masterful ability
required for the successful direction
great enterprises.R Combinations whic
favor such an equitable arrangemer
Ihould themselves be favored and n.
forbidden BY law. although they shoul
be strictly supervised by the governmel
Through the interstate commerce conmi
sion. which should have the power ,
passing summariiy upon not only Il
question Of the reduetion. but the raisir
Of rates.
This railroad problem Is itself one
the phases OF one OF the greatest an
.aCSe antKlcAte problems OK our oiyiliz
uon- For its proper solution we need n
merely honesty and courage, but tud
! ment, good sense and entire fair minde.
pess. Demagogy in such a matter Is ,
! certain to work evil as corruption itsel
I The man who promises to raise the wae
! OF railroad employees to the highest POI
! and At the same time to reduce rates
I the lowest point Is promising what M
Their he nor any one else can perfor1
! and II the effort to perform It were q
/ tempted disaster would result to bo
4 shipper. and wageworker and ruin to 4
! business interests OF the country. N
: man to trust in such a matter as this