The new South-news., 1908-02-15


By the railroad commission, would de-
iermine 10 shat reduction. II any, the
people are entitled. The same ques-
iion has bcen recently acted On 10
some Of our uelghboriug states. and
most Of t4e railroads afe now DIS
posed b meet Il in a fair and eon-
cilhsfory spiri With them there
will be no trouble 70 this, there are
fcW exceptions, one in particular,
which has most c0niempiu0usly re-
iccied overture, from states, and has
uniformly sought 90 embarras- ana
discredit state officials, in all possi-
bic Ways.
Two cent Pate.
To defeat such efforts and 10 Sc
cure speedy investigation and de-
cision recommend ihe enactment Of
Law fixing ieo cents mile as the
maximum railroad fare between
points within lhls state. with O pro-
viso that the railroad commission
shall have The power, upon salts
factory proof. 40 increase ihi. rate,
as 10 any railroad 10 a figure thai will
afford just compensation for service
rendered by il 20 ten public. Such a
law will throw upon those who wish
an increase. the burden Of establish
ing the justice Of such increases; and
viii drive those railroads which have
been so swift 20 inierp0se endless in
junction litigation " some other re-
source. No wrong could be inflicted
ns the railroad commission could be
made a court of record from which
direct appeal, as preference cases,
could be made 10 our supreme court
OF the United States The rate would
not be- iron clad because the railroad
commission could regulate 10 accord
ing 10 ieh receipts, expenditures and
cost OF construction of the different
railroads. II deemed advisable, on ac-
count of present stringency OF money
matters, such law could be made 10
made 10 take effect months hence.
Urcscni depression Is not limited to
railroads, nor due. in any appreciable
extent, however much the contrary
may be claimed 10 regulation Of com
mon carriers Manipulation Of rail-
roads in the interest of siock-gam
bling, Watering Of stock, robbing of
stockholders through subsidiary cor
porations owned by favored few,
aud proven dishonesty of some OF the
leaders OF finance. have been the chief
causes Of the weakening of public com
fidence and OF rsuliing depression.
Blot It Out.
The fellow servant doctrine, a relic
of harsh class legislation, intended to
be abrogatcd IN our constitution
should be entirely cxpunged from our
laws. Contributory negligence, almost
as cruel and unnecessary in its orig
inal form. should either be annulled.
or made a question Of fact and of
deduction Of damgos, deterNincd by
q jury. Physical injuries incident 10
the operation Of a dangerous bust
ness should be betrayed by that bust
ness, and collected from its patrons,
IS part of its operating expenses.
Laws. throwing upon the charitable,
he burden of tohse manned or or
,haned by accidents attending dan
,erous omployments. neither make the
Employer nor the employed more care
'ul, but when not due to wilfullness
f made a dieret charge ON the bust
ness, its managers would adopt the
most recent an dapproyed safe appi-
'nce and procedure.
Railroad employees who have spent
much of their lives in attaining pro
ficiency, are sometimes discharged
without assigned or proveable cause
and. by some method blacklisted from
all future railroad employment. No
man should be thus barred from his
chosen field OF labor. Legislation
should be enacted effectively prohib-
iting such evil practice.
Allow No Drinking.
Safety OF che travelling public and
Of railroad employees would be muc-
by prohibiting, except in
eases OF illness, all drinking of intox-
icauis on running trains. Frequent
trouble occurs in tsrins coming from
places where liquor is obtaiabl-. To
avoid The necessity Of taking employees
from their work, to attend court as
NiiacsseS. !, would be well 10 make
he carrying ,f ique- on the person,
while travelling on ears, a misdemean-
or. Ii would make the laws .he more
effective and more easily enforce
able.
Something IS needed to improve the
telephone service. The recent in
crease in rates has been followed by
a much rcorr service. 1nis cannot
be due 20 want o patronage, for it
takes time and labor to get extensions
Of sersise. Calls should be registered.
and, with specified exceptions. should